If you read only one of my blog posts, please make it this one.
How many photos do you have of you with your children? Or you with your parents?
Or your children with their Grandparents? Aunties? Uncles? Cousins?
I for one know that my phone camera is full of photos of the children. Together sometimes but mostly photos of them on their own, messy after eating a particularly tomatoey bolognese or melting ice cream, climbing or hiding in places they shouldn't be, happy that they are playing with what must be the worlds greatest toy, or even mid tantrum (you know, so you can send it to Daddy whilst he is at work to show him what hes missing) . But barely any of them with other important family members. Unfortunately it took the very sad loss of my much loved and adored Nanna in May for me to realise this. I have no recent photos of her with my children, and none at all of her with Annabelle (my youngest).
Once I realised this, to say I was devastated is an understatement.
My Nanna
I saw my Nanna 3-4 times during the week most weeks, and most Saturdays when we would all pile around her house for the weekly get together. She was so full of life and was always running around after and playing with the young grandchildren. I have memories of these times safely stored away in my mind, and I hope and pray that they don't fade, because it seems I never thought to get out my camera, or even my phone and take photos of these happy times. Even the most recent photo I have of me with my Nanna was taken over a year before she passed.
So back to my original point. How many do you have? Look through your phone.. How many photos do you have on there that have special people in them? I can imagine for most people the answer would be 'not enough'.
This blog post is to encourage you to take the photo.
Rhoda and her family know all too well that time is precious, they made sure they had memories for the boys to treasure
So, whilst that phone is in your hand, hold it up and take a photo. Even in the times that you don't deem 'photo worthy'.
Daddy doing a jigsaw with your little one? Take the photo
Big brother or sister pushing them on the swing? Take the photo
Grandad showing them something on the TV, newspaper, internet? Take the photo
Nanna giving them one of the thousands of cuddles they've no doubt given them? Take the photo, definitely take the photo
Got a family session booked for your children? Get IN the photo
You don't know how special these photographs will become over time to you and your loved ones. In the below picture the lady and gent in the middle didn't want to be included in the session, it was only for the kids. One photo I said, just one. For them if not for you.
And they all loved the resulting image.
Please don't let it be that it takes a loss or a life changing event to show you that family photos really are precious, regardless of who took them, where they were taken, or what they were taken on. A phone snap is better than no snap.
In memory of my Nanna, Jean
4th March 1952 - 24th May 2017
Always loved, Never forgotten.
Sleep peacefully, until we meet again