"These are for you, Mommy"

I was in the middle of photographing Ben for a graduation slideshow this afternoon when Joel picked these sweet little wild violets from the woodland garden in our backyard.

I had just noticed how big Ben's hands are, and how it doesn't seem like that long ago when his hands were little like Joel's, clutching dandelions, wiffle bats, and fireflies.

So I handed the camera to Ben and asked him to take a couple pictures of Joel's hands in mine. Ben thought that my request was "dumb"; I didn't expect otherwise. But I am so glad I insisted. These little hands may all too quickly be gripping a steering wheel, shaking hands in a business deal, and holding his beautiful bride's hands on a crisp April morn.

In my mind I can't go there; senior pictures are hard enough to think about.