What's not captured...

(I'm linking up with Stephanie's Blog Your Heart challenge!)

I started blogging in 2006, just a few years after I began to scrapbook...in both places, recording our stories through words and pictures.

And for a long time, I would think in terms of a scrapbook page (do I need a vertical or horizontal picture...what should Hadleigh wear to match this cute paper?) or a blog post. I composed thousands of blog posts in my head those first few years. 

I'll admit, I don't do that quite as much now. (Except with food. Brent lovingly joked with the kids the other night while I was making something: "Okay. Now here's the important part...before you bring the drink to the table, take a picture of it." Guilty as charged.)

In fact, it's almost the opposite. I now recognize moments where I'm so involved in the moment, that I don't want to pick up the camera...even if I know I might wish I had later.

The picture above reminds me of the precious grin & excited eyes of Madeleine when she handed me a thimble-sized winter bouquet of white. I'm thankful for the reminder...but also thankful that I fully engaged Madeleine with my eyes and didn't scramble to find a camera in the moment.

But I'm guilty of not recording as many of the stories if they don't have a picture.

So here are a few un-captured but not un-preserved moments from this last week that I love:

~We gathered in the library to watch Nathanael reenact a "show" with his mini Star Wars figures. The Hoth scene, built with white bathroom-sized Dixie cups, green rods and purple spheres from a tent-making set. His creativity never fails to amaze me.

~A conversation between my daughters: M: "Hadleigh, will you help me fix this, just this one time?" H: "Of course, Madeleine. I'll help you with it every time."

~Nathanael, putting on his brand new (and bright green) shoes and running back and forth through the kitchen to show me how fast he goes in them.

~Playing "I'm going on a camping trip" around the dinner table. "We're going on a camping trip and we're taking an apple, bike, Caroline, drinks, eggs , featherbed, grill, hamburgers, imagination, Jedi Jabba, a kite, Leia (as in princess), Mommy, napkins, an octopus..." (That's as far as we got...and can you tell we have some Star Wars fans?!?)

~Seeing thankful hearts respond properly to the kindness of strangers.

~Hadleigh choosing to wear her glasses more often...and seeing all the ways she is really growing up. (How can she be nine?)

~Three bright green tongues as Madeleine shared her "Fun Dip" valentines candy with her siblings. (I loved that stuff when I was little.)

~Every time we leave in the car, before we're completely out of the garage, Nathanael asks, "Can we listen?" He loves listening in the car (Adventures in Odyssey, Slugs and Bugs, Greathall Productions books on tape are some of our favorites.) and as much as this consistent question gets a little old, I don't want to forget it.

Don't get me wrong...I still plan to use my camera plenty...but I just want to remind myself (and you) to record these unphotographed moments too.