My friend Juliet surprised us with family pictures last weekend. She literally showed up, camera in hand and huge trademark hugs, just as we were getting home from the zoo. At first all I could think about was how I should've taken a shower / fixed my hair / painted my nails / gotten Tuck a haircut (or some sleep - he'd spent the entire night before awake, at Hide-a-way Hills, celebrating a birthday). She promised none of that mattered. Also, she was clearly strategic about framing shots so that piles around the house were cut out *and* she brought the boys donuts for special fun inside. Everybody needs a friend like Juliet.
It didn't take long for me to relax and realize what a gift she was offering, capturing an ordinary day with all our real-life imperfections. Her photos give permanence to the most delicious details of right now. I know that someday I won't notice lack of lipstick or untucked shirt tails, and I will be so grateful that I can revisit these.