Documentation

I take photos to document life.

I have some memory loss that has occurred over the last several years, and photos are a way for me to remember an event, to remember where I've been, to remember what life was like at a certain time.

So, I also take photos to remember.

July 4 is my Grandma Perkins' birthday. Last year, I went and visited her in Spokane for her birthday. This was the last picture I took of her while I was there:
I had taken the boys by myself and followed my parents' car to Spokane to visit my grandparents. We visited with them all afternoon, and went to dinner that evening. I went to the hotel to spend the night with the kids, and the next morning we were supposed to meet up with my parents and grandparents for lunch. But, I was ready to get out of the hotel earlier than expected, so the kids and I set off for the Spokane temple that morning (which is where my parents and grandparents were). I had been there before, a few years prior, so I knew the general direction. After driving down several roads, and backtracking a bit, I finally found it. We wandered around the temple grounds for about 10 minutes, taking pictures of the kids and the beautiful flowers. Then my mom and dad came out of the temple, and then my grandpa and grandma did. I was standing on the sidewalk, and saw how cute my grandparents looked and quickly took the photo.

I just so happened to leave the hotel, drive through town (and a big detour) to get there, and arrive before they left the temple. That photo was taken because of several strokes of luck, and I'm SO glad I took that picture. It's the last photo I took of her when she was alive. She had a stroke in October last year and passed away. I gave that photo to my Grandpa, and he was so grateful. It's the only one he has of them in front of that temple, where they served every single week for the past several years. I'm glad I took the photo. I'm glad I whipped out my camera. I'm glad I don't have regrets from NOT taking it.

Because I DO have regrets from not taking some photos...

...like when Josh and I took a trip to England, and as we were driving along the countryside, I wanted to take a photo of the long perfectly-trimmed hedges that everyone had to border their farmground, but I never did. For some reason, that still bugs me that I don't have a picture of them.

...like the day the new house arrived and I was out of reach and I have no photos to document any part of the journey it took to get here from Idaho Falls.

...like last June, I threw my father-in-law a surprise birthday party. Josh and I prepared a barbecue dinner and invited Edward's best friend Clyde and his wife Jan to join us. Twice that night I had the feeling I should take a photo of them together, and both times I talked myself out of it because I would have to run up to the house to grab my camera. Two weeks later, Edward's best friend Clyde died and I regret not having a photo of that last special time together.

I take photos to document life. I take photos to remember. I take photos so I don't have regrets. My boys and my husband don't always appreciate that I always have my camera and I always want to take their pictures, but for me,

taking photos makes life more meaningful.