I hate that my memory fades so fast. It does you know. It truly does.
Tim will bring up something and start rattling off the details and I’ll think to myself and even say, “I don’t remember that.” (trust me, he’s nodding along if he’s reading this…)
I’m not sure what is taking up the space where those reminders and flashes should be but so many of them are not there.
That is one of the main reasons I am so very glad that I take a lot of photos.
Of course there are many little, every day type moments that I am not going to recall and photos give me a glimpse back to those and I find myself beyond elated that I have them to fall back on time and time again.
One of the things that is NOT documented so well on this on-line journal of mine is my first born’s first years. I didn’t start this blog until he was two and half and his baby brother was on the way.
It was November of 2006 and below is the very first photo I posted on my blog, of him, playing in the leaves at our house in Texas. My belly, holding his baby brother while in the first trimester of my second pregnancy.
But so much happened before that and now he is EIGHT years old and this life is passing me by at warp speed. Although some days it doesn’t feel like it, but it really, really is. Believe me.
I used to make elaborate scrapbooks (of which the first born has many and the others only have one!), but now I keep this space, here for me to remember and for you all to see and for them too, someday.
A few weeks ago, Liz of Mom 101 wrote a post about the legacy we leave while writing our lives out for the world wide web.
Her words really got me thinking and reiterated to me why this space is for me and for my kids and hopefully even their kids.
Can you imagine if your grandmother had written a blog, how amazing it would be to go back and read her words? Things were so very different when she was my age and I imagine they will be pretty different when my granddaughter is 37 someday.
What will my children and (hopefully) grandchildren think and feel when they read my words and how will they smile and remember when they see all those “old” photos I took?
I do wonder…
And I imagine they will smile and laugh at this photo for sure… 🙂
Linking up with my friends Galit and Alison…
You’re so right! Often I wish that my parents had taken more photos of me when I was a baby, and it’s unfortunate they didn’t have any videos of any of us. I would have LOVED to see what I was like as a kid.
Which is why I’m so glad I started blogging, and taking so many pictures and videos. Of everything. It’s our version of freezing time.
Thank you for linking up that wonderful picture, Elaine!
You are absolutely right! I have thought about this topic for a while too. I wish my parents had taken more phots and videos of us when we were younger. And to have someone writing out our lives like this? I so wish I could have had that. I would love a glimpse into how they felt about and saw us.
My family has always been about cameras but to have it all in one place like this would be amazing..great photo
You are so right. I think that in this time where families no longer live close together and you don’t spend every holiday and get together reliving memories it is easy for them to get lost.
I remember being young and sitting with my aunts and uncles and listening to story after story – that doesn’t happen now (at least not for my family).
My blog is so important as a storyteller for my family.
And LOVE the picture and the nicknames!
Oh how I love this, sweet you.
Your adorable little one and the positive spin that you wrote about the legacy that we’re leaving behind.
(It *is* amazing to think about, isn’t it?)
Beautiful photos, as always, dear friend!
xo
So sweet, and so true. I’m so glad you wrote about the “legacy” we leave behind for our kids. I’ve been struggling with my blog, and you just gave me a good idea.
Its posts like this that make me rethink my blog … thinking of posts, the idea that they are there forever. You want your children to read back on ‘their memories’ and somedays, sometimes this is not what I am offering …
Blogs like yours, are true memoirs to your children. I often wonder about some of the posts I read with the complaining, the whining, the dust bunnies and stuff – what will their children think of those some day.
Lovely to visit you as always xxxx
I wish I had a blog when my oldest was a baby because I find myself writing so much about my youngest and not much about the bigger one. And most of my pictures of my oldest are on cd’s and not on the computer so it’s not easy to post them.
This makes me feel SO much better, because while I have tons of pictures, I haven’t kept up with my son’s baby book or scrapbook. Even if my blog is poorly written, it’s good to know that someday, my son will have his memories preserved (and so will we).
So much of the chronicle of my son’s life is digital and not tangible at the moment. But I’m glad it exists out there in cyberspace so he can access it one day – untarnished by heat or flood or toddler crayon marks.
I think sometimes about the stories we are leaving behind for them. I hope they love them as much as we do.
So true. Love this and he legacy we are all leaving. Perfectly said. xo
My parents recently moved and gave me a photo box (with well over 100 photos) it was great to go through.
I hope my girls will enjoy all the millions of photos I am taking of them!
When my grandmother passed away 5 years ago my family asked me if there was anything that I wanted that was hers. I told them all I wanted was a note book she had made for me and her to write in for a month since we lived miles away and then she would write in it for a month. Back and forth we did this for a year. I am 29 and miss her so much and it is one of my favorite things I have because I can read it and her voice and wisdom comes out on those pages! Your kids will treasure this more than you’ll ever know!
Yes, my blog is really like my journal too- as well I am horrible at writing a real one, but I do love going back and reading as yes, I forget everything too.
And yes, I think they will all get a good laugh from that picture
This post really gave me a lot to think about and your blog really is a beautiful legacy for your children.
I completely agree with you. As one of those “glass is half-empty” kind of people, I REALLY wanted to remember all the good stuff, and that is THE reason I started blogging.
You are so right! It is a legacy! I hadn’t thought about it that way before.