Shadow Family

Last week I was hunting for a new picture for my blog header and I considered this one because I really do love it. As we stood on the rim of this canyon, all decked out in our riding gear, I told Carley to take a shadow picture. She couldn't get the angle quite right so she handed the camera to Bill who graciously snapped this family shadow photo for me.

I wish this photo had sound, because I would love for everyone to hear the conversations going on at that particular moment.

"We have to hold up our arms or hands. Otherwise we just look like logs."
"Everyone stick your arms out in some silly way."
"Our what?"
"Our arms?"
"Wait, what?"
"Arms!"
"Like how? This?"
"Any way is fine, just make your shadow interesting."
"I can't get everyone in, scoot together."
"Now you can't see me at all!"
"Haha! You're a blob!"
"Put your elbow on my head."
"My elbow won't reach your head."
"Everyone touch elbows!"
"I'm still not even sure what we're supposed to be doing."
"Smile!"
"Smile?? Seriously??"

Giggles and laughter rippled up and down the line of shadow people as the sun set on the canyon rim.

As much fun as it was, as much as I love the photo and it turned out exactly as I had hoped it would, I cannot use this photo for the blog header. You see, there are only 7 shadows.  One is missing. It took me forever to figure out which shadow was conspicuously absent from the picture. I get so used to having all of us together that my brain simply cannot make the connection when a person is missing. Trying to identify that person from a shadow only complicates things further. Memory should have kicked in and helped me immediately, but I find that system to be operating more and more sluggish as the years tick by.

It bothered me. It really did.

When my aging memory finally showed up to the party, I remembered that our Emily was in Cali during that trip. She wasn't there for the shadow portrait at all. This picture would have been perfectly perfect had she been in it with us. Maybe next year.

My oldest babies turn 18 in December... soon they will take their shadows and begin their own new adventures away from the nest. I worry that my pictures will be steadily emptier. If  this shadow picture of 7 bothers me so much, what will I do on the day when it is a shadow picture of 2?

Much like Peter Pan, I do not want those shadows to get away.