If I was still doing that "And the Winner Is" category this one would be unveiled as this week's entry. Come on now....anyone who remotely knows me at all had to know that this was going to be the top pick. The moment I saw the photo on my camera's LED I knew it would be #1. In fact, it may have very well been this photo that inspired the thought to even have a list of favorite photos of 2011. But allow me to expound on it even further...
Mom reads my blog on a regular basis. Probably because she knows I'm not a phone talker. Therefore, she can gather more about what's happening with me by reading my entries rather than an uninformative phone conversation. Which means she saw me writing about my upcoming trip to Bloomington as Thanksgiving was approaching. So she knew how much I was looking forward to taking pictures of the family.
See..that was all strategically done on my part. Remember how I mentioned earlier that my sister Teandra isn't big on taking pictures? Mom isn't either. She will do it for me on occasion since I am her oldest child and only son. However, I need to give her enough notice to get ready. I figured by writing about it days before my actual visit that that would have been plenty of notice for her. Indeed it was.
When it came to the day that I started taking pictures of the family, Mom was all gung ho for it. In fact, I would venture to say she was a little giddy. She had an outfit to wear, hair did and everything. If you look closely in the photo you can see the twinkle in Mom's eye sparked by her excitement to have the pictures taken. Actually, you don't even have to look that close. You can see in the glow that she's emitting in her expression.
Something else occurred to me at that time. Mom and Dad had not had any professional pictures taken of them in quite a while. It's been so long that I can't even remember the last time. You would be hard pressed to find any of them around the house. Sure, there are plenty of candids of them at events and/or on trips, but nothing in a professional studio setting. That made it even more special that I was the one to secure such a photo upon my visit. You'll have to excuse me while I pat myself on the back for that minor accomplishment.
That was not the only reason this photo is at the top spot. It's also there because I just flat out love any picture of my parents together. Whenever I see a photo of Mom and Dad together I am instantly reminded of how they have always been there for me throughout the years. Not just for me but for my sisters as well. Not just for us either but also for other family members. Each of them providing the quintessential traits of what it takes to be a great human being both individually and collectively. There have been no greater role models for me than the two of them. Hey...what a great name for their photo...
