The Family Picture

I know why photographers get the big bucks.

Not saying they don't deserve them, because a few hours ago, I was willing to pay any sum of money for somebody...ANYbody...to please come and take our family picture for our Christmas card.

Why is that? It's a camera lens and lighting and a shutter and a button. How hard can it be?

But people listen to photographers. They know what looks good and how to hold your hands and head...and what to do with your legs and feet. They can get people to do things that no family member can...typically.

We headed to the park...10 of us. 8 of us in the family, and 2 we treat like family. 10 pairs of eyes. 10 different attitudes. About that many different personalities.

(Hahaha...see what I did there?)

All in all, I think it went pretty well...all things considering. Holly and Faith took a ton of pictures. Holly looked at them quickly while on the way to dinner. She said out of all of them...there were only 2 that would be suitable. OH DEAR! We might should've stayed at the park a little longer!

After the picture taking episode, we all went to dinner with Jim's parents at a local restaurant. Table for 12 anyone?

We had a good time. They sat us at a long table, so I didn't really get to interact with anyone at the other end. I was pretty much involved in the ones right in front of me: Joshua and Jenni.

I had called Jenni's mom to see if she could come with us. I mean, Holly has Aaron, Logan has Morgan, Clark has Faith...and that leaves Joshua without a "special person." They are all really good about including him, so I don't think he feels the "I'm not a couple" thing every time we go somewhere, but my mother-in-law thinks he does. And, you know, I guess if he feels it once...it's one time too many. She is just very sensitive, sometimes overly sensitive, when it comes to him.

Jenni is a sweetie, but bringing her requires planning...because it's different. Just like when her parents invite Joshua to go with them. We know Joshua...and can usually predict what he will do...what he will like...what he can tolerate; how long he can go between potty breaks and meals; how much walking he will endure without complaining. We know what things set him off, what things make him happy. We can tell when he's full, when he's sick, when he can't hear. Bringing Jenni is...different.

And, we invite her and they invite him...and it doesn't always work out for them to be together.

But today it did!

Joshua and Jenni had a big time with us today. And even tho Jenni was not in our family picture, she had fun "helping" Faith and Holly taking them. And we took several of the two of them together...they are HAMS in front of the camera! But we knew that, of course.

Joshua and Jenni enjoyed coming to dinner with everyone, but NO ONE enjoyed it more than my mother-in-law. She grinned and watched them both like hawks. She tried to offer them more food every time we turned our backs and Jim had to shut that down because NO THANK YOU, Mammaw Jack. We have a 35 minute car trip ahead of us (taking Jenni home), and I am NOT wanting to get on that ride.

We all made it fine and had a great time! Didn't nobody die (name that movie) (Rush Hour) and no one got car-sick. AND, Jim and I may have permanently sealed our place in the WILL after tonight. His mom hugged me and said over and over, "you have just made.my.night." (you know, by bringing Jenni for Joshua). She said, "I always love seeing EVERYONE, but...you know..." and she nodded her head toward Joshua.

I said, "oh, I know..."

We ALL know.

"On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable..." 1 Corinthians 12:22