The Crew

Since I just got some really nice portraits of the boys done, and since I simply cannot help but brag, I thought I'd share their school pictures for the year.

A comment, though, regarding homeschooling and school pictures.

The whole idea of the "school picture" hit me hard and unexpectedly when my oldest son was in kindergarten.  I remember the picture days (ugh!) of my own elementary years.  But I also remember having the wallet pictures to exchange afterwards, and how important it seemed.  The person who managed to get the most pictures, or had the most people requesting her picture, was the most popular.  And, in that setting, popularity was everything.  I remember the year I had to get mine re-done and then did not have them to exchange when everyone else did.  When I finally got mine, weeks later, the frenzy was over, and no one had any left to exchange. 

So, on one hand, this whole idea of popularity was one of the things I really wanted to avoid by homeschooling.  On the other....maybe they will need them?  Maybe they will feel LEFT OUT if they don't have pictures to take to Sunday School?

I have shown my complete lack of understanding of boys over and over - and especially of boys who live in the country, don't participate in lots of "peer group" activities, and are really a little too masculine to worry about trading pictures of themeselves. 

But yet....when autumn rolls around, I start thinking about school pictures, getting the boys' pictures taken, Christmas cards and pictures for the grandparents.  And it becomes a bit of a frenzy for me (you try to get 4 boys to all stay clean, smile and look in the same direction at the same time - I challenge you!) to get some good pictures, purchase the appropriate number to distribute, etc.

So, I am a little nuts.  I can live with that. 

This year I got some good ones done with others in our group at a local park, but I also wanted some studio  portraits - and I just got them back yesterday, so look at how handsome these guys are getting:

And, for good measure, let us not forget the handsome fellow, from whom they inherited their good looks!

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the children of one's youth.

Blessed is the man

whol fills his quiver with them!

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies

in the gate.

Psalm 127:4-5 ESV