When the house gets quiet you never know what you'll find

Sometimes, when the kids are home, the house gets unexpectedly quiet. Usually when this happens, it means it's time for me to make a sweep of the house and find out what the kids are up to. I was doing just that when I found this scene.






I ran for my camera hoping I wouldn't miss it. This moment. My sweet child reading with his baby sister in her room. Laughing. Talking to her as if she is his own age. Without being told. Because he wanted to. Because he loves her. This was one of those moments that would be lost if they saw me, so I sneaked into the bathroom and shot through the open door. Was the lighting terrible? Yes, but a flash would have distracted them. Is the photo grainy? Yes. Are Annabelle's toes sticking out of holes in her tights? Yes. Am I embarrassed that she is even wearing holey tights? Completely. Do I mind? No. It just proves you cannot perfectly stage every photograph. It proves that sometimes the most precious, meaningful moments happen in poor lighting and when we least expect it. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't bother photographing it. There is beauty in the imperfections of life. There is beauty in what's REAL. Like love...and holey socks.