I remember rolling my eyes at the, "Remember to write it all down" warnings I got from everyone from the clerk at Lowe's to relatives-by-marriage. I now understand that it's true and even though I know that to my core, I also know that no one will ever listen to me say it. There will be eye rolling and insult, but never the, "You know, she's probably right." I wish I'd listened, knowing that I've let memories slip through the cracks, I'm sure I'll find them again, unprompted, but it isn't the same.
We're just back from a whirlwind trip to Seattle and Yakima. A truly incredible visit seeing all the family we wanted and having the girls respond perfectly to everyone! I don't want the memories to slip away, don't want to forget the hilarity of Avery saying sternly to Grandma, "Grandma, this isn't a circus!"
I want to be able to conjure the breathy wonder of Briar as she gaped at the spectacle out of our window the first night in the hotel:
"I don't know what that is, but I think it's magic!"
I want to remember how it felt to sit with my sister, just like before, sprawled beside the fire, only this time having my baby with us. The feeling of having given my girls sisters, next-generation Abbies.
To have the girls and Grandma together.
To revisit a track almost 20 years since competing and lining up with my family, a baby strapped to my chest, my husband and sister beside me, Steve playing along, Maddie nosing in, Avery hamming it up and my sweet Briar taking it so seriously.
Or the girls stealing the spotlight and sharing a cherished part of my past.
Watching with delight as Avery tried golfing. On an unexpected slope.
Laughing hysterically as loving shots with Grandpa sparked similarities to hostage shots...remember that time we met up at Starbucks and gathered against that concrete wall? And the spots that looked like bullet holes?
Then finding the sweet light with Grandma. And the food!
The narcotic effect of papa.
Then again, maybe it was something in the water.
I didn't write down every sweet thing the girls said or manage to capture every moment on film, but I did catch some. I'm hoping that what I did chronicle will bleed every so often into the other memories, the moments we shared off camera— the magic of dreams coming true.
11 comments:
Lovely, as always.
such a wonderful post. It is so hard to remember everything-even though its all worth remembering!
Thanks for sharing!
Your girls are amazingly beautiful. Your family on the track-that is amazing. Beautiful post. They always are. I wish I had your gift!
Wonderful pictures and memories and so nice to hear such joyfulness!
My favorite picture from this bunch? Briar after a bath looking a bit like she was still taken with the 'magic'.
Oh and the TP? Priceless!
Just beautiful...words, photos, all of it.
What wonderful memories to cherish. This was just beautiful, you can hear the magic in your words.
That hostage shot!
What a great time. I can't believe how big Fin has gotten!
I have only recently found your blog and I love it... Thank you for sharing all of this, you have a great family and they have a wonderful mommy...
Your posts make my day! Beautiful pictures, beautiful thoughts, beautiful stories. Thanks for sharing!
You write it down more often and with more magic than the rest of us, trust me. Your three sweet girls are very lucky!
That is one of the reasons I am so glad to have a blog... not that I am a religious blogger, but it does afford me a very real look at the past few years.
Lovely post... the girls are just so darling.
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