Enjoy Them Today... And for a Lifetime!

Max had picture day a couple weeks ago. His school does picture day old style: Your parents pick and pay for the package they want, the photographer gives everyone a 10-cent black comb, one picture is snapped, and two weeks later a raft of those pictures are sent home.

And yes, Max, who has the most beautiful smile and infectious laugh in the world, freezes up horribly when he's told to smile for the camera. And yes, he and Tommy have been going through my old jewelry from the 80s and 90s and wearing it around the house. And yes, Max was overdue for a haircut. And yes, he recently got a silver cap as the result of our being negligent in the flossing arena. All of this I knew.

And yet nothing prepared me for the 8 X 10 glossy that greeted me when I opened his homework folder:

"Tell us what you think!" states the envelop containing 25 -- 25! -- of these photos. "We'd love to know what you think of your school portraits."

And I'd love to tell you. Darn tootin'.