You Can Lead a Horse to Water....

Family picture day came to the Richardson home along with Thanksgiving and a full house! I spent hours selecting a photographer, securing a venue, watching the weather forcast, combing Pinterest for ideas on large group photos (13 of us in all), individual family shots, parents and our children shots. The photographer and I exchanged lots of other ideas and had a plan going into the session of just what I wanted her to capture. We wanted to get all of the 'posed' shots out of the way first then move to something more 'real'. The only thing we didn't plan on was the long faces, rolling eyes, whining about not wanting to do it, or the comments because it was different than 'they' thought it should be, and so much feet dragging that you would have thought I had ask everyone to walk the green mile. As the session moved forward the worse attitudes became until I couldn't ake it anymore. My heart was discouraged and broken that I finally pulled the plug and requested no more pictures. Even the photographer felt the disgruntled energy and she pulled back - but even then she kept asking me if I wanted to continue and get some of the shots we planned; I just could not take it another second. I left there heavy-hearted that no one cared how much this whole thing meant to me; enough to even fake it.

So pictures finally came in and I'm hearing how disppointing they are (really?), how some are good, some are not, or they look "nice" (like I can't read into that one). I love how no one wanted to do it in the first place and now they don't like the pictures. (?) what did they expect? I'm trying to guard my heart on this one because my feelings were and are hurt. There are no do overs here. This was a one-shot opportunity.

All in all, the pictures I received are printable and are fine for my needs. A couple are actually fantastic! Unfortuantely, the damage has been done and instead of looking at them and remember such a wonderful family moment captured on film, I will only remember the sadness of the experience.

I have made myself a solemn promise....I will never, ever, ever put myself or the family in this position again. This was the very last full family picture.

Peace