Last week after dinner Sarah suddenly looked up from her plate and exclaimed, “Animals!” I need pictures of animals!”
I stared at her in some consternation since she is not one who usually blurts out random statements about animals and the photography thereof. But as it turned out, she had pictures due for her photography class at school the next day and the assignment was to bring in photos of four different animals.
Hmmm. We are not exactly an animal-centric family.
We have a dog. Just one dog. And that’s pretty much it for our roster of non-human inhabitants.
But of course, a Snowy Shot was pretty easy for Sarah to snag since he has a known history of posing for the camera.
Thankfully the assignment did not require all the animals to be actually alive, so Sarah took a picture of a stuffed animal, as well as a picture of the elephant print on our living room couch.
But we were still one animal short.
So I looked at her and she looked at me and we suddenly said, “Let’s go!” She didn’t even put her shoes on, we just ran outside with a camera in her hand and a camera in my hand, all pumped for a spontaneous mother/daughter photo session.
We drove a short distance and pulled up in front of The Island Farm which is just up the road from us. And lo and behold, there were animals! Sheep animals! Hooray!
For the next ten minutes, Sarah feverishly shot photos and I feverishly shot photos. (Not that I had any pending assignment; I am just completely incapable of not taking a picture when a photo-op presents itself.)
The sheep seemed rather intrigued to see us. There wasn’t much else going on in their sheeply lives at the moment and two frantic women showing up in the twilight (one of them barefoot, one make up- less and windblown) doubtless gave them something new to talk about over their dinner that night.
They first took some time to look over the “woman of a certain age” who had appeared in their midst. It would seem as though we had a little somethin’ in common, mainly the fact that . . .
. . . we’re a little broad across the backside. (But we won’t say that out loud now will we?)
This particular sheep had a bit of a movie star persona, posing for us and showing off her best side. Notice how she’s standing a little sideways to the camera so that she appears slimmer? Yep. Girlfriend and I have a lot in common.
When I wasn’t taking pictures of the lovely sheep, I was snapping pictures of my lovely picture-snapping, barefoot daughter.
Sarah didn’t give her subjects much instruction as far as particular picture poses, so they just sort of shuffled around and did their own thing. Somehow it worked. They came out looking very natural and, well, rather sheepish.
After a little while though, they weren’t content to just have long shots of their good-looking selves taken. They started proclaiming en masse, “We’re ready for our close-ups!”
At last, the photos were finished and the newly crowned celebrity sheep wandered off to wherever it is that sheep go when they’re finished with a photo shoot. They probably had a masseuse. a hot tub, and sumptuous dinner waiting.
I, in turn, wandered back home with this fabulous photo gal . . .
. . . leaving behind one last, lone sheep who graciously provided one last, lone sheep shot.
Becky,
I haved followed your sight since Sarah was diagnosed. I have prayed and cried and rejoiced with your family for years. I have read the autographed book, and listened to your cd’s.
Tonight I need your prayers. I am curled up with a stress induced stomach ache. My head and gut hurt from total overwhelming anxiety. I feel stressed out, too busy working full time plus, and being a mom, wife and community servant for charitable causes. I am financially strapped, and feel out of control.
In the midst of my personal internal struggles, while working at my computer tonight, my nine year old daughter came and sat by me.
She is my only child, a gift from God, late in life. She started talking about Baptism…, the conversation went on and she revealed to me that she has accepted Christ as her Savior and would like to be baptised. My heart just wept. I needed someone to talk to, a place to put my thoughts and feelings. It is late, my family is a sleep, and I thought of you. Though I’ve never met you in person, I feel like you are my friend. I just feel overwhelmed.., my husband is not saved, and although he has agreed to let our daughter attend Christian school the last six years, I don’t think he realized what raising her in a Christian environment would lead to. He kind of flipped a little when he heard her talking to me about baptism. I have felt the greatest joy a Mom can feel and at the same time the deepest sorrow a wife can feel in one solitary moment.
I would just like to ask you to pray for my family. If you want to write to me my email is darla@swyce.com. Thank you for your blog, your wisdom, and providing me a place to go tonight.
Darla
Darla,
Thank you for being a part of our family’s journey for so many years and for reading our life story as it has played out.
I am so honored that you would share me with the struggles you’re facing with your family and I am moved by your trust and your transparency.
I’ll respond more at length in an e-mail in a little while but I just wanted to thank you so much for leaving your comment; you will be in my prayers today.
I too will be praying, faithfully, for you Darla. I think that the Lord has lead you to the perfect person to seek counsel from in Becky.
Romans 12:4-5
For as in one body we have many members,and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
Thanks, Dianna, for your commitment to prayer. I know that means the world to Darla. I was just praying for her yesterday morning on my bike ride.
Pictures were great. Of course my latest ones were of my new grandson and a Pilot member who has been in the organization 50 years!!!! That’s awesome. Enjoyed the black and white look. I haven’t really tried that. Take care and keep clicking.
Ann,
You definitely have more important pictures to take than of sheep right now. Those grandbabies tend to hog all the camera time! 🙂
Great pictures! I kow Sarah will get a good grade! kids and photography.. a few years ago my daughter had to take some pictures of different lights or something like that so we went to a bridge at night and took pictures on oncoming headlights on the highway under the bridge. … turned out pretty cool!
Michele,
Wow–the bridge pictures with the headlights sounds cool!! And the best part of it is that you got to spend that fun time with your daughter making such a special memory.
Love the sheep. We have some near us of all sizes & I often stop & just watch them. I have texted pictures to my husband numerous times to give him a chuckle during the day.
Margie,
They’re pretty funny (and fun) creatures, aren’t they?
I love this story! What fun for you and Sarah and I’m sure the sheep enjoyed a break in their monotony! No comparison on the derrieres, Becky! I simply don’t think you’d win in the sashay department.
Ok, ok…going to paint now. Sigh.
I love the “up close and personal” pictures of the sheep, they really made me giggle, especially the one who had its’ head through the fence “really close” with one eye open and one eye closed. What a ham, oops, I meant “lamb” 🙂
Guerrina,
Happy painting! We’ll stay busy here breaking up the monotony of sheep.