One Good Photo Is All I Ask

OK this past year has been tight financially as we recover from Manny losing his jobs so much over 2002-2004. What makes it harder is that the new job, whose anniversary is coming up at the very end of January 06, is paying him less that he was making even though he's still working part-time evenings at JC Penney wharehouse. Last year was a lean Christmas, and this year will be lean too. That's fine because the girls are still little, and it gives us the opportunity to teach them the real values behind Christmas. It's family that matters.

However, because it's been a lean YEAR I've sort of neglected to get any formal photos done of any of the girls. That't includes Anneliese. I have tons of digital photos of her and it's wonderful... but I don't have one professional photo of Anneliese yet. I've tried making up for it by taking probably thousands of digital phtoos, but I have this guilty feeling that I should have done more.

We're not seninding out Christmas photo cards this year for the 1st time since having kids, but I'm getting their photo taken at Walmart on Tuesday for Christmas. I'm excited, but I think I have this idealized image of all 3 girls actually behaving and sitting still for me. chances are I'm having a gran mal delusion, but humor me a little. They still fit in their dresses from last year, and Anneliese fits into one of Grace's old dresses so they'll all match. Well, the colors and materials match which is just as good. I'll have Juliana's hair all pretty, hopefully covering the hatchet job she did on her bangs, and Grace will get a bath so that her hair is curly. Anneliese will get a bath and have puffy fluff sticking up on her head. They have nice shoes and tights too.

I'm taking them to Walmart for this photo. Oh, did I mention that I'm taking the three of the girls ALL BY MYSELF? That's where this turns into a delusion. And yes, I still remember the flu shot incident. No need to bring that up again, thanks. I think (hope) that since needles aren't part of the equation this time that there will be a happy ending.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm an eternal optimist? That sounds so much better than delusional. yes, that's it. I'm optimistic and hopeful, with pride in my girls and hope for the holidays. That's what holidays do, they offer us hope. And trust in my girls too, let's not forget that. Trust that somehow this will be a drama but one that I'll be able to cheerfully look at as an adventure. All I really need is just one good photo for this whole thing to be worthwhile. And I might get more than just that one. Slim chance and small hope I know, but I can still hope. Just hold my hand and smile and nod, reasssure me that it will all work out. I may come home rocking myself into a fetal position and singing Christmas carols in a dazed, unintelligible fashion but it WILL be worth it for just one good photo. One good photo is all I ask, and it's not asking for all that much.

Is it???