the four of us

I have a hard time when a blogger doesn't share any photos of herself or her subjects. I need to be able to visualize the people I'm hearing about, even if all I have is relative height and hair color. Anticipating that my readers may be like me, but knowing I couldn't post photos and yet maintain a satisfying amount of privacy, I set out to find an avatar maker that wouldn't be too goofy. I found one that was goofy, but while I was playing around with it, I was able to perfectly duplicate my boys. I think I did okay with myself, too.

On the top line, myself, with black hair, and my oldest boy, who is eleven years old and blonde.

Then the middle boy, whose hair is undergoing a natural transformation from blonde to brunette (something both his father and grandfather experienced when they were about his age, nine years old). Finally, the baby, who will always be the baby, even though now he is six, and who is sloppy and brown all over. 

This is us. Really. It's remarkable how well that goofy anime avatar-maker captured us. Well, my eyes are smaller and my mouth is bigger. Yet still, I expect that when I show the boys in the morning they will all say, "WHOA!"