If you have children, you have probably been documenting their lives from the moment you knew of their existence, still hidden from plain sight. From snapping monthly selfies of your growing belly, to taking pictures of all their firsts: the first time they held their head up, the first time they ate baby food and somehow managed to get it in their nose and on their toes.  We all do a pretty good job of capturing these fleeting moments ourselves or with the help of a photographer..but are you printing these moments? Framing them to see everyday? If you walked into my home, you'd immediately notice several photographs that line the walls: newborn portraits of my sons, and shots of them as toddlers. You'll see recent family photos taken by Dana Ashlyn Photography on the mantle, and candid shots of us and other family members plastered on the refrigerator.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't look at several of these memories and remember vividly the days gone by. I am able to cherish these moments and linger on them a bit because they have been printed and preserved.

Prints and other types of wall art are certainly an investment, but one that is worth the cost. My sons see their value and place in our family in the art displayed on our wall. They know that they are cherished. These memories will never become obsolete or out of style. These (professionally printed photos) will be part of my family for decades to come. They become part of my family history.

Though your life may seem ordinary and mundane now, I can't stress the importance of preserving your beautiful, ordinary life. The days go by like a vapor in the wind, but through photographs they can be savored. These moments can continue to exist along the walls and in the hallways. Long after the mountain of bottles in the sink are gone, long after the era of ripped, grass-stained jeans, when you sit back and realize the days have passed much too quickly, let there be a record of love and belonging. 

Let there be a unique, beautiful tapestry.