Family collage

October 4, 2011
It seems like everywhere you look, there is garbage, filth, and temptations set to tear apart the family. I've felt this urgent need to teach my kids (and remind Jeff and I) what we believe the family is all about. I keep hoping my meager efforts will fortify us and help us weather this wicked world.

The Proclamation on the Family has been on my mind a lot lately. I remember my Aunt Brenda had a huge copy of it in her home and had put a massive collage of family photos around it. I always thought it was beautiful and a great way to get kids involved in understanding its meaning. So I decided we were going to make one too. I found a cheap frame at Wal-mart ($3 people!), printed out a bunch of family pictures from this year ($8), got a glue stick ($2), and picked up a copy of the proclamation at the Distribution Center (free!). Pearl and I started cutting heads and bodies - soon joined by Cole who wanted to help with the cutting - when I realized all of my pictures were too big for my measly frame and this wasn't going to work out quite as I had hoped it would. That, and I realized I had one picture of me and Pearl together and one of Jeff and Cole together. Apparently the "best friends" thing Pearl established after Cole was born is really true.

Pearl soon got bored with my meticulous cutting, arranging, and rearranging. That's when Jeff came inside. My family collage to be treasured for years to come, quickly became a set of body-less puppets on giant Popsicle sticks. I have to admit though, Jeff's idea to make puppets was a lot more fun than my project. Quicker and easier too. Even if he snatched the one picture of us all together not in Aggie gear that I wanted to use. Pearl loved them! A few years ago I would have been furious that Jeff "ruined" our project, but not anymore. It was really funny and everyone had a great time.

We just might make it after all.