Family Pictures

So I was checking messages on my answering machine the other day, and one of them was from our adoption agency.

And, yes, I am still holding on tight to 1997 with my answering machine sitting on my kitchen counter. I am convinced voice mail and text messaging are merely a fad, and someday I will look very smart for not having jumped on the bandwagon.

Besides, Brandon won't let me get text messaging on my cell phone. He thinks it will turn me into one of those annoying people who are constantly texting while you're talking to them. As if THE WORLD WILL END if they do not text to someone else RIGHT NOW, even though we're in the middle of a conversation.

Aaaand, back on topic. Our adoption agency needed us to send them a new family picture with Emerson "looking clean, healthy, and happy" with her new family, so they could send it to China as part of the post-placement requirements.

The only problem being no such picture existed. No family picture with all six of us. So last Monday, Brandon was off work, all kids were home, and I broke the news that we were all going to have to put something other than pajamas and soccer socks. We threw some clothes on, and headed up to the church property with hopes of recruiting one of Brandon's unsuspecting co-workers to snap a few pictures of our family.

A couple of observations about these pictures:

1. My hair is just weird right now. Very brown, short where I want it to be long, and oddly poofy. The wind wasn't helping anything.

2. I've become very squinty in my old age.

3. Emerson does not look happy in these pictures at all. She looks like a kid who is being forced to take family pictures when a playground is just a few feet away, begging to be played on.

4. Dane's jeans are too short.

5. Harper is at an age right now when looking at the camera and smiling is out. of. the. question. Why look at the camera when you can squint with your eyes closed? Or look at Aidan? Or look at Daddy's watch? Why look at the camera when you could scream bloody murder and pull your boots off and throw them at the volunteer photographer, which is what she did in some of the other shots?

6. My ankles have apparently never seen the light of day. They are ghastly pale.

I have a sneaking suspicion that these pictures will be used for the sole purpose of appeasing our adoption agency. Even if Emerson looks less than thrilled to be participating. These are the best we got, and they're just not mantle-worthy or Christmas card-worthy. Thankfully, my blog picture standards are quite a bit lower :)

I hope you and yours had a very Happy Thanksgiving. I know we have a lot to be thankful for in 2010, and hopefully before December is upon us I can get my act together to blog about our wonderful Thanksgiving!