On any given Wednesday...
April 26, 2006 -- There are days when your family is the most amazing thing you've ever seen. When you revel in the small details of an ordinary day simply because you don't get to witness it that often. Knowing someday that I (and they) will forget this day, I felt compelled to document an average, but sublimely beautiful evening for posterity's sake.

Tonight, the PTA held an art show and silent auction at the girls' school. The art was created by kids from all grades and was displayed on a walking tour of all the halls of the school. There was a quaint spaghetti dinner to start off the evening.

I left work at 5:15 pm to attend. As far as school events go, this one was relatively minor. But, probably still feeling the residual effects of a brutal work schedule, the ability to be with my family during sunlight hours during the week was rejuvenating and escalated the significance of the event. We took the five-minute walk over to the school as a pleasant chill descended and something about the light from the approaching evening, the girls' periwinkle shirts, the green grass and the billowing clouds was positively inspiring. Seeing them run carefree in the grass, like I know they do every day, was just a precious thing to behold.

Then seeing them walk the halls of their school, interact casually with their friends, play on the playground...all against the progressively failing light of evening...was just touching. I've been so out of contact with my children that I felt particularly rewarded to be able to share in an ordinary Wednesday evening. To hear my kids laugh. To have them show me their artwork. To walk hand in hand with my wife. To put my children to bed.

And to get some of the best pictures of the girls I think I've ever captured...