My friend Christina @
Get Joy just posted a Christmas Memories post.
And I loved it.
Why?
Well, although her family is super cute and fun and it looks like they had a wonderful Christmas, that is not necessarily why I loved her post.
I loved it because I LOVE the disclaimer that she put at the bottom of her memories
post.
She says, "Disclaimer: Now before you all
think my life is perfect, or any blogger's Christmas post for that
matter, very few people write about all the things that go wrong during
the holidays. You don’t want to
hear about my grumpy, fighting, tired kids (yeah, I am talking about
those adorable children in the pictures above). You don’t want to hear about my short temper when things get stressed. We all deal with that stuff. Keep
in mind when reading these types of blogs that the purpose is to focus
on all the Good that God is and how He sustains us when things are
difficult. Because let me tell you, I had some whining kids…and He kept me sane. hehehehehehe"
Can I just second that?
From our Tennessee vacation at Thanksgiving to our Christmas vacation in Michigan, there were some total disclaimer moments.
Even if the pictures didn't say so.
Even if you couldn't tell by our happy, vacation faces.
Things happened.
Disclaimer moments.
Jeremy's leaking truck window that got the girls toys and blankets all wet.
Realizing that the tour company that we booked through was very much less than honest and it was going to cost us.
Three girls riding together in the one seat of an extended cab Ford F150. for hours. You can imagine the whining and fussing that went with that, I'm sure.
Spouse miscommunications. Yes. They happen. Often.
Loosing vital pieces to fixing Abby's broken DS.
And not finding them anywhere.
Having to buy new pieces.
Having the DS break for good.
Getting a new-to-us DS with Christmas money.
Tired cousins. Throwing up babies. Tired sisters (young and old).
Two granddaughters who played with two bars of soap in Grandma's tub. Decorative soap. Super soapy water.
15 people sharing 2 bathrooms.
Kids forgetting to flush. and wash hands.
Toys all over the floor.
A lost dress.
Shattered Christmas ball ornaments on the hardwood floor during Christmas dinner.
A gazillion dirty dishes to wash.
Tearful yelling moment between my girls on the day we were heading home.
Tearful apologies made to those who had to witness it.
Laundry, messy house, misplaced presents, broken toys, dumped suitcases.
Opinions. Misunderstandings. Moods. Stolen quiet moments...
No... we don't take pictures of those things.
But they happen. To all of us.
That is a part of family. of people. of learning to live together in peace.
Don't forget that "disclaimer" as you browse through everyone's gorgeous Christmas posts.
Think of the stories behind the pictures and remember we are all real people blogging real lives.
Ups and downs. Good and bad.
It is all there. Behind the lens.
