Tag: life

Poetry & Words

Peacefulness

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

My days are filled with coffee and sleepiness — with morning light, evening light, and the shadows in between. The baby is alternately hyper and tired, filling moments with giggling as well as sobbing. Her breath rises and falls, always a steady rythmn, always a constant hymn humming a reminder of the life which God has given.

Cup of coffee in soft morning light in favourite mug

These are captured moments, frozen still in time by the click of shutter. This is every day, painted in soft hues. I see these moments now like suspended drops of dew, reflecting what the sun has to say by casting diamond shadows on the ground.

She’s enraptured by everything, reaching out her tiny hand to take in the newness of every experience.

Aveline crawling on bed in evening light

I hold her close, breathing in her perfect essence. She fits so perfectly in my arms. I love these moments more than I can tell you.

Sleepy Aveline and Gina in morning in living room on couch with blankets

And yet, these are days of solitude. Josiah leaves each morning, working hard for us. Aveline plays with her basket of treasures while I make breakfast and start the day’s chores.

Aveline sitting near toy basket in morning light in living roomThis is a different life than I’ve ever had before. Not just because this sweet little being has come to be a part of us, but because we have followed the Pillar of Fire to the edge of the continent, here to Florida, the opposite coast of the place we called home. And “the God who has been my shepherd all my life [is my shepherd] to this day.” (Genesis 48:15)

The One who was, and is, and is to come.

Three windows with white sheer curtains hanging crooked and uneven

She is a happy little thing, so peaceful, so content. She looks to us for everything she needs.  It does not even occur to her to become anxious or stressed that we will not care for her tomorrow or the next day.

She just looks to us, in this moment, and trusts.

Aveline playing with blanket doll near toy basket

I want to look to God this same way. Oh Lord, “guarda mi alma…porque en Ti me refugio.” (Psalm 25:20)

Life in Photos

‘Buvoo zhh zhh ma mumm’ to you (August Photo Challenge: Day 4)

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Wow, readers, you are truly wonderful. I was overwhelmed by your sweet words — and your prayers! — yesterday when I was feeling small and far away.

Aveline standing on couch in the morning - art in background is by Josiah Munsey 26pm.com

Today has been a blessed and peaceful day. How could it not be when it involved crepes, new striped fabric (different than what’s pictured above), and this little sweet pea giving me slobbery kisses while saying over and over “buvoo zhh zhh ma mummm”.

Pretty much perfect if you ask me.

Interesting Litter - August Photo Challenge - Day 4 - The August Break - Photo a Day - Broken Cracked Egg Shells in Soft Light

Image of eggshells, i.e., crepe aftermath: Day Four (Interesting Litter) of the August Photo Challenge.

Poetry & Words

Together in the Morning Light: My Waking Thoughts on Life with my Two Loves

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

blue Moroccan lantern with green and black canvas in background

purple yarn with wood grain table in background

vintage corticelli silk thread / belding richardson button hole twist

wooden kitchen chair with white IKEA RITVA cushion and IKEA RENS sheepskin

We wake up too early, to the uneven rhythm of traffic slowing and starting again as a multicolored ribbon of cars passes in waves through the toll booth. Aveline stirs and fusses, increasing in volume until the sputtering grunts grow into a jarring cry. She presses her teary face against the slats of the crib, gripping tightly with dimpled hands as she wobbles her way into a kneeling position.

I sit up, glancing upward at the cacophonous din of pigeons who’ve taken up unwanted residence in an opening in the eaves. The water pipes groan and heave, and I hear the splash of hot water making its way through the shower head in the adjoining room as Josiah prepares for the day. I rub my eyes, reach out my arms and smile through a tired fog as Aveline’s fingers quickly grab onto me. I pick her up and pull her close. She buries her warm face in my shoulder and breathes a sigh, kicking her legs in happiness.

I carry her into the living room, letting my eyes truly see all the colors and light and beauty the new day holds. The white light enveloping the chair in the corner. The bright hues of the yarn and thread on the table. The hint of red in Aveline’s hair. Give me strength for the day, Lord, I quietly pray. Thank you for life. I change Aveline’s diaper, tossing her green pajamas into the laundry basket, smiling to myself at the sight of the heap of tiny, rumpled clothes. I pull a bright yellow mod dress off a hanger, and slip it over her strawberry blond head. The sixties-esque daisies on the dress make me smile.

Josiah walks into the kitchen, his wet hair hanging in curls. He reaches for Aveline, holding her in one arm while he measures out coffee grounds. My heart nearly overflows. My two loves, sleepy-headed and happy, together in the kitchen in the morning light. She’s learning how to make coffee, he says, and she turns around to look at me, grinning from ear to ear.

Later, she sits on his lap while he works on the iPhone game he is creating. I sit across the room, letting the bold flavors of my coffee curl around my tongue. I stare into the steaming liquid. Coffee and chocolate, I think to myself. Exactly the color of his eyes.

I read Genesis, and Jacob’s blessing speaks to me.

