Once upon a time….

A story was written, all about you. You are uniquely you, and you have a lot of things to tell the world.

You are a bright, shining star in this big universe. There is nobody like you. Nobody smiles like you, nobody crinkles their nose like you when they laugh, and nobody loves your babies as hard as you do.

Time doesn’t wait on us. The hands of the clock of your life are turning now, at an alarming rate.

One day, those babies who fit so perfectly, folded up next to you at night, will be walking out the door on their way to their first day of college. You’ll be a crying mess, for sure.

Then you’ll get the call that they met someone, and they’ll be bringing them home this Thanksgiving. You’ll see the connection immediately, and it will take your breath away for many reasons.

Then comes the wedding. You’ll watch through your tears as your tiny baby turned grown up dances with the love of their life. You’ll remember the whisk of curls that once fell so gently on the nape of his neck when he was small, when you’re dancing with him, arms around his neck.

Then comes the grandchildren. They’ll be sitting around your home, with fresh jammies, all snuggled up with you, in your favorite afghan, with your warm coffee in hand. You’ll recall everything from your not so distant past, and they will listen intently, relishing in the stories from years ago. They want to know what mommy loved to do when she was little, and you’ll excitedly remember the time she picked all of the dandelions and made you put them in a cup to preserve (the ones you could never handle getting rid of), or you’ll tell them about the time their daddy threw a giant fit in the middle of Target because he wanted the coffee you clung to dearly, after the fourth day straight of no sleep, during your shopping trip.

These are parts of your life you don’t want to forget. These are parts of your family’s lives, their stories, that will someday be passed through generations. The way her hair falls on her forehead. The way he skips through the mud. The way daddy throws her in the air just right, and her shrieks from sheer delight. Countless hours of Baby Shark, and rocking, and nursing your teething baby. The way that tiny, fresh bundle smells- and you will always remember their specific scent just like it was yesterday. It may be messy sometimes, but it’s you. It’s your legacy.

Documenting your life is one of the most important things you will do over the course of your lifetime for your family. One day, photographs will make your loved ones beam with pride. They’ll make them laugh. They will cause tears to be shed. They’ll also help loved ones heal. They’ll take you back to that sun soaked evening you spent milling through a field, watching intently as your little one picked the ugliest weeds their chubby fingers could find, and gifted them to you like they were the most sought after treasure in the world (which they were- to you, and to your child!).

Your story is yours. Your story. matters- now and in the future.