From an Alberta Farm to Orbit: Why Your Kid's Big Dreams Deserve a Keepsake

Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk grew up on a cattle farm in eastern Alberta. He went on to fly to the International Space Station, a mission he has said fulfils a lifelong dream.

Every astronaut, athlete and artist started as a kid who said "someday" out loud. Most families have that moment on camera without realizing it.

The moments worth keeping

• The first big declaration. The astronaut costume, the hockey jersey, the toy stethoscope.
• The first real step toward it. A science fair ribbon, a first recital, a first goal.
• The milestone birthday. Five, ten, sixteen: the ages when kids change fastest.
• The first day of school. Kindergarten to graduation, the same doorway every year.
• The newborn photo. The very beginning of every story.

Tips for photos that last

1. Back up the originals. Copy phone photos to a computer or cloud folder before the phone is replaced.
2. Write the date and the dream. A one-line note ("Age 6, wants to fly rockets") turns a cute photo into family history.
3. Choose one to display. Pick a single photo per year that tells the story best.

A keepsake that grows up with them

A photo engraved inside crystal won't fade, curl or get lost in a phone. A small crystal suits a child's room, and a larger family crystal makes a lasting gift for grandparents. See our family and new baby photo crystals, engraved to order in Vancouver.

Who knows? Today's backyard rocket photo might be the "before" picture in someone's mission biography.