Ellen Stop taking pictures...

                That was probably the stupidest thing I could have said.  As I laid down last night I spent, like usual, about 10 minutes looking at pictures and videos of Penelope.  Pictures that I now have to hold onto forever because that is all I have.  Thank the Lord she doesn’t listen to me half the time and took all those pics.  They are what get me through the day and are the only way I can ease myself to sleep sometimes.

                Men don’t want to take 100 pictures and videos of every little thing that happens in their child’s life, but I promise that you should.  For the most part, I just don’t think it is in us to pose for all those pictures, but one day you’ll look back and be glad you did.  You’ll be happy she took the picture of you two sitting on the couch, feeding her, reading to her, playing in the snow, set up the photo shoots with professional photographers, and all the other 1000 times you heard “Ok, smile!” 

                It really isn’t about the actual picture, but all that the picture represents.  You’ll be sitting in bed one day and come across a picture you totally forgot about.  You won’t just see the matching outfits (Gag Me).  You will remember the hour it took to get ready and changing outfits 100 times, the slobber you are trying to cover up with your hand placement, the fart she let out as you picked her up, and then you’ll be realizing how much you are actually smiling and appreciate your wife “making” you do that.  They say a picture is worth 1000 words, but I think more importantly it is worth 1000 memories. 

                I hope that some reading this enjoy what those pictures represent and what they will mean down the road.  I mean I won’t lie, I’m at a place now where I am jealous and angry along with happy at the same time at all those “photo opportunities” I get to see some having.  I soon forget that when I look at our walls and see Penelope in Montana, Glacier National Park, the TN Capitol, and yes even the hospital pictures.  It doesn’t matter where you are in the picture, it is helping keep those memories alive.  That’s all we can do.  Take the picture and enjoy it.  You’ll see more than ink printed on paper, I promise you that.