Life in Photos

“Pick an orange, children!”

More than a decade ago, during an extended-family vacation to Florida, we stopped at an orange grove on the way to the ocean. Rather than gathering around an orange tree for a photo opp like my Michigan Grandma wanted, we cousins were running every which way. In an effort to round us up, she kept repeating, “Pick an orange, children! Pick an orange!” It was chaotic at the time, and honestly not very funny at all. Β But once parts of the family had moved to places like California andΒ Florida, where orange groves aren’t exactly exotic, the “Pick an orange” situation grew comical and became a family joke.

So, here’s Uncle Chet in Grandma’s yard in Michigan, saying, “Pick an apple, Aveline! Pick an apple! No oranges here. Just apples.” I was laughing so hard.

Here’s to carrying on legendary family jokes to the next generation.

Great Uncle Chet holding Aveline, letting her pick a young apple off a tree in Caspian Michigan

Young apple on an apple tree in Michigan

My Dad (Grandpa "Bumpa" Jim) and his brother Chet with Aveline, holding a small Michigan apple Aveline had just picked off the tree

Poetry & Words

we’re moving again

the whole United States, it seems, is being swallowed up by ever-falling snow. but here in my favourite comfortable corner of the world–NorCal–it’s warm, sunny, and bright. i could stay here forever, you know. i love it here. the high skies, the dry air, the perfectly majestic california live oaks, the way the sunsets dance purple and yellow, casting long shadows across the white Sierra Nevada peaks…

i could stay here forever.

but i can’t.

you know that pillar of fire? it’s moving now, and we have to follow. it’s been parked here for almost a year and a half (a veritable record, as far as the last 11 years of my life are concerned), but now it’s time to move on.

as hard as this is, i am at peace about it.

Josiah and i have been praying–for the past year and a half–for full-time work. hundreds of resumes later, it was starting to feel like a drought. there was still daily bread and there were still new mercies, but there were no open doors.

and then suddenly, this.

not even two weeks after Aveline was born, Josiah received a job offer from a company he used to work for. it was sudden job offer, with an even more sudden start date.

Aveline Alenka - 2 weeks old - handmade crochet hat - cotton gauze baby swaddling cloth by Living Textiles

and that, my friends, is how this grand adventure called 2011 begins. we’re packing up the house now…wrapping up the insane amount of loose ends…trying to get sleep in between stacking boxes and waking up in the middle of the night with our tiny little daughter.

and in less than two weeks, we’ll be on the road to Orlando with a wee baby and a dog in tow.

as with countless other life events, i’m once again singing along with rich mullins. his music is the soundtrack to my soul. “sometimes i think of Abraham, and how one star he saw was lit for me. he was a stranger in this land, and i am that no less than he.” -rich mullins

so call us crazy. sojourners. gypsies. we wouldn’t have it any other way.

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Life in Photos, Poetry & Words

yes, i’m overdue…but it’s citrus season in california! (and other blessings)

whew. what a long week it has been. today’s extension of the weekend was a welcome, welcome thing.

tuesday i had an exam,Β  thursday had an ultrasound to check amniotic fluid levels, and then on saturday we went on a precautionary outing to labor & delivery. after another exam, monitoring, and a non-stress test, they sent me home. and tomorrow? a doctor appointment and yet another non-stress test.

yes, i’m officially 41 weeks today. you wouldn’t believe how many advice-filled emails, facebook messages and texts i’ve received lately! (whewwww. just whew. take a deep breath and just walk away from the computer and the cell phone, gina.)

california citrus season - fresh lemon with stem attached, displayed on white fabric backgroundbut on the glorious side of things? i finally have a working washing machine. my dear friend shanley is back in town.Β  the bathroom faucet no longer drips incessantly. caffeinated soy lattes and caffeinated dark chocolate mochas are in my future. two friends’ baby showers are coming up, and that means a ton of crocheting with soft baby yarns.Β  and oh yes, it’s citrus season here in northern california. there’s nothing better than a practically unlimited supply of lemons. swoon!

and the best thing? this is The Week, folks! she’ll be here by the end of the week. =D

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Handmade, Little Style

vintage rickrack, eyelet fabric, and my due date

i’m keeping myself busy today, my due date, by carefully pinning vintage rickrack to an eyelet fabric baby dress cut from an old skirt of mine. the dog is freshly bathed and smells of essential oils and sunshine (yes, sunshine has a scent). the blue light pouring in through the windows doesn’t hide the fact that it was a mere shivering 28 degrees this morning, or that overnight, the sleeping world was covered in icy frost.

cutting a pattern for a little girl dress out of an old skirt

homemade baby girl dress pattern laid out on old skirt fabric

macro photo of vintage black rickrack trim being pinned to hem of tan eyelet fabric

inside, i’m warm, with my decaf mocha and my quiet music. and i know you’re wondering — am i feeling patient? well, not so much, but i’m working on it. =)

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Handmade, Little Style

Hand-embroidered, Japanese, and Mexican Baby Girl Clothes

It was deliciously cold this morning: 27 degrees. (Go ahead, you Midwesterners, laugh at me. But this IS California, after all.) I woke up to the little dog curled up tightly in his bed…and my husband outside in shirt sleeves and wet hair — taking photographs of ice and frost. Brrrr. Even the sunlight looked cold this morning…icy blue and shivering. I grabbed my camera too (well, eventually; after reveling in the warm covers for an rather lovely amount of time), but didn’t leave the warm house. No sirree bob. Instead, I stayed inside and took some photos of lovely baby clothes. Ohhhh, I can’t wait to put a tiny little human into these clothes!

Hand-embroidered onesie in progress

close-up macro detail photo of colorful abstract hand embroidery on white baby girls onesie

hand-embroidered white baby girl onesie - taken in front of white curtains and blue christmas garland in morning light

Infant sleep sack from Japan

close-up macro photo of detail on japanese baby girl outfit

japanese baby girl outfit, hanging in blue light in front of window and curtains

Little Girl’s Dress/Shirt from Oaxaca, Mexico

mexican little girl's embroidered shirt from oaxaca, mexico

mexican little girl's dress/shirt from oaxaca, mexico

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Christmas

a disco christmas

yup, we have disco ball ornaments on our tree.Β  someday, we’re going to have a tree with white lights and disco balls and nothing else but silver ornaments. someday.

macro shot of mirrored disco ball ornament on a christmas tree

UPDATE: I’m excited to say that this photo is featured on the December 1st edition of Abduzeedo Daily Inspiration! Thanks to my hubby 26:PM who submitted it to the site without my knowing. =)