Home Movies

We were all feeling a little irritable...and exhausted from what has been an absolutely crazy schedule the past couple weeks. So, last night, after returning from work and the Zywicki's, we had dinner together, quickly got ready for bed, and cuddled on the couch for a special "home movie night".

Typically we reserve home videos for the evening of December 22, the anniversary of our engagement. Cuddled up in our tent, adorned with Christmas lights in the middle of our living room floor, we reflect on the blessings of the previous year. However, because our holiday schedule has been very hectic, we've been remiss in honoring this family tradition for the past couple years.

We began with video footage of Collin at 17 months, swinging at a park in Ketchum, during our trip to Idaho in August of 2006. Since Aaron was interested in watching himself, too, we later skipped ahead to footage of him in the wading pool at Big Stone Lake in June of 2008 during our annual camping trip. We finished with some footage of the boys in the pool in Fargo the weekend of Linda and Maxine's commitment ceremony.

The passage of time is deceptive. At times, it is a whirlwind...and others, an eternity. Before kids, our time was measured in house projects...trips with friends and family...job changes. Time came and went with the seasons, but lacked an accurate measuring stick. By watching the last 4 years of our life unfold through the lens of small snippets of home movies, it is painfully obvious how quickly time actually passes. In the same time we spent in high school or at college, three new lives have joined our family, celebrated countless "firsts", and have grown. Having children calibrated our measuring stick.

As Adam continually reminds me...we are going to miss this...all of it, even if it doesn't seem like it every moment. After watching these movies, I'm afraid he's right.