J Cooper Photography

1.  TIME.  I love that my family carves out precious minutes to be together.  Even just for a day.  The time is worth a long drive “home” from college, juggling a crazy work schedule, and tired kids.  I love that my family documents the passage of time with silly family photos.  I love that those silly moments freeze time.  Keep us connected.  Keep us in love with the idea of being together.

2.  FRIENDSHIP.  How little girls can grow up together to become best friends.  How everything in my house relates to “how much longer until we see Carrie again”.  How tears make way to sobbing as we pull out of the driveway for the long drive home.  How these sweet faces giggle over Bitty Babies today but will zip each other’s wedding dresses tomorrow.  How hopes and dreams for their futures seems brighter when they are together.

3.  LEADERSHIP.  How our “Mimi” and “Baboo” show love in a contagious way.  How the grandkids adore them because they have taken the time to truly know them all.  We keep bringing them kids…and they keep loving them all.  And encouraging them.  And listening to them.  And hugging them (even when they are too old to be hugged).

4.  FUN.  We’ve got lots of it.  And plenty to go around.  And despite the 18 year difference in age…the kids are all just kids…and thrilled to spend the day together.  A big, giant assembly line of youngsters looking up to the next oldest in line.  This year another girl was added to “the big girl club”.  And the “three musketeers” will add a new member this spring.  But no one is too proud to play baby doll or bang on the Elmo piano.  Cause mi familia is just like that.

5.  SISTERS.  My sisters are more than my best friends.  They inspire me in all I do.  They laugh with me, cry with me, and tell me when I need to get up off my bum and do something with myself.  They give me advice when I don’t ask for it but desperately need it.  They are the definition of beauty to me.  Because they love me for me.  And sometimes that is hard to do.

6.  TRIPLE CHINS.  Because sometimes a chubby face can change your whole outlook on life.

7.  PLENTY OF CHOCOLATE.  Nuff said.

8.  SAFETY.  A chance to be myself and be loved because of who I am.  A place to take chances.  To fall down and not get laughed at (or at least not too hard).

9.  LOVE.  Pure and simple.

10.  LAUGHTER and good times.

To my family.  I love you all.