Friday October 9 2015  WE ARE STILL A FAMILY

We survived the photo session!  Whew!  I was beginning to wonder about whether it would happen by the time we all retired for the night.  We had previously planned to have everyone wear white shirts and jeans.  I am certain I said “blue jeans”, Rebecca said I did not.  She brought white jean.  Okay, so we have seven pairs of blue legs and one pair of white legs.  Now to the white shirts, four plaids (all different) showed up,  two solid white long sleeve shirts (mine and Dave’s), one shirt I never saw, and one white shirt with a large red design over one side of the upper chest area.  Hmmm, it wasn’t quite what I had in mind.  I realize now that there was a breakdown in communication because I did not personally talk to all parties involved.  Needless to say, I was disappointed.  Was it really important?  No.  But I was still disappointed. I spoke in haste and told everyone to wear whatever they wanted and I just won’t hang it on the wall.  That is about the meanest thing I thing I can remember saying in years.  But, maybe I just remember things differently than others. 

Of course, later I was sorry that I had been so flippant.  We left it that everyone could wear what they wanted to wear, and we would do it at 10:00 a.m. the next day (which was this morning).  I woke up to the sound of pattering rain.  Hmmm…I was still so frustrated about the turn of events that I just told Amy that the photo session was cancelled due to rain.  I do not use my cameras in the rain due to the damage the moisture does to my lenses.  I was too chicken to call Rebecca and asked Amy to just text her and tell her that we would not be doing the session.  You see, I was also bummed out because I committed to doing it in the morning when it is not the best light.  So, any reason to cancel was good enough.  I went to the gym and worked out and stopped by Rebecca’s house on the way home.  It was still drizzling.  I walked out on her ground level back porch, and I was looking at the perfect combination to make the session work.  A covered patio, a beautiful wild nature preserve off the back porch and BINGO!  A  lightbulb moment!  I could stand the tripod up on the covered porch and run and get into the photo.   And it was then I realize there is no gate in the wrought iron railing for me to go through.  Oh well, it was a nice thought.

And then it quit raining.  Now the tripod could be exposed to the elements.  Now we had to figure out a time.  We had tickets to see the Acrobats of China that would take up most of the afternoon.  We figured we could come back to the cottages, get my equipment and head over to Rebecca and Neil’s private nature preserve.  The light wasn’t right but I took it any way.  Actually, I took several.  And guess what, I totally forgot to take one on my cell phone so I could post it on the blog. 

We ended up with quite a combination of outfits.  And…it looked fine.  I am so out of practice with photography that if I was grading my work it wouldn’t pass.  Since I had to run into the photo without really seeing how it looked before the lens clicked I had too much unbalanced space that did not suit my eye.  Everyone was only intent in rushing to get it done so I didn’t take the time to check.  Also a few arms were not where they should have been.  Again, due to rushing.  It is not easy to be the photographer and the subject at the same time.  I am retired!  I must constantly tell myself that.  I don’t need to know how to do all that anymore.  (So I am scheduled to do a school on October 30^th).  Oh well, this will be the last year.  I told myself that last year too.

We are still intact as a family, enjoyed a lovely last evening meal together at a restaurant, courtesy of Amy and Courtland, and…we have a “family portrait” of sorts.  I hope the memories will cause us to smile in the future instead of having a sour taste.  I almost got through the whole week without getting into trouble.  I have always been good at getting into trouble, especially with my sisters.  But I won’t go there.

Thanks for listening to me spew out my shortcomings.  Sometimes I’m just not perfect

Tomorrow we will spend our day with Rebecca and Neil.  They head home to Florida on Sunday and then we will be alone.  Sunday afternoon we will move to a smaller cottage here on the grounds and have four more days here in Branson with just the two of us.  It already feels empty in my heart just knowing everyone will be going their separate ways.  That happens when you no longer have “children”, but “grownups”.  When people ask me if we have children I just say, “no, we have grownups”.

TWO LITTLE MUNCHKINS

By Kathleen Martens

October 9, 2015

Two little munchkins,

A girl and a boy

The loves of our life

Who gave so much joy.

Now all grown

Gone separate ways

We see them so seldom

Throughout our days.

Our days are quiet

Time is our own

There is no more noise

In our big empty home.

Except when our grandsons

Come bounding in

With giggles and wiggles

And great big grins.

And we share in the fun

Of laughter and noise

And we don’t even mind

The clutter of toys.

So fast they grow

Almost eight and four

And I know in my heart

There may not be more.

So I shall enjoy

Every hours we share

For these two little munchkins

Won’t always be there.

There are two reasons we do not live in Branson.  Those two reasons are Zachariah and Alexander.  At one time we had planned to possibly retire here in Branson.  But then Amy and Court sabotaged our plans by making us grandparents.  Now our hearts are wherever our grandchildren are.  I highly recommend having grandchildren.  I hope we live long enough to be able to see them become “ grand-grownups!”  Regardless their age, they will always be “GRAND” in our hearts.  We have had a blast this week living in the same house with them.  But it’s good that it was only for a while.  I like being sane.  I hope Amy will survive!

It is almost 11:00 p.m.  The kids are flying higher than a kite.  The sound of laughter erases silence in a good way.  No one wants the day to end.

I will say goodnight to you.  And God bless you too.