Thursday Snapshot: A little groggy.

Brody just got up from being asleep under my desk, where he spends a good chunk of his days.

Thursday Snapshot: I don’t have a photo

Today would have been Abigail Van Campen’s sixth birthday. I don’t have a snapshot of her (not one of my own) or I would post it here. I only have a snapshot in my mind, a fleeting image of a baby girl, not yet a year old… round faced with big eyes, drinking in the scenery of our living room from the vantage point of her baby carrier. She was at our house with her parents and her brothers on a visit several years ago. She was grabbing her feet.

After that visit, for a variety of reasons, we just didn’t see the Van Campens. Kids growing up and job schedules and different churches took us running in different circles much of the time… so I didn’t ever get to see Abby as the toddler and the adorable fair haired little girl she grew into.

Then she was two.

Then she was gone.

And now I have seen a lot of snapshots of her. I’ve seen her precious dimples and her baby teeth revealed in a grin. Seen her dressed up at a wedding. Seen her giggling under blankets with her dollies. Seen her at her mother’s side as she watched her baby sister being born. I’ve seen all these snapshots… and sadly, this finite collection of images is the only way I can see her now.

I have had to learn about her life in the past tense… and God, I wish it weren’t so.

Happy Birthday, Abby.

Thursday Snapshot: Modeling career.

Did you know I was a model? Indeed! For a grand total of about one hour, one day back in 1990.

I was working for U.S. Cavalry, Inc. in Radcliff, KY as a layout artist. Yes, that was the official job title. You might think that meant they paid me to sun bathe…  but actually, it meant that I worked in the art department creating page layouts for the company’s catalog. There were three of us creative types in the department then, and anytime there were new products to be featured we had to go on photo shoots to help the photographer get just the right angle on, say, a pair of army boots or a Buck knife. (The Cav Store, as we called it, sold military surplus and similar items.)

Sometimes the company hired local models to come and wear the various clothing items that we needed to photograph, but many times we would just grab a random Cav Store employee to do the job and save us some money.

On this occasion, my art director called upon me to wear a sweater for a new product shot. He also summoned his friend whose name now escapes me, but he was the guy who fried burgers at the nearby Waffle House. They knew each other well since my director went to eat at that Waffle House every day.

We drove up to Louisville and found a location that was meant to give some sort of European feel to the shot. I donned the sweater along with some trousers they were also selling, and grinned my way into the next issue of the catalog. And here, my good readers, is the result:

I didn’t mind that sweater shot too much… it turned out OK. But then on the way back to the office we stopped to shoot a few more items  at a certain spot that the art director liked. And before I knew it, he was asking me to pose in one of their leather flight jackets, too. Oy!  So to be sure that you have access to my complete modeling portfolio,  I now present you with the photo I like to call “Laura and her great big sunglasses, and boy doesn’t she look silly.” [I promise you, they told me to put my hand up to my head like that. Oh, and by the way, the guy in the larger picture is the other guy who worked in the art department...]

There’s just not much else to say, is there?

Thursday Snapshot: So we were just sitting at home, minding our own business…

It was a dark, stormy night…

First, everything was covered with ice.

Then, the power went out. It was very dark.

Then, a tree fell down on our house. It was very scary, because we watched it as it happened.

Here are some pictures.

Thursday Snapshot: Brody Says “Hi.”

Brody really wanted to say hello to everyone today. That’s why his mouth is funny looking. He is trying to speak to you, but all that comes out is “woooooooohhhhrrrrrrrr… rrrrrrroooooooooohhhhhhhhrrrr.”

This frustrates him.