Ni Hao Y'all

when east meets south

10 years of family pictures

Chris and I spent this weekend getting our little nest here ready for company. It’s one thing to have your friends come and eat dinner. It’s something completely different to have them come and stay for a long weekend. So we started on Saturday AM, with the intention of just cleaning. But it quickly led to culling, organizing, rearranging and getting everything just so. And if you clean anything like I clean, cleaning quickly turns into anything- other– than- cleaning. Even things I have previously dreaded suddenly seem not quite so bad. Like tidying up the junk drawer. Or folding and putting away laundry. Or putting my hand into an open flame. So it wasn’t long until I got whisked away in my ‘memory zone’, a spot in my big armoire that needed some attention. And soon I was reminiscing with Chris… laughing at how we’ve changed over the years. Well, at least I was laughing. He was still cleaning.

Circa Christmas 1998. Our first official family portrait, Zach was 2 and Tori was 8. And oh, so cute! Chris and I were, well, young.

Fast forward to 2000. Asher joined the mix in mid-1999. And I clearly lost my mind and chopped off all my hair. I did give it to charity, though. Unfortunately, that is no excuse for the crazy side burn things I had going on. And no, my hair is not actually curly. I had to purposefully curl those babies. Chyeahhhhhhh. Making burns even worse was the sheer size of my hair. What’s up with the poof on that ‘do? And no, I wasn’t born in Texas. But I did live there for 10 years.

This one was from 2002, Dalton arrived late 2001. I like this one, everyone is smiling and looks happy. And I’d lost the big hair and most of the baby weight. I have to laugh looking at this one, though, because it was around this time that we decided we were done having kids. Hahahahhaahaaa. Hahaa. Haa. Ha. I am sure God was laughing even harder.

Here we are in 2005, Isabelle had just come home from China. JUST. This was probably about 2 weeks after we got home. Is she a cutie patootie or what? Even considering my poor choice of the awkwardly placed headband, which looks more like a sweatband.
The boys are starting to get into that horrendous picture taking phase, making family picture time = misery. But we got the picture done nonetheless. I had decided to go for it and chop all my hair way off. Growing hair out just takes way too long. And I love short hair. And yet, clearly, short hair does not love me back.

2006, just weeks after Sophie came home. She still had a black eye from a spill she took at her orphanage. We’re were goin’ with the simplicity of the white again… matching had gone from a chore to a nightmare. I loved the girls faces in this picture. And thankfully the boys didn’t look like they were wanna be extras in Night of the Living Dead.

Christmas 2006, waiting for Jude. We decided to get crazy and have a family photo taken for Christmas cards. Not a great idea. We spent way too much money on matchy match outfits and wasted an entire afternoon chock full of anxiety and bribery and ended up with an extremely mediocre picture. But there it is. I do love Isabelle’s curly piggy tails. And Sophie’s chubby cheeks.

Most recent foray into the family photo arena. This was taken last April and even though Chris and I are not only outnumbered but seem to be drowning in a sea of children, I really do like this picture. Not so much for how great (or not-so-great) everyone looks, but for how big our family is. And what each person represents in our family. Sure, we might all have a bit less in terms of material things, we might have to share even when we’d rather not. But is that such a bad thing? I don’t think so. In fact, I think it’s what God wants us to do all the time. Consider others. Share. Give. Love. Sacrificially.
Looking forward to seeing what our Christmas picture looks like this year. I have set up a session with a real photographer (no JCP*nny this year) and I can’t wait to see how our family has grown with our little guy Shepherd added to the mix!

Comments

  4. I love, love, love the pictures…we have simliar ones, just different faces!! So sweet!

    People always ask me what my idea of what a big family is? (Since I always say I want a big family and they always say, “but you have a big family)…anyway, my definition of a big family is when a person looks at a family photo and has to pause and look through the sea of faces and say, ‘hmmmm, where exactly are the mom and dad??’ ….so far I’m thinking I will achieve that “look” when we have about 14 kids….soon there will be 10 kids (add to that our married ones spouses and we are getting toward a sea of faces…)…too fun…the more the merrier!!!

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  6. I just L.O.V.E. BIG families! The funny thing about pictures for me is that I may not like the pictures right away, but with the passing of years, I look back on them and just love and treasure them! This week we are tackling a cousin photo for my mom for Christmas…18 grandkids. That’s right…eighteen (ten of the kiddos are under 8 years old :). Also with a “real” photographer… Something I dread but am so glad I have when it’s done. My brother has decided that he will videotape the whole ordeal for a good laugh afterwards 🙂 I, too, am excited to see your family picture this year!

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  7. I love your family pictures! My family doesn’t do them, we’re all too opinionated to make it work. I’m always amazed when people have family pictures at all.

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  10. I love seeing how your family grew (and grew) after you were “done” having kids. Hee, hee 🙂

    Seriously love that you shared them. It was fun!

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  13. What a great family pictorial! Isn’t fun to see the changes over the years–including hair? I’d better not post any old pictures. I will scare readers away!

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  14. Such exciting years! Isnt it great we never know the exciting blessings that are ahead of us!

    Blessings – especially for the next photo shoot!
    Ashley

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  15. Stefanie,
    Thanks for sharing your walk down memory lane. Your have such a beautiful family. I can’t wait to see Christmas 2008 with Shepherd. Just make sure to tell the photographer to bring his/her wide angle lens. 😉

    I am WAY behind on blogging, but wanted to stop by and say congratulations for winning my drawing!! And an even bigger congratulations for your new No Hands But Ours site!! That is awesome!! I’m so glad we could be a small part of the launch.

    Love,
    Michelle

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  16. Hey! I think the only pic I didn’t remember was the first one…look how little Miss Tori is! Loved going down memory lane with you girl..and hey! Short hair DID love you back.

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  17. Each one is adorable and you keep getting younger and younger!!!! Adding children to the family certainly agrees with you;)

    I got the strap yesterday…thank you:)

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  19. I love seeing how your beautiful family grew over the years!! You all look wonderful & sooooo happy! Looking forward to this year's pic with Shepherd! Thanks for sharing with us!

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  20. YOU GUYS were drowning in a sea of children?! WHAT ABOUT ME!?!! I was being crushed!! I still have nightmares about that photo session!
    hahaha. jk jk. love you guys.

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  23. that was wonderful! thanks for sharing all those photos! can’t wait to see what this year’s photo looks like!! and you are adorable no matter what length your hair is!

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  27. this was FUN to look at. You & Chris look the SAME every year(except for your adventures with hair, and we all have those – I say that's why we have hair, to change it)

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  28. Okay, you look great in ANY hairdo. Seriously.
    The cutest kids on the planet…but where’s the dog? Yeah,I think you need to try to fit the family dog in the next photo…make it an adventure!
    ;+)

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  30. One of my favorite posts ever – do I say that every time I am heere???

    Every haircut loved you and you are one amazing mama to all those gorgeous children (oh, yes, the hubby…entirely too cute as well:)

    God does want us to love the way you describe and to love the way your family loves…truly blessed Stef, you all are truly blessed!

    Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
    Love,
    Heather

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  34. How about a Christmas card with a collage of all your Christmas photos from past to present? Love the progression – it’s liek you can see God’s plan……

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  36. You have a lovely family- each year more beautiful! Your family radiates love!

    Ladybug Hugs,
    Kerry
    Mom to Grace and Maddie
    and waiting for our little guy

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  37. This is so sweet! I love the progression of your growing family. You guys really are an inspiration to all.

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