The Story of the Christmas Card

I love Christmas cards. This time of year I diligently check my mailbox whereas during the year, I don't even like to venture down the driveway. But between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I skip down to the mailbox.

I even save the Christmas cards from years past. I put each year on a ring. It's absolutely great to look back over the years.

The past couple years we have had Christmas photos taken for me to use specifically on the Christmas card. This year I scheduled a photo shoot that happened to fall on the same weekend we had plans to go to New Orleans. I had to cancel the shoot and I was most upset about what I was going to do for the Christmas card.

I decided that I had a nice camera and some time with the boys, so I set out to get our Christmas card picture. While John was getting ready, I took the boys out for a test shot in front of the house. Once I realized my camera was working, we set off to the Square.

Well, it was cold. There were a lot of lights and a ton of space to run. Hence, it was difficult to get what I felt like would be good pictures. I tried and John was right there with me trying to wrangle a good picture.

When I got home, I immediately downloaded the 75 pictures with bated breath. This is what I got...

Evan: I will hug him and squeeze him and call him Luke.

Luke: Errrrmygahhhh he's hugging me!!! Oh wait...squirrel!

   

Luke has started to do this when I tell him to smile. John says I am being too hard on him when I say "No, no, I said smile Luke....smile."

I'm meeeeelting...meeelting!!

So after being fully discouraged, I went back and looked at my test shot. There is was. The perfect picture that sums up my boys. If you know Evan and Luke you know this is there exact personality. Evan, my rule follower, that truly wants to make everyone happy, standing exactly in place where he is supposed to smiling a real authentic smile because he's truly happy. And Luke. Luke who is happiest when he is making others laugh. Luke who doesn't like to be the center of attention. Luke who likes to surprise people. Luke... my Luke.

But it wasn't two kids standing side by side smiling or our whole family like I have had in years past. Yeah, they were dressed adorably, yes they were smiling...but was if I chose that picture would it look like I didn't have it all together?

And you know what, I don't have it all together. We are not perfect. Why does my Christmas card need to be? It doesn't. It needs to be us. Truly us.

So Merry Christmas from The Asbells

I hope your holiday are filled with authentic moments that turn into lifelong memories.