Picture Perfect

We're so proud of ourselves. Normally I don't even think about picking up the phone to call Sears and schedule a Christmas card photo shoot until mid-November. We usually find ourselves squeezed into an early December time slot, along with dozens of other screaming children whose parents procrastinated. By the time we actually pick up the finished cards it is mid-December, and then I have to rush to get them all addressed and into the mail by Christmas. This year we planned ahead. I won a raffle at Beth's school last year, and the prize was a gift certificate to a photo studio nearby. Back in early September I called and scheduled an afternoon of photographic fun for October 28th. Because the studio is located right next to a beautiful pond, I envisioned the happy family posing on a cool, crisp Fall day, with a background consisting of gorgeous foliage and sparkling water. I carefully planned the Autumn-themed outfits, and I have been eagerly awaiting the big day.

Enter October 28th, 2006. A Nor'easter is upon us, complete with lashing winds and downpouring rain. It's the kind of rainstorm that makes you pull your car over on the highway because it's just too dangerous to drive. The photographer phoned us early this morning.

"I'm assuming you want to re-schedule?", she asked.

Since I work most weekends, and Dan works during the week, much planning went into this particular day. Re-scheduling in time for the holidays would not be feasible, so we bundled the girls into their new raincoats and off we went.

The studio is in the basement of an antique shop, so we first had the tricky job of navigating through a room full of breakable and very expensive items while toting three dripping girls and a large diaper bag. Once downstairs we tried not to notice the fact that water was seeping into the room, because the pond outside the window was starting to overflow. But the girls didn't notice. They all behaved wonderfully (quite different from Amy's tantrums at the mall last year). Erin was not completely cooperative with our requests to sit still and pose, but I think the photographer may have grabbed a few good shots. We'll know in a couple of weeks when we go back to see the proofs.

I don't even care too much about having the pictures come out perfect. I'm just so thrilled that this whole project was completed before November even came upon us. Now I've just got my fingers crossed in hopes that the photographer puts the camera up on a high shelf when she closes up shop tonight. That pond was looking mighty full. And it's still raining. It's actually pouring. Really, really pouring.