The Family Photo Shoot That Wasn't

Last year, when Brian asked what I would like for my birthday and Mother's Day, I requested to have family pictures taken with a professional photographer. We have a nice camera but I rarely make it into the frame, so I found a lovely photographer whose husband is also in the Air Force. We originally scheduled to have them done in November but Ellie had a minor stomach bug the day of, so that obviously put the kabosh on pictures until I finally got around to rescheduling them for last Saturday. We settled on Saguaro National Park as the location since we wanted a desert landscape to reflect our time in Tucson and arrived at our meeting place (Javelina Picnic Area) a few minutes early.

When ten, then fifteen, minutes went by with no sign of our photographer, I gave her a call. After a few unanswered phone calls (I found out later I was calling her home phone) we decided to go back to the entrance and ask a ranger if we were in the right place. Turns out we were not -- we were supposed to have met her at Javelina Rocks, which is at the end of the 6-mile one-way road that runs around the park. Oops. Word to the wise: take the map when the ranger offers it.

Brian pushed the 15 mile-an-hour speed limit as safely as he could on the winding road and we got there 5 minutes after the light was supposed to have been its best. Our photographer, Carrie (she's so sweet!), said we still had plenty of light to get our pictures done. Eager to get the show on the road I took care of signing the forms, specifically one saying that Carrie would provide a reshoot if she didn't get the shots she wanted, all while Brian and Ellie walked around. I remember hearing Carrie jokingly tell Ellie, "Now don't trip and fall on a cactus!"

Not two minutes later I heard someone gasp and Ellie start crying, hard. At first I thought she was just frightened by the fall but then after walking and running over to her did I realize what had happened. The girl had stepped on some uneven ground, fallen and landed hands-first, thank goodness, on a damn CACTUS. It's every (desert-dwelling) parent's nightmare. Her hands were covered, and I mean covered, with little tiny hair-like needles along with several larger ones. There were a few on her shin and one big one stuck in her chin. Fighting tears of my own along with a crying, writhing toddler, we worked to get as many of the needles out as we could. The whole time Ellie kept looking from Brian and I saying "Ouchie! Ouchie!" It was just heartbreaking. Obviously family pictures were not going to happen that evening.

Carrie was so understanding of the situation especially since she has three children of her own. Once we got Ellie settled back in the car after removing the majority of the cactus needles, she calmly asked me to sit and read her a book. Two pages into Curious George and the Bunny, all composure broke and I started sobbing because first, I couldn't believe what had just happened to my baby girl; two of the needles I pulled off her hand got stuck in my thumb and they hurt pretty badly so I can't imagine how awful it must have felt for Ellie. Then she had bounced back so quickly to her sweet disposition in such a short amount of time. What a trooper! We got the remaining needles out once we got home and Ellie settled down for bed quickly after that. Completely exhausted, Brian and I ordered some take-out from the Chinese restaurant just outside the base gate. It completely hit the spot.

A new date has yet to be determined, most likely in the next few weeks, but I'm guessing (and keep reminding Brian who has all but written off getting family pictures done) it will be a cakewalk compared to last weekend!