As I was scrolling through the pics on my phone and my FB photos looking for a certain picture, I noticed how many selfies/ussies (whatever you want to call them) I have with Sweet V and my other loved ones. I also have some funky and strange ones I would never share with anyone except the Hubs who has already been texted the weirdness that I am. I see that I have a bazillion frozen moments of my kiddos and the Hubs driving (he always looks extra hot when he is toting the fam around), and I am in the least amount, but I still felt vain for a second that I have so many photos of myself. Then realized that as moms, wives, and girlfriends, we do most of the photo taking. We want to capture happiness right in its tracks and freeze time. We are the glue that holds our families together most days and when the stress level is at one that we can enjoy the moment, gall darn it, we want to press pause and lock it in a box.
Most days I am cursing technology, but the ability to literally freeze time in a box is the bees knees! The Hubby lost his mom when he was a teen. We have a small photo album dedicated to her, but I can only imagine the pure joy he would feel looking at an album full of the types of pictures I have with our kids. My older step- brother died just after I graduated and I am sure my dad would love to have some of his smiling, selfie moments had this function existed in 1998. I am still here, my hubs is still here, my kids are still here, and my mom is still here, and I love taking pics of us together. I will cherish these and I’ve even purchased an external hard drive just for my photo keeping. I started thinking about how we moms need to be more selfless with our selfies. I even Googled selfless selfie and found a slew of organizations that are challenging people to upload selfies for a cause. Love the idea and yet most of those selfies are still “perfect” and anything but selfless. I will not feel selfish or vain or conceited or silly when I take selfies or force my husband to be in one with me. I also won’t be inhibited in the moment and obsess about my looks or perfect angle. Memory making is the reason why I will get my face in front of that camera mode more than I already do with or without make-up. Top knot, perfect blow out, or beach blown hair….don’t care! I will make sure to be selfless and freeze time a few times a week for my kiddos and loved ones. Vanity is not in the taking of the selfies, the vanity is in the refusing to put my face on a camera because I don’t feel beautiful or close to it in the moment.
So carpe diem! Seize the day! Make technology benefit your life instead of taking something away. Get some great pics of you and your loved ones. Buy a selfie stick! Crop and color adjust. Just take those pics.
Your turn…
In the comments, post a selfie of you, you and your kiddos, your hubby, whatever! Just stop and freeze this moment.
Here are mine. I am positive someone will enjoy these when I am gone. Two are from a snuggle and a movie last night and the one of just me is from this very moment of typing. Yes, I am wearing the same tank top. It was still clean and I don’t particularly like doing a lot of laundry and #momlife and #ihearttheearthmorethanyoudo. The earth will thank me for this some day.
And most of all, keep making your house a love filled home, right now, wherever you are. Life is good! High five for home.
Kendra is a full time elementary teacher and mommy to a sweet and sassy 7 year old. She poured her heart and soul into her classroom and earning her graduate degree before becoming a mom and has spent motherhood trying to find a way to balance career and home and appreciate the journey while doing it. She’s a lake loving, ranch on pizza, pop can recycling, map on her hand Michigan girl! This momma never learned how to play euchre, but you can find her making a pretty long list, reading a book, or planning her next adventure in America’s high five! High five for home!
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