Why do we create albums?

This is a letter from Lanita Medina, a sister Creative Memories Consultant for over 20 years, expressing in words better than I could of why we love and value making albums for our family and why it is our passion to help each and every one of you experience that same joy.  You don't have to scrapbook every photo you take but do take the time to record the memorable moments in whatever medium works best for you - digital, slide-in, or our traditional albums.  I am here to help you every step of the way, just let me know how I can help.  The original message has photos to go along with it but I was unable to post the photos here but would be happy to e-mail you the original message, just ask.

Why do you create albums?  I'd love to hear your reasons in the comments section below.

It was around the time that my kids were this age and I was doing ‘Home Care’ nursing where I’d spend hours in the car going from patient to patient… and in the evenings I’d take them with me.  These hours spent in the car was the time to ‘tell stories’.  “Tell me a story about when I was little, mommie!”  (you ARE little, I would think to myself) and the same stories were told every time.    It was also about this time that I heard about putting pictures into albums and not leaving them in boxes….  Hmmm!  That sounds like something good to do!     And when I went looking through boxes of pictures…. ALL THESE new stories came to mind!  Every photo had a story!  Amazing! ‘What pictures should I start putting into my first album though?’   my brother had just had an accident that left him paralyzed from the mid-chest down and I was having a really hard time coping, so I chose those pictures.  Oh, the healing that took place as I cried, cut, pasted, wrote….  It was only 4 pages of pictures I had, but I will ALWAYS remember that time as being very significant with pictures and words.  And what about all these pictures of the kids? It probably Is a good idea, I said to myself, to document these things even though my days are so busy and I seem tired all the time…. Goodness!  Why so serious!!??  No wonder this picture was in the ‘reject’ box.  It still brought a smile to my face.  Our little family was just beginning…. And the family is growing!  Gotta love those clothes and hairstyles, especially those ‘perm’ days! I started taking more pictures because now I was DOING something with them.  My husband was in dental school, we drove this old 1969 Chevy Impala that had been dented and ran when it felt like it, I was working 4 jobs, pregnant with child # 3, but when I’d look at pictures like these, peace would come over me.  We had a mom’s group that met weekly during those years.  One of the ‘years’ 5 of us were pregnant at the same time.  My friend Dee and I worked in the same hospital, same unit, and had our boys at the same time.  I can still see the picture clearly in my mind as I went in to see her newborn at the hospital, she said to me “look at his toes”.  We both worked in the Pediatric unit, so I knew when I saw his little toes that Nathan had Down’s Syndrome.  Dee and I looked at each other and I told her “we’re all here for you Dee, whatever you are going to go through, we are here…”  As I write this the emotions just flood through… because through those tough years of heart surgery, more surgery and more hospital visits, our Mom’s group was there, and it was through our weekly session with PICTURES that we were able to cope, heal and TALK.  It was *awkward* to ‘talk’ if we sat in a circle, it just didn’t seem natural, or if we chased after kids…  but when we had someone play with our kids in the next room while we put pictures into albums, we spent LOTS OF TIME talking through issues.  This group of friends is still close 20 years later, because of our bond through hard times and being able to ‘talk’ through our photos. The years passed, and we moved to Maine.  The kids grew, and I often wondered “why am I still doing this?”  Then I’d get My reward…  the fun of seeing my kids pour over them with laughter and more storytelling and of course, the ‘why did you dress me like this’?   And how did I ever scrapbook with babies around?  Very slowly, that’s for sure, with interruptions and me handing KK stickers all the time and saying ‘here, do something with these’ while I took the next 5 minutes to quickly assemble a page, but she usually finished with her sticker project before I finished my page.  But,….These are fun MEMORIES too.. I just can’t help smiling when I see this picture.  KK just wanted to be with me, so I learned to scrapbook with kids on my lap… When I took my first-born Kandice to my parents Ranch for her first Model A ride with grandpa, I was young, they were ‘young’ and it seemed like they and the Model A  would be there always…. 24 years later, we still ride when we can, but Grandpa can barely walk, and now we sense the urgency.  “Take me for a ride, Grandpa”  Kandice begs, knowing this could be the last time…  and instead of one or two pictures of the event we take 60 or 100 or more.  We want to capture every moment! And now there are 6 of us.  Okay, there has been 6 of us since 1998.  But that has a hint of sadness in it too because 3 of the 4 kids are gone away now.  Did that much time really go by already that those sweet little tiny kids already leave home? And what we have left are a few rare moments when we are all together again. Goofy pictures, big eyes and silly smiles, but we have SO MUCH FUN together. Has it been worth the hours spent doing this crazy picture thing?  When I see my messes of paper, pictures, computer problems with pictures… I do ask myself “what drives me to do this anyway?” I guess it’s back to the same old reason.  My kids, the stories; the heritage I get to pass on down, and the togetherness we’ve experienced as a family because of those silly photo albums.  I could get discouraged because there is a stack I never finished.  Because there are thousands on my computer that boggle my mind.  Because there is just not enough time in my day! But I sense a completeness when my Kandice e-mails from the Amazon and says “mom!  I’m coming home in two weeks and I took TONS of pictures for you!  We’re going to scrapbook and I’ll tell you stories of what I experienced during my Amazon nursing adventure!”    I sense excitement when Krista says “I can’t wait till Christmas break!  I’m going to set up the table by the fireplace, and mom, we’re going to SCRAPBOOK!”  I smile when my Ben says “Mom, what new books do you have for me to look at?”  “well, I have this educational history one…”  “NO mom!  I mean what albums do you have for me to look at that are new?”   And, for my little KK still at home, the FUN we have today and tomorrow as we set up for Open House.  “mom, is today the day?  I can’t wait to set up all the ideas!  We’ve had so much fun looking through those old silly pictures!” And I realize it’s not about decorations, the theme, or the ideas…. But about ALL of these things together that creates lasting memories; close family bonds and Happy Days!  My closing THANKS is to ALL OF YOU, because this ‘Journey’ with Creative Memories has also blessed me with friends like YOU.  My life is filled with blessings from knowing each of you. THANK YOU! Lanita (hoping your trip down Memory Lane will show you how you’ve been blessed in troubled times AND good times…)