The moments we don't photograph

I have been thinking all week long of all of those moments that we never seem to photograph. We take pictures of weddings and other celebrations, but we never seem to get the ones that spell out our regular, everyday lives.


This afternoon I was making lunch and throwing together a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I looked up to see Jake's sweet face perched on the edge of the counter. He was saying, "cookie. cookie. Mommy baking". It just about melted my heart. When he wakes up from his nap it is always a toss-up. Is he going to be really sweet and cute and ready to take on the world or just really ticked off and in a bad mood? We never know til we get there. Claire dances every single time she hears music. It is these little things we can never fully capture in a picture.


I came home Thursday night eager to tell Kirk and Mom that I got a good grade (much better than I expected!) on my Chemistry test. Before I could get the words out she told me that my brother is back in the hospital and couldn't walk. It was one of those surreal moments that takes your breath away and makes you forget whatever it is you thought was important just moments ago.

It was one of those times we never photograph. That look of horror on someone's face when they get bad news, that tearful sigh when we realize we don't know what is to come. It is those moments that hurt so deeply, but those are the ones that our memories are made of. It's too bad we can't capture all of it, the good AND the bad.