Lula Belle

29

and feeling good.  I think that 29 fits me well.  It reminds me of the days when there was a 1 in the tens place of my age and 30 was the cut off for old.  Funny how that changes as I get closer and closer to it.  Now old is just a state of mind to me.  The way things are going now, I may never get old.  I was thinking about things that I wanted to accomplish by the age of 30.  I have done many of them already, but I am going to focus on this year and what is possible.

• Sky dive.  I have always wanted to, but never have.
• See Europe.  Slated for February!!
• Read at least 5 classic novels.
• Finish my yellow sweater.
• Get back to the gym.
• Make it to yoga at least twice per week.
• Take the kids to Cedar Point.  I have been promising them for too long.
• Settle.  I don't care if we move, add on or just decide to keep everything as is.  I just need to know, accept it and move on.
• Learn to bake bread.  I am terrible at baking bread. I find it funny since most of my of my other baked goods turn out pretty great.
• Learn to play an instrument.  This one is not so realistic considering I don't have much time on my hands, but it is something that I have always wanted to do, so it has to be added.
• Go camping at least 3 times.
• Get out in the woods as much as possible.
• Go on at least 6 dates with my husband.
• Be content and happy.

 

Today

It was a long night last night. The baby was feverish from his shots and couldn't sleep. And when the baby isn't sleeping, neither is his mama.

Kickin' it late night::

Bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning::

Today I am thankful...

that the daddy will be home soon.  We have missed him this week.

that the rain will fall.  It has been HOT and DRY.

that the baby is sleeping.

that Katie LOVES school and goes right in without a tear shed.

that she tells me all about it with such enthusiasm when she gets home.

that I finally found a frame for this print.  I have been looking all over.

that we are off to see granny tomorrow.  She has the best sitting porch of all time!

that we get to attend the sesquicentennial celebration of the itty bitty country town that my family has lived in for generations.

and for this photo....
 Mad props to Matt for this one.

I hope that your weekend is full of love and laughter!

Hi It's Me

ç
I am joining Ginny from small things who joined juliana from shakti mama in an unmasking.  An all natural face showing.  No editing, no make up.  Just plain me.  I even took it so far as to do it on a day that I forgot to brush my hair and change clothes.  It's funny how critical we can be of ourselves and especially photos of ourselves.  I don't wear make up or fix my hair more than five times a year so the natural aspect of this challenge was not so much of a challenge, but the photo part is.  I am always the one behind the camera and rarely in front of it.  I don't think that I am very photogenic and it is hard to step far enough away from the critical eye and see the beauty that lies beneath.  

 

To pray you open your whole self

To sky, to earth, to sun, to moon

To one whole voice that is you.

And know there is more

That you can't see, can't hear

Can't know except in moments

Steadily growing, and in languages

That aren't always sound but other

Circles of motion

Like eagle that Sunday morning

Over Salt River. Circled in blue sky

In wind, swept our hearts clean

With sacred wings.

We see you, see ourselves and know

That we must take the utmost care

And kindness in all things.

Breathe in, knowing we are made of 

All this, and breathe, knowing

We are truly blessed because we

Were born, and die soon, within a

True circle of motion,

Like eagle rounding out the morning

Inside us.

We pray that it will be done

In beauty.

In beauty. 

Eagle Poem by Joy Harjo

A Quiet Thursday

It is gloomy and humid outside today and I am happy right here.  

Sitting in my rocking chair.  

Sipping tea.  

Listening to this.  

Reading this.  

Knitting this.....

 Watching this....

 and this....

 
(I can't believe that my tiny baby is sitting up.  Though not very well mind you.  He still has the tendency to get excited, kick his feet and fall over backwards or sideways.)

Wishing you peace on this day.  

Charlie's Birth

At about 12:15 on February 21 I woke up after about and hour of sleep having contractions.  I decided to get up and time them since I was 41 weeks pregnant, I was pretty sure that this was it.  I tried to time them for about an hour, but they were really irregular.  Not even close to text book.  That's when I decided to call Kathy, my midwife just to give her a heads up.  She told me to have Matt help time them for awhile and call back.  We timed them for another hour.  They were getting so intense and close together, but still not x minutes long and x minutes apart.  Matt insisted that we call and I'm glad that he did.  While we waited for Kathy we called Matt's mom to come over for support and to help with the kids if they woke up.  Matt was amazing!  He was right there behind me supporting my body while I sat on the birth ball and worked through the contractions that seemed to be coming one right on top of the other.  It was almost like he was feeling them with me.  Mandy, Kathy's apprentice got here first.  She started getting everything ready.  I got up to go to the bathroom and noticed that I was starting to bleed. That was all I needed to decide to hop into the tub.  As soon as I got in, I had the urge to push.  I couldn't seem to stop myself.  Mandy checked me and told me just to listen to my body and do what I needed to do.  Then she got my MIL Laurie to call Kathy and tell her to hurry!!  When she finally walked in I was full on pushing.  My water bag was bulging and within minutes my sweet baby boy was born.  I must have woke the kids up when I was pushing.  I was not quiet by any stretch.  They stayed in their rooms until things seemed to calm down.  I was completely unaware of anything going on around me, but when I had the baby in my arms I turned around to look at Matt and there was Tommy right behind me, sleepy eyed and beaming.  Soon after Katie was at the other side.  He had a short cord so getting out of the tub was a challenge.  When we finally got out, the whole family joined me in the bed.  It was indescribable to be able to crawl in my own bed with my brand new baby in my arms and my wonderful family there with me.  I have never experienced anything like it before in my life.  I have had two other babes, but they were delivered in the hospital with epidurals.  It was a completely different ball game.  At home I felt like I was in control and at times completely out of control, but I was part of the process.  So was Matt.  It was all so primal and real.  It was so empowering to just let my body do what it knew how to do.  What it was made to do.  It was an amazing, spiritual, bonding experience!!

 

  

It seems fitting that all of the pictures are blurry, because that is exactly how I remember it.  
 
My labor lasted all of three and a half hours and in the end we had a 8 pound 15 ounce 22 inch long perfect baby boy!  Charles Walter McEnery entered this world at 3:50 am on Sunday February 21, 2010!  We all just love him so!

28

 

Today is my 28th birthday.  I have never been one to make a big deal out of Birthdays, but I must admit, it does feel nice when you are remembered and appreciated.  My lovely little family made me breakfast and baked a cake.  Katie just couldn't wait to show me the candles that she picked out!  I feel so very blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.  So thank you all for being you and for being a part of me too.

 

 

 
 
 

Here we go!

I have been toying with the idea of starting a blog for well over a year now.  I don't know what has been holding me back really.  I think that it will be quite nice to have a place to share my thoughts and photos and our days.  Sometimes I look at these huge folders of photos that I have on my computer and I wonder if in five years from now I'll remember why I took them and what they represent.  That is what gave me the final shove into the blog world.  So HELLO!  Here I am.