July 17, 2025

Where Was Mom?

This morning we packed up from a stellar stay and before we hit the road to our next destination we grabbed McDonald’s breakfast at the request of our second son who turned 13 today. Two teens in the family now- double wow!! No idea where the time went!

I spotted another mom with her family just a table away and made brief eye contact. A little later she approached my oldest son at our table and quickly asked him to take a pic of her family. She then looked over at me and began to talk about how moms never seem to make it into the pics because we are always the one taking them. It’s the second time I have heard that from another mom just this trip and have seen it mentioned numerous times online previously because it’s SO true!!

My son meant well but the other family’s mom was barely in the pic just peeking her head around one of her children. I repeatedly encouraged him to take the picture again and one of her sons, reminding me of mine grinned and said “no no we’re fine.” His mom gave me a knowing look and said, “You know how it is with 5 kids, Mom is barely in the pictures.”(I have 4 but she understandably saw the big family and knew I could relate).

Shout out to ALL of the ladies whose paths have crossed ours and have taken our pics so that I can be in them. And funny how my husband is a willing photographer to get the other families great pics when they take ours, but to get me in pics with the kids when it’s just us, it’s a challenge.

This has been said by many, but I ask you to please take the primary caregiver’s pics, take pics of the primary family or friend group photographer, and be the friendly stranger who asks if someone wants a pic of them with those they love.