I've been dying to update our family picture for a few years now! It's hard to believe that I've waited this long to make it happen, but with my camera broken (it broke about 3 years ago while taking pictures of the kids--one of them kicked it off my bed), homeschooling one year and then joining the foreign service and moving to Angola the next, it slipped down on my list of priorities. So with the goal of a family pic and wanting to do it while in Angola before we leave, I took my new camera with us to Conda just in case we had the opportunity. Briant initiated the camera purchase for us, knowing that our 7 year old camera is going to die any day (the quality is slipping quickly) and that I would love to get some good pics while here in Angola. With the safety and security concerns of taking a picture of a white family with a nice camera in the middle of Luanda, I knew we would have to leave the area to get a picture. The only realistic setting here in the city would be on the embassy grounds, but I wanted something different than where we spend out time everyday. The day before we left, I literally scrounged up some clothes from our closets that I thought could coordinate, and we left for Conda with my fingers crossed. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find a slew of beautiful backdrops at the fazenda where we stayed. We were trying to work fast before our friends arrived at the fazenda, so we had to take pics in the morning. The trick was getting everyone in the family to be equally excited about the picture taking as I was, get someone to take the pictures for us that might possibly know how to use a camera, and have the weather cooperate. None of them happened. The slightly overcast day we had in Conda on the first day (which is great for picture taking) was now an overly bright sunny morning, there were only Angolan waitresses available to help take our family pic and they had never held a camera, and my family 'put up' with the picture taking. :) But we did it anyway, and I'm glad we did. We're all glad we did in fact. The kids have enjoyed seeing themselves and laugh when they remember their goofing around moments when I was trying to get their pictures. Patiently I might add. :) Unfortunately, the family pics aren't totally clear because we didn't have a tripod and our Angolan helper didn't prefocus and we were trying to do it quick so she could go back to work. It's hard to take time to check the settings when you're in a hurry and focused on keeping everyone happy. Oh well. Our time in Conda was wonderful, so having these pictures makes me smile and probably always will.
We started off with some "girls" and "boys" shots. A good start.
Then came the pics of the kids together. The goofing around and the "I have to pee" looks from Rhea motivated me to try another backdrop.
Despite the forced smile from Thomas, the tongue stuck out and raised eyebrows from Savannah, and the uncontrollable laughter from Rhea, we still got a few pics that I love.
The kids really are cute together. Yes, they're siblings and they get on each other's nerves, but they enjoy having fun together.
At this point, we decided to give the kids a break, and take pics of the adults. Thomas was our photographer.
I ran off and grabbed a helper to take the family pics next. This is what Briant and the kids did while I was gone. I saw these pics after we got home from Conda. :)
I knew the shadows and lighting would be way too harsh on our faces, but I loved the backdrop so we did it anyway.
Here's Thomas being silly, dragging out the picture taking process that the kids were insistent on getting over with. Briant and I started sounding like broken records saying, "If you'd just smile, we'd be done already." :) This boy has always been ready for fun and laughter. A naturally happy personality from day one. In fact we used to call him Mr. Smiley when he was a baby--we have videos of him hysterically laughing from the gut at about 7 months old.
Savannah was totally easy with the one on one picture taking. She posed herself and I took the pics! I've always loved her smile and long, thick locks of hair that are so fun to braid! And she finally lets me braid them! Up until about a year and a half ago, she never liked me brushing, playing with her hair, or putting anything in her hair. It killed me because that's what moms love to do. Now she asks me to do her hair and I taught her how to braid so she loves braiding her doll's hair. :)
Rhea was adorable and more than willing to smile for her individual shots. I love how she added the hand on her face on her own. She has a natural happiness and yellow personality that makes me regret not naming her "Sunshine." Really, I wanted to name her that, but Briant didn't go for it. :) So we call her "Rhea Sunshine" (sounds like 'ray of sunshine' and 'sunny-d' for 'sunny delight' and the 'd' comes from her middle name). Fits her perfectly!
And because I hadn't already gone insane enough, I got a few more pics of now really tired, hot, and sweaty kids ready to go play.
We survived the picture taking and we still love our kids and are grateful to be their parents! Good times. :)
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