Tim

Last Tuesday evening, I got a message saying the my photography professor from Purdue had passed away from a terrible car accident.  I was completely shocked and immediately struck with grief and overwhelmed with tears. 

I can't even to begin to tell you how much Tim Fuller meant to me.  He meant a lot to all of us.  I had Tim for 6 out of my 9 studio classes.  By my Junior year of college, he was the photography department - he ran everything.  He did so much for us, sacrificed so much of his time and sanity for us. He was who we went to for all our questions.  He had a hand in all my work, helping me develop it and make it better.  He mentored me.  He gave me the kind of encouragement that I really needed, the kind that not many others ever or could ever give me.  He knew I was good.  It meant the world to me that somebody recognized that.  He was an amazing teacher.  It seriously was amazing how good he was at what he did.  I don't know if you remember me writing about getting offered a "full ride" back to do my masters, but he was the professor who was giving me that wonderul opportunity.

I wish I had told him all that - how important he was to me and all of us. 

I went to a memorial for him this last Saturday.  I was able to tell his family what an amazing teacher he was.  They had some of his art work out.  He rarely ever showed us his work.  I knew he was a good photographer, but I don't think I ever realized how AMAZING his images were.  I stood there is awe of them.  I was able to see pictures of him with his family when we was young.  He was so handsome.  He was so lively too.  I smiled so big as I saw the snapshots of him in the 70's with his big, thick, dark mustache and this trucker hat that had "TIM" written in big letter across it.  I've been so heartbroken over it this last week and getting to talk to his family and see all those images was such a comfort - such a sweet way for me to remember him. 

I'm sure many of you don't understand how I could be so attached to a professor.  He will forever have a place with me.  Tim Fuller was an amazing teacher and friend. He changed my life, my way of thinking, my way of looking at things. Thank you Tim for the things you taught me about photography and life. I'll never forget you. You mean so much to so many of us, especially me - you made such a difference in my life.  I wish I had told you sooner.

Home Improvement: 1 Room to 2 Rooms

When we bought this house we knew there would be a lot of work to be done.  One of the big projects was this room.  It's a big room that was once seperated into two bedrooms by one of the accordian doors (like at the church) by the previous owners for their kids and then once their kids had left they opened it up and made it a dining room.  It had wood paneling on it just a few days ago and it has the ugliest floors you've ever seen. Yep, as you can imagine it is/was ugly and gross and we knew immediately that it would have to change.  Our plans are to (which are now taking place) rip out all that ugly wood paneling, frame two real rooms (each side already has its own closet! so that will be nice if we ever sell), dry wall, put trim up, carpet, paint, etc.  One room will be my office and the other will be the next kid's room. 

Today the drywallers came and started their job.  Here's what it currently looks like (sorry the images are terrible):

 

We now have a 4 bedroom house!!!  Well, almost.  I love making this house a home.

It's been a little crazy and overwhelming but I know the outcome will be well worth it.  Leon and I have been crashing at Kyle's parent's house during the day.  It has actually been nice during that time.  Leon loves it over there and I don't have any work I can do while I'm there, so I've been reading and watching TV during naptime.

So, if you've been wondering where I've been, I've been busy, busy.  Home improvement projects, photos to shoot and edit, family functions, and just everyday life has really been happening around here!  And it's just going to get crazier the next couple of weeks.

Well, I'm off to look at paint samples.

OH!  I have to let everyone know - We are so, so grateful to Clark, Kyle's little brother, for helping us!  He's awesome, such a good young man.  Seriously - he's helped us so much with our house (the kitchen, moving stuff, paint walls, painting trim, and now this room).  I don't know how we are EVER going to repay him.  Thank You, Clark.  Love you!

tomato, tomahto

Leon just loves picking the cherry tomatoes from the garden, although he doesn't really like to eat them.  I do have to give him credit though because he at least them a try. 

I love him.

Always, always on the run

We spent a lot of time running around in our attempt to get some 18 month old portraits of Leon.  Yep, you read that right - 18 months old!  I can't believe it.  He's getting so big.  He's is currently obsessed with any object with wheels.  He is constantly going around saying "car! car!" and pointing to anything with wheels (you can only imagine what car rides are like).  I love his boy.  

You can see his "real" portraits by clicking here.  They turned out so cute!

Sometimes I Delete My Posts

Sometimes I write a post, post it for a few hours and then go back and delete it.  Anybody else do that?  Probably not. I had something to say and wanted it to be out there for a while but then I'm okay and delete it.  I don't regret writing it.  I'm okay if someone saw it.  I'm glad I got it off my chest, but I'm good now and don't need anybody else read about it.  I just wanted it out, just for a little. 

Does that make sense?

Is that weird?

Are you wondering what I wrote about?



Good Night!

2 minutes

I leave the room for 2 mintues and this is what happens. 

He even threw them off the back of the couch.

Oh, the joys of motherhood.

he. he.

A week with the girls

Once or twice a year I get to have my nieces for about a week.  This year I wanted to make sure we had lots of fun and we did!  It was crazy, busy, and overwhelming taking care of 4 kids instead of just one but I had so much fun with them.  Here is a brief recap of our week together:

I took the girls bowling.  We did awful but had a blast.  Don't they look awesome?

We relaxed, watched lots of movies, and colored. 

This is Leon climbing all over Rose.

We took walks at the celery bog.

We (well, they) played outside in the kiddy pool and sandbox with Leon.  In this particular photo, they're having a contest with Kyle to see who could stay in the freezing water the longest.  Leon was the first to lose.

We did our traditional photo shoot.  You can see more here.

You gotta look - they turned out so cute.

And we went to Purdue to see the campus and play in the fountains.

Aren't they beautiful girls?  I love these girls so much.  It's crazy how much they've grown up in the last few years.  I'm so glad I got to spend a week with them because before long they'll be to busy to come and visit their Aunt Kelly.