Do you have any idea how difficult it is to get a good picture of a 3-year-old who can't be still and an 11-month-old who's easily distracted?

Exceedingly difficult.

That's why I settled for this as the best photo of me and my girls on Mother's Day. It's not perfect. For one, Dennis is lurking in the background. In addition to Dennis' inadvertent cameo, both Micah and Kendall seem determined to look at anything but the camera. And finally, it's glaringly obvious that I need to get my hair colored.

Despite all of that, I love this picture.

I'm usually behind the lens, so even if the photo isn't perfect, I'll take it, because I'm in it, and one day, my girls will appreciate it. It's also a perfect portrait of this stage of our lives. Both of my girls are just being themselves, and as much as I would love a snapshot of us all smiling at the camera, I really do want to remember what they were like at this point in time.

I used to think that a picture wasn't worth keeping if it wasn't perfect, but sometimes, perfect isn't possible. Real life is crazy and messy, and it's not always picture perfect. Our life is crazy and messy, and it's far from perfect, but it is beautiful.

Here's to keeping it real, y'all. That's what this blog is all about. If you're looking for perfection, you should go somewhere else. Now go post your less than perfect photos and link back to them here. I want to see your messy life, in all of its glory :)

Until next time, grace and peace.