Have I Told You that I'm a Bit Clumsy?

If you have read my blog from the beginning, you already know that I'm a bit clumsy.  If you are new to my blog, I'll put my pride on the floor and confess a little.  We all need a good laugh in January, right? 

Okay, here goes, I once fell through the attic retrieving my Christmas decorations because I became impatient with my husband for not getting them down on my time table and decided to do it myself while he was on a hunting trip with our girls.  My little exercise in "doing it myself" resulted in my falling though my kitchen ceiling.  Yes, I was dangling from two rafters over my kitchen island...in my house...by myself!  Stubborn much?  Yes, that's me but I'm learning....not really but it sounds good anyway.  What made that day even better was that my man hacked his arm with a new hatchet cleaning out a deer (sorry!  that made my stomach hurt a bit too) and I had to lower myself down from the attic and drive an hour and a half to take my man to the emergency room.  That was an expensive Christmas.

And what is it with clumsy-ness at Christmas time? 

What I didn't have time to tell you over this past Christmas break, is that I nearly fell to my death on my last photo shoot of 2010.  No, I'm not being dramatic!  Clumsy?  Yes!  So, if I am every blessed to photograph you and your family, please know "Clumsy" just might be my middle name.  And my parents were so hoping that I would outgrow that stage. (Do the words Cheeze-it Stomp mean anything to you Mom & Dad???)  Ha!!

Anyway, here is the story.  I was photographing my friend Tammy's bridal portrait at the historic convent.  We were so thrilled to get to shoot there.  I really was giddy with excitement.  A beautiful bride, incredible dress and being in an amazing building...it was an ideal photo session.  My girls and their friend Asheley came along to help and to see the Convent.  Here are my helpers:  Asheley, my Rachel, and my Hannah:

We were setting up a photo much like this one, it may be actually be this one, and I was moving backwards, as I often do, to get the best shot.  I LOVE my prime lenses, but since they are prime, I become the zoom as I have to move my feet to find the best angle.  I kept stepping back and stepping back to make sure everything was framed perfectly when my girls hollered,"Momma, stop!!!! Don't take one more step backwards!!!" 

I stopped and looked down at my feet only to see my right foot on the very edge of this:

Want to see a close up?

This was a "dumb-waiter" at the convent.  It is a wide opening for sending food from floor to floor.  What you cannot see is that the floor below where we were shooting is the basement...the DARK basement that is padlocked and the only access is through a rickety ladder.  I looked at my girls and at the bride and muttered something like, "Wow!  That was close!" as my heart nearly came out of my chest.  Had the girls not told me to stop, I might still be down in the basement!  Note to self, while moving around for the best angle, look first!  Oiy!

We all breathed a sigh of relief, it could have been so awful, thanked the Lord, and then continued on with our photo shoot. 

 

 I am so thankful my girls went on this photo shoot with me for sure! 

Instead of being the last photo shoot of 2010...it really could have been the last photo shoot ever. Gracious!