Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Our Beach Vacation -and- Why The Photos Don't Tell The Whole Story

Ah, the beautiful, sunny beach.
Idyllic Family Beach Picture
 
Well, it was beautiful. But not sunny.
 
Baby Looking Out At The Ocean
 
Happy children posed angelically as they enjoyed the surf and sand.
 
Beach Playing

No, actually a worn out little girl played too hard
 
Ocean Playing
 
And a teething, cranky infant had moments of delight
Litte Boy On The Beach
Mixed with many more moments of displeasure
(Despite what the photos say).
Little Boy Lovin The Beach
 
But the camera rarely gets grabbed during the tough stuff.
 
Infant Enjoying The Waves
 
Because life, in all of its glory and splendor and muck and mess, has these rare moments of awe and wonder that make us stop for a moment and breathe it all in.
 
 Jellyfish Birch Aquarium
 
We can't get caught up in the grime. After all, it rinses off.
 

Mama and Baby On The Beach
 
And we make more time for monkeying around.
 

San Diego Zoo
 
It's okay if the seas get a little rough. As long as we're together.
 

Little Girl Running
 
 The sun finally comes out, the days eventually brighten, and the big blue eyes light up again.
 
Baby Blue Eyes
 
 Sometimes, though, I do wonder if, in order to tell the whole story, I need more photos like this one:
 
Crying Baby
 
But I've always been partial to the idyllic.
 

Little Girl At The Ocean
 
Maybe it doesn't matter what we choose to capture because it's all part of the story. Besides, the good stuff is supposed to be hard. That's how we know it's worth it.