Picture Perfect...

So in my Easter post I talked a little about getting "the perfect picture"...

and how important it was for me to capture that one moment...

And that lead me to start thinking bigger about the "perfect picture". What does that even mean? Why do we (as people, as women, as Moms) try so hard to create this perfect picture? Is it for us? Is it for our kids? Or is it really for everyone else? 

I will be the first to admit that I don't blog about every single fight had, tear shed, crabby moment, mommy mistake, sad story that the Kings have to tell. I use this blog as a journal for our lives, to share our stories with our friends and family that are far away and to document what we are doing so I have it all in one place. I enjoy writing and telling stories but I don't want to highlight each pooty memory... who would?

However, I have come to realize that by doing that am I painting the whole picture? Isn't what makes our lives so "perfect" all the imperfections we encounter along the way? Doesn't everyone just want to sit and cry for a second...

The trigger for this post is that fact that Emmy is almost a month away from being one. I have begun dissecting each tiny moment of her life and wondering if I have done enough. Do we use sign language enough? Read enough? Talk enough? Play enough? Have I taken enough pictures? Is her baby book up to date? Does she know how much I love her? When will she walk/talk/dance/point to pictures? What if she doesn't? 

I am guilty of trying to compare her to what Radley was doing; what other kids were/are doing at this age and I either freak out or celebrate. 

Why? 

Shouldn't I be asking these questions instead: Is she loved? Is she healthy? Is she happy? Is she safe? Do we take her to church? Do we tell her about Jesus? Do we pray for her? Does Radley think she is awesome? Does she think Radley is awesome? Does she know I am her mommy? Does she know Ryan is her daddy? If all the answers to those questions are yes (and they are) then isn't that all I should be worried about? Doesn't that mean that I am doing the best job I can as a Mom?

I am lucky and blessed and simply privileged to have this life. Does everything go my way all the time? Hardly!! But does it go His way? Always. This life, my life is as perfect as it is going to get and that is a picture that is worth posting over and over and over again.