I'm so glad that you stopped by to check out my blog. Here you will find updates about my life as a wife, mama, worship leader, and photographer. I specialize in children and family photography as well as weddings, but I love to capture all special moments and the beauty of all creation! I am so blessed and it is my prayer to honor our Creator through all that I do!
Contact me by email: laurenvia@gmail.com!
Friday, April 25, 2008
This past Saturday we had a fun Hokie day! I had a nice brunch with my friend Laura and some other ladies from our church. We are new to this particular church, so it was nice to get to know new people. Later, we joined my sister, her friends and her fiance's family for the Hokie's spring game. It was Declan's first game... a perfect one to attend since the Hokies couldn't lose!!! haha... Anyway... we had a blast... and Declan LOVED it! After the game we visited with my friend Laura again... along with her family and some of our fellow Tech alumni. We also nibbled on some yummy dessert and thoroughly spoiled our dinner! It was worth it! Here are a few photos from the game. Some of them are poor quality because it was so wet and foggy. This first one is exceptionally bad... but its such a funny one of Declan I had to post it!
I think he's cheering... or looking for some high-fives.... or... who knows...!
The weather here has gotten very nice again... and so we've enjoyed playing more outside. Last night after dinner we went to the park to play for a little while. We met a little girl who happened to be born in the same hospital as Declan just one day before his birthday. They had lots of fun playing together and playing with a passing dog being walked by its owner. Declan LOVED going down the slide and had fun crawling through the tunnel. Here's a picture from the tunnel! Enjoy.
Oh Wow! I love my little D! This little mess brings me so much joy! He's my favorite kiddo ever... and not just because he happens to be my son! So... a funny story! Every Thurs. evening we have a couple of students over for leadership training. My husband does the study with them, and I serve up some coffee or treats while trying to keep an eye on Declan. Last Thursday, we went to answer the door as the students arrived and left Declan in the living room for just a few minutes. When we returned, we found that he had taken off his shirt, climbed into the bucket part of his toy drum, and proceeded to "read" a book while singing "twinkle little star" to himself. I grabbed my camera as quickly as possible and managed to catch two quick (and terrible looking) photos before the fun ended. AH... speaking of the little guy... I just heard a loud "HeYO" come from his room, which means naptime is over! Gotta' Go... enjoy these photos... (again, they're bad, but you get the picture...)
Today was a day of reflection and remembrance for our alma mater, Virginia Tech. Both Jimmy and I are Hokies, as well as our parents, Jimmy's cousin, Jimmy's sister, her husband, my sister and her soon to be husband. We love Virginia Tech, it has become our home. Its hard to believe that one year has already passed since we sat in horror and fear as we learned about the tragedy unfolding on the campus... just a few miles down the road from us here at Radford University. As the day went on, Jimmy and I went into autopilot... heading directly to Tech (with our little 3 month old baby Hokie) to lend a hand at Tech's BCM. That building, that ministry was where Jimmy and I met... and we found ourselves that night, singing for a heart-wrenching worship service... standing on that stage where our love had grown years ago... where we had lead worship so many times before. Looking out at the sea of hurting students, many still unsure of the fate of their friends, my heart ached! We sang... "I fear no evil, for YOU are with me, strong to deliver, mighty to save..." My sister was safe. Her boyfriend was safe. Jimmy's cousin was safe. I would later learn that a close family friend, a professor at Tech narrowly escaped being in Norris hall that day. I listened as a student cried... a student who had hid underneath dead bodies for safety. I thanked God for lives saved. Then... I learned that one of our own fellow Tech BCM alumni, Brian Bluhm had lost his life that day. Oh... the roller coaster of emotions that hit us that week, that month, this past year. I thank God for Virginia Tech... I thank God for healing... for bringing beauty out of tragedy. I thank God for our fellow campus ministers at Virginia Tech... for touching our lives and the lives of the student body. I thank God that on this day, I can reflect and remember the lives saved, the lives lost, and the lives changed... while sharing this time with the HUGE family of Hokies that will forever be dear to my heart! Those who lost their lives that day embodied the motto of our great university... "That I May Serve"... and through their lives and deaths I am reminded of our purpose here. May I love God, love people... and never forget that a life of service is a life that brings glory to the Father! Lives lived and lost... not in vain... Never Forget!
Here are some photos I took as we returned to campus this evening to reflect and remember... and a moving video tribute...
Wow! What another fun day I've had! Busy... but fun. I went out to Blacksburg for an early breakfast with some of the most wonderful ladies I know... to celebrate my sweet friend Leah's birthday! Plus, the weather was so lovely again today that Declan and I played outside this afternoon! Later, we had some students over to our house after dinner! Declan is finally in bed and since we'll have to wait to watch LOST online, as usual(no cable)... I'm ready to settle down on the couch with my hubby and Season 6 of the Gilmore Girls! Hope you all enjoy this week's photo... I have no idea what Declan is pointing to, but with the timer set, this is the best I could come up with!
Today I had the honor of photographing two of our wonderful students here at Radford. These two ladies have been a breath of fresh air for our campus ministry and we will miss them dearly when they graduate in a couple of weeks. As you can see, they are best of friends and what a pair they make! I cannot express the immense amount of fun I had today with this shoot! I love these ladies! Thanks Robin and Whit for lifting my spirits and brightening my day! Here are just a few favorites from the photos I've proofed so far!
Apparently my last post necessitates some clarification. Yes, my nose is unfortunately broken, so for those who actually want to know the long story... here it is:
Monday morning I was hoping to get Declan down for a nap (it has become difficult to get two naps in lately). I carried him into his room and went over to his crib to get a blanket. His glider/rocker is right next to the crib and it has an ottoman that sticks out a little. As I turned around to sit in the rocker, my leg hit the ottoman (which must have been closer than it normally is) and I was suddenly sent flying forward with Declan in my arms. I panicked and curled my arms around him as tightly as possible. Since I was protecting him, my arms couldn't brace my fall and so my face went straight to the floor and hit a big metal heating grate (our house is old). I immediately started screaming because I thought I had hurt Declan... Jimmy came running in immediately and picked Declan up... he was just fine and was laughing and mocking my crying! I, on the other hand, quickly realized that I was not just fine! My nose was scraped and had a huge lump right on the bridge... and I couldn't turn my neck to the left without feeling terrible pain. Once my sister made it over to watch Declan, Jimmy took me to the ER. We were there for hours... and they forced me to wear this aweful, ugly, painful neck brace! The x-ray showed that my neck wasn't broken (wow) and that my nose had a "squiggly line that looked like a crack"... yes, those were the ER doc's exact words! Anyway, I was sent home with some powerful drugs... but was told that nothing could be done about my sprained neck or cracked nose. Today I had another visit to the doctor where it was confirmed that my neck is badly sprained, my nose is actually broken, and I have a deep bone bruise under my left upper arm. All this... and we're supposed to be leaving town on Friday to lead worship for a youth conference in Richmond! I just hope I'll be able to sing!
All I can say is thank God that my injuries aren't worse, and that Declan is perfectly FINE!
I know this week's submission is kind of early... and not the best quality photo ever... but its the best I could do. Its only Wed., but it has already been a crazy week... and we're going out of town later this week.... So, I had a few minutes of free time this evening because Jimmy was home, and I was able to snap this photo. Sorry its so dark, but at least the darkness shadows my broken nose... YEP... I said it, broken nose! Long story! Anyway... this post may not make any sense at all... but trust me its the medicine talking!
