kiddie chaos

Charlie and Michele went with Charlie's mom to pick up the other two kids from St. Louis last weekend. They spent the week catching up on dr. apptmnts in additon to looking for a permanent place to live. Ka'Mel ended up in Children's Hospital on Tuesday after having too many seizures.

jackie and henri

I did a story about Jackie and her journey of recovery from crack addiction my first semester here during Fundamentals. We became great friends and I had the priviledge of photographing her wedding on Saturday.

fresh eyes

On September 19 at 4:45 am, Charles Daniel Silvey, Jr. was born at Columbia regional Hospital. Michele went into labor around midnight while hanging out downtown trying to raise motel money for the night. One of the social workers she has been working with did a Department of Social Services Hotline on the baby, but Charlie's sister has agreed to let Michele and the baby stay at her trailer until they find a place to live, so DSS has agreed to let her take the baby home. Charlie is banned from his sister's trailer park due to a disturbance of peace violation filed against him there last year.

I must say, being there for the birth of this baby was one of those moments in life that reminded me how truly blessed I am. I am blessed to be allowed into people's lives to share such intimate moments, and blessed to have such incredible experiences. I can never imagine doing anything other than this with my life.

one day story

this was my final edit in broadsheet layout form

the silveys

Charlie and Michele Silvey are 21 and 22. They have two children-- Derek, 18 months, and Ka'mel, 3, who has severe epilepsy. Michele is pregnant with another boy and due any day. They have been homeless for over three months now since the trailer they were living in was not maintained by their landlord and the roof of the kids' room caved in. I met them on the 4th of July while enterprising for the Missourian and have been spending a lot of time with them ever since. Michele sent the kids to her parents in St. Louis to get them off the streets until they find a new home. These are images from Thursday night downtown which may be the edit for my one day story.

family farm

Last weekend on the way home from Nashville, I had a chance to stop and visit the farm where my grandmother grew up in Carrier Mills, Illinois. I never got a chance to meet her, but I got to spend a little time with her best friend Leanna who is now 87 and still lives just down the gravel road.

more summer stuff

early summer assignments

Since I haven't shown new work in a while, I figure this is the place to slap it up. These are some favorites from my early Missourian assigments.

olean testicle festival

May 2007

macon

Saturday, July 28, 2007-- Decided to pay my auction friends in Macon a visit

demolition derby

Sunday, July 29-- closing night at the Boone County Fair
One of many perks of living in the middle of the middle of America...