What matters most...

The Holen Gang and Miss Brooklyn (my niece)

This picture of was the start of county fair week and we figured to add to the chaos of the week we might as well do a family photo shoot...casual but fun!
This is what matter the most to me...smiling kids!
They smiled for the camera but in between there were "ah c'mon mom" and "do we have to?" and even a few "can we be done yet?"    But i kept pushing them to hang in there and for crying out loud..smile!!  Ya gotta smile so the pics turn out right?

So this is Kaitlyn my 14 year old...she smiled nice...I think she is the one that in time will truly see that our large family is a blessing and not a nuisance.  A lot of time the siblings look at our family as crazy and out of control.  How can it not be at times...especially supper time.  (when I need my anxiety meds the most...=)
I know what matters most...I just hope somewhere deep in their hearts they do to.  So many days I hope we made the right choice to keep on having kids.  I wouldn't give any one of them up...don't get me wrong..I just hope their memories are just as special to them as they are me.  I hope the squabbling and egging on after all the years pass they will love one another more and stick close....cuz its in the end ...family is what matters most!!

             

county fair