(iphone pic)
Last night we headed to Columbia for a family session at our alma mater, the WONDERFUL University of South Carolina. It was at the Horseshoe. It’s beautiful there, don’t you think? The sun coming through the Oaks at the perfect spots, making the lawn appear as if it’s glowing? I love it there. In fact, I want to do our family portrait there. I’m sure Collin will be excited to hear that I already want another family portrait. You know, because photographing our own family is so easy and is always such a joy for everyone involved. 😉 Anyway, we got there about an hour before the session was to begin. Perfect. Just enough time for Collin and I to show Mak and CB some of our favorite spots and then find a potty and get them some water. The stuff you just have to do when you are a parent. We began walking along the brick pathway and immediately saw an older man doing some sort of yoga/karate/dance something or other off to the side. Clara Beth of course loved this and immediately started mimicking his moves. She thought they were dancing together because ALL THE CHILD DOES IS DANCE EVERYWHERE SHE GOES and in her mind she was thinking “Finally!! An adult that gets me!” The man, I’m pretty sure, thought she was making fun of him. Collin and I just chuckled. We moved her along, Collin and I holding hands while the kids ran ahead, and just people watched. We saw some pretty interesting things. College kids are unique ones. Less than five minutes out of the car, Collin squeezes my hand and says “I had so much fun in college. But I am SO GLAD it’s over.” My thoughts exactly. We kept walking in search of a bathroom and a bottled water and as we walked we pointed out things to the kids that they will one day do when they attend USC. “You’ll get to play basketball there, Mak! Clara Beth, you can eat ice cream there!” Because we have no shame and we absolutely do brainwash our kids to think that the only school that matters is this one and it is the only one worth attending. And the only one we will be paying for. No Shame. We found the water and went to the bathroom. The bathroom itself was a pretty interesting experience. I wonder what the 19 year olds thought when they heard “Remember, wipe front to back, CB” or a little voice exclaiming “Dis is a Magic potty!” (because it flushes automatically) from the next stall. Ahhh…Fun stuff.
We then headed back to the Horseshoe and met up with our friends/clients for the session. Collin photographed the mom here years ago for her Bridal portrait, photographed their family of three on the field at Williams-Brice a couple of years ago, and we were now back to the Horseshoe with their family that has grown to four members. Yeah, they like Carolina a little. 😉 It was a great session and I can’t wait to show it to you. We were yelling like crazy people to get the 1 year old to smile, keeping kids from chasing squirrels, and all of the normal stuff that goes into a portrait session. About halfway through, Kim, the mom of the family, turns to me and says “Do you realize how out of place we look on this campus?” WOW. She was so right. We were recognizably too old to be hanging out on the horseshoe like we belonged there. No one was going to mistake us for students. And not just because of the four kids we were chasing. I actually felt old. Well, not old really, but definitely not college aged. I have been out of that college for ten years now. My head knows that. My heart feels like it’s been maybe about 18 months, though. Yes, I have been married for 10 years, moved four times, had a boy, had a girl and in general just been BUSY. But it really feels like just last year I was walking that campus on a daily basis. Hmmm. And then I thought about my almost 7 year old son and how if all goes as planned, he will be walking this campus (or maybe another one. but hopefully this one. 😉 ) on a daily basis in a little over ten years. UGH. It was like the thought just punched me in the gut. If it feels to me like I was just in college, then these next ten years will probably fly by too. I’m not ready. As a parent I think all the time about how fast their childhoods are flying by me. These days really are the best days of my life up to this point. Like Collin, I had a great time in college. But it in no way compares to being a wife and mom. And it’s going so so fast. So , anyway, there was my big thought for the day. I know, I’m deep. 😉 It was a reminder that I needed, though, and it came at just the right time. Lately I feel like all I’m doing is “getting through the day” with Mak and CB. There is so much to be done and not always enough time to do it. But I am their mom. God has blessed me with this little family. He doesn’t care so much about all of the “duties” that I spend so much of my time on. He cares about my heart and their hearts and what I am doing to prepare them for the great big life that stretches out in front of them. I needed our time at USC yesterday to see that all too soon this time will be gone. I need to make this time great for them. So I’m going to try really hard to be better. 🙂
by aron