Wordless Wednesday - December 2, 2009

Well, ALMOST Wordless Wednesday!

The above portrait is of my family, almost 2 years after I was first married. The date is either late August or early September of 1977.

Can you guess which is me? [I'm the one standing in the back on the left.] Yep, yep. That's the Texicanwife back in the day. I was an ever so mature 17, not quite 18. [Yes, I know, that's telling you...I got married the first time at only 16. What an idiot I was!!!]

The other girl standing, on the right, is my beautiful sister, Eydie. Then left to right in the front is my brother David [who was only 10, almost 11 here], my Dad [who was just 40 that year], my Mom [39] and my baby brother Jeff [just 8 almost 9 in this portrait].

Believe it or not, this is an old albumin-made photograph. The old gentleman who did the portrait was kind enough to show us his ancient equipment, and how the plates were placed in the sun to develop. There were colored versions made of this portrait, that had to be hand-colored with water-colored dyes. And who would have thought in 1977 anyone was still making photographs in this manner??? But then, this was rural West Virginia at the time, and the old man had been in business for many, many years. So I suppose, his equipment suited his needs.

I treasure this portrait so much! It's the only one ever made with all four of us children together at the same time. The differences in our ages, I suppose, made it hard to get us all together before and after this portrait was made. Today, we all run in our different directions! My brothers, just beginning their families, have little children that are younger than some of my grandchildren! There's a 30 year gap between my oldest child, and their youngest! And also, one of them now lives a couple thousand miles away in west Texas. We do grab snapshots of my sister, brother Jeff, and I on occasion. But they don't compare to something with all 4 of us together.

When I think about my Mama and Daddy, this is how I remember them as I was growing up, although by the time this portrait was made, I was married, and would soon be bringing my own child into the family setting [1979]. Still, this is the Mama and Daddy I remember most.

They were a handsome family, weren't they? Hard to believe that over 30 years have passed since this portrait was made. I hope this is one portrait that my descendants will look upon and recall what a family we have been!