FAMILY
I think humans are excellent at getting used to things. We get used to smells, foods, chores, jobs, and people. The first time I had a high quality cup of black coffee, I savored the moment and felt as if my life had changed forever. It was strong, warm, and exhilarating. And now I make a cup of strong black coffee every morning without even noticing it.
We all hear these words, "Your family is beautiful!" or "You're such a lovely couple!" or "Your pets are so cute!" and we say thank you and smile and move on with our days. How often do we stop and think, "My family IS beautiful."
When I hear the word family so many feelings rise up inside me. I feel love, frustration, longing... I think of memories, good and bad, and I know in that instant I wouldn't trade them for anything.
You have a family, and I would guess that you've gotten pretty used to them. Laundry, schedules, meals, immediate needs, appointments, prescriptions - the way they keep borrowing your conditioner and never put it back in your shower.
Yesterday we had a family in our home studio. Funny thing is, it used to be their home! Just 18 months ago the six of them lived here, ate here, slept here, laughed here, cried here. As they sat for their portrait and teased each other by arguing whose pose was most challenging, I thought about family and the decisions we make that affect us all. The times we move, the times we laugh, the times we support each other and the times we wish we had. I think about how every year is so precious (their oldest son is about to graduate high school), and I think about how quickly kids become grown up kids.
And then I think about Portraits. How they not only freeze a moment in time, but how they capture feelings, emotions, memories... things that stop us in our tracks when we stumble across an album or a print in a drawer. I think about how these kids in this Portrait will someday have kids of their own.
So whether you're a mother or a daughter or a son or a father, think about all this when you tell yourself, "I'd love a portrait but I need to lose weight first..." Your family is what it is now, and THAT is what's beautiful. You see them every day - for now - so it's easy to forget how special they are. And how quickly they're changing. That's why I've reminded you.
Remember, no family is perfect. Love is what makes them so intricately beautiful.
-Mitzi
To reserve your Luxe Family Portrait in time for the holidays, contact us here. We'll tell you what to wear, how to pose, and even have a pro take care of hair and makeup if you like.
