“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” 
― Thích Nhất Hạnh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

So here's just a smidgen of my gratitudes this week. 

• Visits from B's parents.  His mother and step-dad are truly such kind hearted people, I'm always left feeling a bit inspired by them when they leave.

• Juniper approaching one, and learning so many new skills as of late.  She's starting to stand unassisted and walk while only holding one of our hands.  She's so ridiculously proud of herself and giggles the entire time, looking around to make sure everyone is watching. 

• Naps on momma.  They're getting harder to come by these days.

• Hazel.  Oh, Hazel.  Grateful for her doesn't begin to explain it.  She's so patient when her little sis needs my attention, and so gentle/always on the watch for her sisters safety.  She's also so creative and independent as of late, I could just quietly watch her create and imagine for hours.

•  My job.  Seeing women in such raw, natural form everyday is truly a gift.  I love helping to empower women to have the birth they desire.

• Some recent dietary changes focusing on whole foods, which has left us feeling energetic and healthy. Although there was a little binging this easter weekend... ;)
• Speaking of Easter -- watching H's amazement at the 'bunny tracks' around our house when she awoke and then watching her run around the entire 5 acres of our property collecting eggs was just perfect.  Holidays are exponentially more exciting with kids.

• My mothers impending visit.  Despite some differences we've discovered in my adult life, my mother is still just a rad, lovely person.  I'm just excited to have her out in Oregon especially to celebrate J's birthday in just a couple of weeks.
• Spring!  Blooming flowers, rain clouds then sun, and even the lonely garden is starting to awaken.  I'm eager to get out and work in the dirt.

What have you felt grateful for this week?

 

This week has been a week of sickness.  You know the type -- it's the beginning of spring and you think you're in the clear from all the late winter nastiness out there when BAM suddenly the kids are up crying and puking at night, of course hours after you've put freshly laundered sheets on the beds (seriously).  Dad & I had to take a day off due to this double trouble and we decided yesterday a car nap was the best way to get actual long naps in them since they had both been sleeping and napping so poorly due to congestion.  So we hopped in the car and headed upriver, giant coffees in hand.

We ended up at a spot that we discovered when we first explored Western Oregon looking to move here -- it's a place we camped at many times sans kids, staying up drinking local ale and listening to Death Cab for Cutie, a tarp over our campsite as a effort to stay dry (Oregon camping, duh).  I remember sitting on this riverbank wishing for babies, as we had been trying to conceive to no avail for about two years at the time.  I remember the lyrics 'I need you so much closer' I was listening to one day while watching B fish, and it was exactly how I felt about these future babies of mine.  The ache was so raw, so consuming.  Now here I am, 5 years later, with two sweet girls who watch their daddy fish from this same spot.