Week 43 - Self-Portrait

I groaned when I read Claire's topic for this week.......I just 'don't do' photos of myself. I've never felt comfortable with how I look, and I've always felt I was the ugly one amongst all my pretty friends......BUT, I perservered and I snapped away (and did much soal-searching!).

First up, Linda-Maree. I am so proud of you, Linda, because you are also so camera-shy. I love your photo, and I love the fact you took a lot of photos this week.

It is a lovely top, and a lovely photo of you.

I like Pam's photo this week because she tried to 'capture her essence', including a photo of her and her black 'boy', her wedding band, and the letters A and R representing her children.

We do wear so many hats, as women......

Mine next....I went for the literal definition of self-portrait.

I thought it was good enough because Trev liked it, so if my hubby likes it, then it's good enough for me!

I left Claire's photo for last, because the e-mail with her photo really got me thinking. 

Claire, please know that you're in my thoughts.

It was Maxine's tenth birthday last Friday, and I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day for her. Really!

Daddy fetched her on a fancy (loan) motorbike, so that she arrived at Pizza Hut in style.

Then they all made their own pizza's.

You would never have known there was a table of twenty children there. They were all so well behaved!

Last, but not least, the cake (Maxine had chosen which Pokemon character she wanted on her cake...well, two actually....one for the party, and one for home).

I've been scanning more old family photos, many of which I hadn't seen before, and many bringing back memories I had long since forgotten.

Funny thing is...there are a lot of good memories I had forgotten about - how sad is that?

I think the following photo was taken on my tenth birthday.

When I looked at the photo above, I realised how different Maxine and I are...how different she is as a person, and how different her childhood is, and her memories will be. And I love that.

I think back to when I first brought Trevor home to meet my folks.....the apprentice mechanic, with longish hair and an earring in his ear......my dad must have been so disappointed in me. And I never got the chance to show him I turned out 'okay', and I'll never get to hear that from him, and it has plagued me for many years.

But it's starting to dawn on me that it's not his acceptance I need, it is my own...... because I'm me, just as I am........still with Trevor, additonally Maxine, and the rest of our unconventional life together!