The God before whom walked
my fathers Abraham and Isaac,
The God who has been my shepherd
all my life long to this very day,
The Angel who delivered me from every evil,
Bless the boys.
May my name be echoed in their lives,
and the names of Abraham and Isaac, my fathers,
And may they grow…

Life in Photos, Little Style

My Friday Afternoon Wish List

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

My Friday afternoon wish list? It isn’t lengthy or elaborate. It contains precisely one item, which, if you replaced Aveline with me and replaced the crib with my bed, it would look exactly like this:

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket, wearing Trumpette socks

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket

Baby's arm holding baby blanket

Six month old baby Aveline sleeping peacefully in crib, holding baby blanket, wearing Trumpette socks

Baby sleeping in crib wearing Bummi cloth diaper cover and Trumpette socks

Of course, I didn’t sleep while Aveline napped. Oh, nooo. I ran around the house with cleaning supplies, scrubbing faucets and sinks instead.

Sigh.

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Life in Photos, Little Style

The One Where Aveline Wears a Bandana

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

It’s summer. I can smell it in the fresh air blowing in through the open French doors as I sit drinking my coffee out of a cobalt mug. I can see it in the wind that blows through Sierra’s long silky fur, and I can taste it in the tender lettuce greens heaped high on my plate.

We’re on a mini-vacation, Aveline and I. We’ve survived the “flying with an infant” thing (second time in Aveline’s short five months!) and now we’re resting getting spoiled at my parents’ home.

Josiah is at home, working hard. I miss him. I wish he were here with us, to experience the cool temperatures and the incredible peace that is everywhere in this restful place. Aveline will tell him all about it, I am sure, in her delicate voice and unmistakably Italian hand gestures.

We took a little stroll around the yard the other day, soaking in the quietness and the trees.

Aveline wearing red bandana and gingham/polka dot dress

Aveline in small stroller next to garden bench

View through fencing into hot/house/greenhouse garden

Door to hothouse/greenhouse garden

Aveline wearing red bandana and gingham dress, kicking bare foot into camera

Sierra the Papillon at entrance to hothouse/greenhouse garden

Aveline falling asleep

Very blue sky and green leafy tree

Poetry & Words

Letters to Aveline: Thoughts While You’re Asleep (30 Day June Photo Challenge – Day 23 – Black and White)

Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Black and white photo of Aveline wearing hat with lace flower while chewing on Sophie the Giraffe
 [Click photo to view a larger version.]

Dear Aveline,

You’re quite a character. You’ve discovered grunting, and while it may not be very ladylike, it makes me laugh. You look so seriously at your toys, swat your little hands at them, and grunt as if to warn them that they’re about to be devoured by your nomming little mouth.

You have a beautiful voice. You love to talk, and daddy and I love to listen to you. You look at us, gently reach out your hands to touch our face, and speak delicate words in a language which only you understand.  What will we hear, when we can finally understand you? What of the world around you will you reinterpret to us through your words? Will you tell us of the way the light dances across your quilt in the afternoon, leaving those diamonds of sunshine you’re always trying to pick up?  What names will you give to your favorite stuffed toys?

Black and white photo of plush baby toy and rattle on sheepskin in the sunlight

You enjoy your mealtimes so very much. I tell you God gives food to the little birdies outside, and God paints the pretty colors onto all the flowers. I tell you God gives us the food we have, and we thank him for everything He’s given us. You kick your legs excitedly when I lift you into the highchair — unless you’re feeling impatient, in which case you stiffen your legs, arch your back and let out a squawk or two or ten. Avocado is your favorite, without a doubt.  Yesterday you branched out and happily ate some sweet potato, but made horrible faces at the green beans. Today was a different story. Today, you launched an all-out war against the sweet potato. As if yelling and smacking your palms against the highchair tray wasn’t dramatic enough, you pursed your lips and sprayed me with sweet potato puree. I had to laugh. You looked so indignant.

You’re always moving, always reaching for something. You’ve just discovered you can lift yourself up on your hands and knees and rock. This doesn’t satisfy you for long; you want to go places. Usually you default to your favorite method of locomotion, continuous rolling. Nothing is safe from your curiosity, really. You can roll across the living room floor at an alarming rate. Much to daddy’s chagrin, you unplug the xbox controllers on what seems to be a daily basis. The curtains have all been shortened as you can’t resist the tempting, billowing fabric. Figuring out ways to pull your books off the lowest shelf seems to be a favorite.

Lately, you and I have been going to the pool in the afternoon. I stand in the water and hold you, and you grin from ear to ear and splash the water with your feet. Sometimes you stop, your feet still and your fingers gripping me. You peek out from under your lacey sunhat hesitantly, trying to understand what the other pool-goers are doing.  If someone accidentally splashes you, you scrunch your face into a wrinkly grimace and hold on to me more tightly. Today, you fell asleep on my shoulder on the walk back to the house.

You’re a treasure, beautiful girl, a gift from God. Daddy and I love you so very much.

Love,

Your Mama