I guess it's been at least a month since I've written a blog post. The reason is twofold. First and foremost, I am in no mood to write. Perhaps if I didn't have to log on to a computer and deal with technology, I would feel differently. But alas, that is not the case. After long days in the office being technologically challenged until my head spins, I simply cannot bear the thought of turning on my computer when I am home. Even on weekends, my time spent on the computer is minimal. My contempt for technology increases by the day. However, technology, for me, does have a scant few perks. For example, how would I manage without texting (on my antique, obsolete phone), my Blue Ray player, or Netflix streaming? And my combination scanner/printer and digital camera-I couldn't live without those either. I am really enjoying being able to scan and print my own photos! Speaking of which, brings me to my other reason for not writing. I have been on a mission in recent weeks to identify folks in over fifty years worth of photos. Additionally, I am organizing them into new photo albums, pasted onto pastel colored paper and kept in plastic report covers for protection. In some, I have even added captions. I was motivated to complete this project because my mother failed to identify the bulk of her assorted pictures. My sister, cousins, and I have been busy enlarging photos, studying photos with magnifying glasses, and debating over whose mother is in a particular photo. My mom and two of her sisters (not triplets) looked exactly alike, and we are using a look, a smile, or an article of clothing remembered to determine the identity of the mystery woman in a given photo. We have managed to identify a good number of photos, though it hasn't been easy. Additionally, it can be painful not being 100 percent sure of our consensus. I am determined that this challenge will not be passed on to my own children. While they will have thousands of photos to sort through, the pictures are in order by year, the people are identified, and the events noted. I have tons of baby pictures, including my own, baptisms, graduations, weddings, vacations. Because of my diligence, there will be no guesswork involved, even with the babies! I have spent countless hours on this project. One day alone, I started at 6:30 A.M., and didn't stop until 8:30 P.M., except to eat and walk the dog. Most of my photos were totally disorganized, with pictures of my grandparents mixed in with pictures of my children. For a long time I couldn't look at the photos, as the memories were more than I could face. I have had a difficult time coming to terms with my empty nest and the fact that I will never again hold my babies in my arms or cuddle up with my little boys. Tears well up in my eyes even now as I write this. It has taken nearly six long years for me to be able to revisit the past. One day, paging through the numerous albums filled with our lives, my sons will be glad I did.
"My Mom" I picked up on the sad smile, my sister recognized the shoes.
