Working on the 10th commandment

Right before Aiden was born, I got a new camera for my birthday. It was expensive, and oh so fancy. And I took pictures and pictures with it. And I loved it. My mom had a super nice camera, way more fancy than my little one could boast to be, but that's because she's a mom and is richer than me and she's always had nicer things than me, and that's the way it's supposed to be. But then Kyle and Michelle got a super nice camera and started taking very fancy pictures and I was jealous. And I coveted it, which is against the commandments, but I couldn't help it. She has some cuter pictures of Aiden than I do. Then most recently, Kimbrey jumped on the bandwagon and she got a super fancy pants camera too, and I was thusly more jealous. And I coveted more.

I was at work just the other morning, and it was right before shift change and a doctor who is in our ward bishopric came in to see his patients (he always comes in way early, before our shift leaves). He had been there the night before too, and that must be why he knew I was going to be there in the morning. He walked over to where I was sitting and threw this 8x10 photo in front of me on my desk.

I immediately smiled as I looked at the surprise photo of my sweet boy. I asked him where it had been taken and why on earth did he have it. It was taken at a service project that the young men in the ward were doing, and Kenny had taken Aiden with him because I was working that night. I kind of thought to myself why would he print it out so huge? Why didn't he print it 4x6" to pass it onto us, it's not like it's a very spectacular picture. It hadn't been taken with a fancy pants camera, and look at my boy for heaven's sake. His shoes don't match his outfit, the knees of his jeans are scuffed and dirty, he has drooled so much that his shirt is soaked. His hair wasn't combed that day and if you look real closely you can see snot crusted around his nose. I thanked him for the picture and the thoughtfulness of course and got ready to come home. As I was on my way home I looked at that photo no less than 25 times because man, he just looks so darn handsome! Look at those eyes, and that expression on his face! He just looks like such a big kid. By the time I got home I was so in love with this picture that I was determined to hang it on my bedroom wall the second I got the chance.

I think I just needed a little perspective, as I was starting to almost hate my nice little camera that I used to love so much. I was starting to look at the photos I had taken of my super handsome photogenic boy with disgust because I was sure they could be better. And honestly, they probably could be, and maybe someday in the future I too can have a super fancy pants camera than can take 47 million shots in a minute, and I will love it. But for now, we love our boy, and we love the trusty old camera that likes to take his picture.