Optical Illusion

[For several months, our little Branch has had to share our set of Missionaries with the Branch next door. It's just not the same as having our own Elders, let me just say. But now, we have a Senior Missionary couple! I think that Senior Missionaries are the best. When I grow up, I want to be a Senior Missionary!]

Anyway.

Just a couple of days before George was born, the Senior Missionaries called and asked if they could come over and take a picture of our family for their archives. So, they did. When they gave us a copy, they apologized for cutting off the top of Hyrum's head. Mark quipped that, it was OK, because Hyrum had plenty to spare.Then, George was born, and they decided they needed to come back and take an updated version. So, here is the very first picture of our whole family together after Baby No. 6 arrived...I think he was a week old here: It's interesting to me that, looking at us all together, it doesn't look like very many people. Sometimes when people find out Mark and I have six kids, they react as if it was like giving birth to and trying to raise the entire population of Guam. And I'm not going to say there aren't those days. But, looking at picture of my children together - and at my own family all together - it just doesn't look like that many people. Just this morning, I was looking at the fresh family portrait of my good friend, Sasha, with her seven children. And I caught myself thinking, "that's really not that many..." Is this just some weird optical illusion?

And even though George is well into his 4th week of life, this continues to be the only picture we have of the entire family together, rag-tag looking as it is (yes, I am forced to admit it: this is how we look when we're not making any effort). I seriously have to do something about that...

[Notice the change in countenance of Eliza. She's luminous when she wants to be, but every time she pulls that passive-aggressive stunt when someone is trying to take a picture, I warn her that she will feel sorry later. She doesn't care. Then, later, when she sees the picture, she feels bad, says she's sorry, and that she vows she will smile and be nice next time she's in a picture. And then it all happens again...]