photographic evidence.....

Over the years I've tried to arrange photographic evidence of my life, my experiences and most importantly my mothering.  This is not because I enjoy being in front of the camera....I way prefer being behind it !  I want my extremely visual kids to be able to have some visual reminders of who their mother was and a glimps into all the many bits of my history.

As the first born child/grandchild my parents & grandparents arrange/took many photos of me when I was young.  Sadly, most of them were lost when a fire destroyed my mothers place several years ago.  Thankfully, I was able to scan and save onto disk a few that my Aunties had kept safely tucked away.

I was a sickly babe as my Dad would say.  I was long and thin with big blue eyes and crazy hair....far from a chubby Gerber baby !!

I have been reminded lately how happy I am to have these photos.  How I wish there were more and that some is better than none.....

I wish my insecure self had been open to having more taken in my youth.  I was way happier hiding out behind the lens.  I wish there was more visual evidence of my friendship and experiences.  I've got boxes and albums full of my sister, friends, children I cared for, youth group activities and almost none of myself during those years.  The few that I do have I usually organized and set up myself.......like this very first one of me and my Keisha & Anthony......I asked my sister to take it so that they would have a family picture to share for " Family" day at preschool......

Last week I was making my way through 7 years of picture of shared times between my Vanessa 's family and ours.  She recently lost everything in a devastating house fire.  Boy I took all lot of photo's over those years...probably take even more now !  We had made a pack to capture each others mothering since were the one always holding the camera...:)  Boy I had a lot !  Thankfully we had shared our photos back and worth...so I had a lot that she had also taken....many I had forgotten about....many of me and my loves.....here are a few ( ones without foster babies that is ).......

( This was taken in early spring.  It was Liam's 1st visit to the beach - Comox Spit to be exact.)

( a 2 yr old Liam and his Momma playing at the park....)

 ( Dancing - Me,Keisha,Sethy, Ana & Liam.....boy we liked to dance...)

( The boys ( Noah, Sethy & Liam) doing my hair)

( Sethy, Liam & I playing in the Ocean at the Comox Spit)

( this last ones is part of a very funny series between Ana, Ray ( Vanessa's Husband) and me.....Ana had the most horrible dragon breath it was so gross !!!)

I'm so thankful to have all these everyday shots of our life....that include me !  I have so many friends and know way to many adopted children & adults a like who have very little to no pictures of their mothers or life growing up.  I'm so happy that that is not the case for my kiddo's.  Please any fellow Momma's out there don't hide from the camera....your children don't care whether your fat or skinny, like your hair or have make up on.  Really they don't !!  They will be happy to be able to say and " there's my Mom " when going back over those photo albums !!