Umbrella Walk

Brianna has wanted to take the pink umbrella out for a walk in the rain ever since she saw it in my trunk. Today was a great day to go for a little hike in the Hoyt Arboretum to look at the beautiful fall trees. It wasn't really raining- more of a mist, but that meant I could have my camera out to capture the delightful pink against all those greens, browns and yellows.
A day with this particular four-year-old is always marked by lots and lots and lots of conversation. I enjoy the observations and questions she comes up with and a walk is a good time to remind myself to slow down and listen, and interact with her and see things from her perspective. I paused a few times to ask her to pose for me and she finally let me know that yet another picture was not really what she cared about.
My first plan after I loaded these pictures on my computer, was to pick my favorite one and scrap a cute portrait type page. But, after looking at the series as a slideshow a couple of times, I felt like the real story here was in the series and in the conversation bits that I remembered.
I was reminded again this week, as I looked through a scrapbook from three years ago, that I just had printed, just how many of the everyday, special details we forget as time passes. I always think I will remember, but without the pictures and journaling to jog my memory, I just don't. My granddaughters love those little scrapbooks and the reminders of days past when we enjoyed them and took the time to record the moment. This is why I scrap and these are the stories I want to keep telling.