Photo funnies

We got a picture in the mail yesterday and, boy, did I get a good laugh.  

Alright, so our church scheduled photo sessions for a new picture directory. I totally dropped the ball, so we were left with the 8:50 PM time slot. Yep. And the boys go to bed (religiously) at 8 PM. You can see where this is going. 

Andrew had a board meeting that same night. So I was flying solo at home. Bathe boys. Iron shirts. Dress boys. Feed boys. Get self dressed and looking presentable. Gather toys, pacifiers, sippy cups...and whatever else I can think of to make this go as smoothly as possible.  

We get to the church and, sure enough, they're running behind. Finally at 9:30 PM we hear, "Lundgren family".  At last!

Like a good mommy of a special needs child, I think ahead and bring one of Luke's favorite musical toys, hoping that if the photographer uses that, Luke will at least look sorta, kinda in the direction of the camera. We got all settled into position. Both boys are fussy.  Bright lights, loud photographer, lot of commotion = bad combination for a visually impaired child. 

As the poor photographer is up there waving his arms like a chicken and flinging around his stuffed flamingo (or whatever it was), I'm trying my best to explain to him that Luke can't see him and, if he would please use the musical toy, maybe things would go better.  But alas, he's up there screaming "Luke. LUUUUUKE!!"  Reminded me of the stupid (sorry) Americans that would come visit us in Italy and would just shout louder in English to the waiter what they wanted to eat. If you just speak slower and louder, magically your words will translate into Italian and they'll understand you perfectly. *wink*

Then, he was all proud of himself and said, "Oh, I'll know what I'll use. Watch this..all kids love this" And he gets out this bottle of bubbles and starts blowing them around.   ?   "How else can I say this?", I'm thinking to myself. Secretly, I wanted to scream..."If he can't see your bright neon stuffed animal, what makes you think he's going to see bubbles floating around??"

We make it through.  (translate: the photographer finally realized we were a lost cause) and head out. The boys were more than ready to leave. So, I leave and Andrew sticks around to look at the results and select the directory picture.  He comes chuckling towards the van and I know what that means. The pictures are terrible and he had to just go with whatever. :))

Quite an experience. We are clearly NOT studio picture kind of family. We wouldn't be anyway.....we don't have a single one. Well, except this lovely free one that just came in the mail. But especially now that we have twins....one of whom is totally unimpressed with the picture-taking process!

When I opened the package yesterday, I laughed out loud for a good long while. Andrew and I are saying, "Keep smiling. Keep smiling." Caleb is saying, "Uhm, I'm supposed to be in bed right now" and little Luke appears to be checking his watch and yawning as if to say, "Oh brother!  Are we done yet?!!"

I love my family!