life – Page 4 – The Oaxacaborn Blog

It’s easy to complain about the weather. Yes, even in Florida, I am ashamed to say that I complain.

It’s too hot.

It’s too humid.

Granted, the humidity is pretty suffocating (83% humidity at 9 am; forecasted high of 98° with heat index of 105°), but when you think about it? It’s actually ~~kind of~~ extremely ridiculous to complain. I mean, we’re living in a destination city. People pay money to come here. They pay money to experience what I take for granted.

So what would it look like if I stopped comparing Florida to California and started treating Florida as if I was on vacation here? Well, it would probably look a little bit like this:

Baby Aveline sitting on a chaise lounge near the pool

Baby Aveline in pink calico dress and white eyelet lace sunhat

No diving sign next to pool

Florida palm trees, clouds and rooftops

Baby Aveline's first swim in the pool

Beautiful, isn’t it?

This weekend was Aveline’s first time swimming.It was so beautiful to watch as the uncertain look on her face faded away and was replaced with a contented smile.

As she happily splashed, I thought, Lord, let me jump in to Florida. Wash away my uncertainty and let me trust your arms to hold me up so I will not sink.

Poetry & Words

I love you, Daddy.

June 19, 2011October 12, 2011 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Dad Portrait in Plaid - Happy Fathers Day

Daddy, thank you for putting up with my door slamming and back-talking.

Thank you for marching me through those terrifying bottom-less puddles when I was little.

Thank you for putting up with my stubbornness, my just plain bullheadedness, and all my space-cadet moments.

Thank you for putting worms on my fishing hook for me so I didn’t have to.

Thank you for not getting mad when I ran over (lots of) your tree(s) with the riding lawn mower.

Thank you for talking to me when I didn’t always want to listen.

Thank you for loving me unconditionally.

And most of all? Thank you for showing me who Jesus is.

I love you, Pops.

Life in Photos

30 Day June Photo Challenge – Day 14 – Someone You Love

June 14, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

Josiah reading a book in the living room - black and white photo - 30 Day June Photography Challenge - someone you love

Oh, I love him. I love him to pieces.

“The moon turns its clockwork dream.
The biggest stars look at me with your eyes.
And as I love you, the pines in the wind
want to sing your name with their leaves of wire.”
-Pablo Neruda

[Click photo to view a larger version.]

Life in Photos, Poetry & Words

30 Day June Photo Challenge – Day 8 – Sunset

June 8, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

I missed yesterday’s photo (high angle shot). I lovingly blame a growth-spurting Aveline, who went on a sleep strike and ate hourly for fifteen hours. So you can imagine I’m quite glad to see tonight’s photo, a setting sun. It means bedtime is right around the corner. For how napless my bebe is, she lays her little head down obediently every single night and falls right asleep.

And every single night, I marvel at how incredibly blessed I am and how rich our life is. Like right now, for instance. Aveline is sitting on my lap, holding on to a wash cloth in one hand and beating on the desk with her other hand. She says, “Ahhh. Hahhh. Ahhh. Gahh. Eeeehaa.” while looking over at Josiah, who is sitting next to me clicking away at his computer. I think she’s singing along with Cary Brothers, who is softly crooning, “There is something about you baby so right / I wouldn’t be here without you baby tonight / If ever our love was concealed / No one can say that we didn’t feel a million things / And a perfect dream of life.”

Josiah gets up, walks into the kitchen and switches the light on. I hear the clink of dishes as he unloads the dishwasher. Aveline drops the washcloth to the floor and sticks her tiny foot up on the desk between my hands, still babbling away in her precious little voice.

“You’re the secret I keep, I just wanna be the one, I just wanna sing this song with you.”

[Click photo to view a larger version.]

Poetry & Words

sleep

May 21, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

the dishwasher surges and pauses, a mechanical ode to the ocean’s pulsing tide. my spoon scoops up the last bit of milk off the bottom of my cobalt cereal bowl. behind me, i hear josiah laugh and talk into the headset as the xbox goes beepbopboopbeep.

baby fast asleep on pink fleece blanket

aveline is asleep. my eyes feel like sandpaper. her sleeping moments have been scarce, these last few days. i flip my just-washed hair back over my shoulder, and a few drops of water drip off onto the pink fabric of my pajama pants. i reach for my water glass and drink deeply. i sigh, satisfied.

my eyes can not stay open much longer. i hear the click of the tv behind my turning off, and hear josiah’s footsteps across the grey carpeted floor. i rub my eyes. sleep will come soon.

oh life, you are beautiful.

Life in Photos, Poetry & Words

a quiet friday morning

May 13, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

surprised baby face offcenter in photograph

it’s friday. i woke up to grumpy little noises, an impatient baby reminding me she hadn’t eaten in three whole hours. i picked her up and walked into the living room — right into coral-colored sunshine. the rays had painted a bright swath down the middle of our living room, and were dancing happily against the edges of the window. i smiled. it’s been a long time since i thought a morning was actually beautiful. mornings and i aren’t the best of friends, but lately, we’ve grown closer and closer. i’ve been seen all the shadows of the sundial over the past four months. sunsets, sunrises, and all the faces of the in-between moon.

it’s beautiful, this life. this wild, great, unpredictable life. and it’s so full of hope. this morning i read jeremiah 46:26: But fear not thou, O Jacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity; and Jacob shall return, and shall be quiet and at ease, and none shall make him afraid.

there’s so much comfort in those words. i read them over again, as the coffee filled the air and aveline leaned her velvety cheek on my shoulder. fear not. be quiet and at ease. none shall make you afraid.

happy weekend, dear friends. be filled with hope today, and face–without fear–whatever the day brings you.

baby hand grasping handful of blanket

plush lamb teething rattle on light blue background

Life in Photos

aveline alenka is 16 weeks old

May 11, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

baby aveline alenka - 16 weeks old

baby aveline alenka - 2 days old - hand crocheted cotton hat - lime green and pink

can you believe it? sixteen weeks already. i took the top photo this morning as she was lying on her quilt, looking at me with those huge eyes and impossibly squishable cheeks, melting my heart. she’s amazing. she babbles away non stop, and is becoming shockingly mobile (rolling and scooching and doing the worm).

she never stops moving. and she smiles dozens and dozens and dozens of times per day. she’s such a happy baby, and she’s growing up so fast. even looking at the other picture, it’s hard to believe she was ever just two days old. it seems like yesterday she was that tiny, but it also seems like a lifetime ago.

i can hardly remember what it was like before she was in our arms. i’m treasuring every single moment–even the sleepless ones.

Life in Photos

LIFE IN PHOTOS :: a beautiful sunny saturday afternoon

April 30, 2011March 22, 2014 Gina @ Oaxacaborn

it’s just beautiful in central florida right now. as much as i miss norcal, i’m actually really glad i’m missing the pollen-infested allergy season. see this pretty flower? it wasn’t at all sneeze-inducing. at this time last year in california, both josiah and i sneezed non-stop for two months. here? nary a sneeze.

beautiful pink blossom in central Florida

we’re taking advantage of this beautiful weather as much as we can. this afternoon, we went out for a walk in the sunshine.

oaxacaborn and 26pm - crossing the street - skirt and sandals, flip flops with blue jeans

out little neighborhood is simply lovely. we’re so blessed to live in a place like this. i just love all the palm trees! and i love that handsome man with all of my heart. (aveline’s eyelet floppy hat is from the children’s place; her dress is the sweet pinny from the pumpkin patch. it’s no longer available but you can view it here.)

26pm holding daughter baby aveline near palm trees - daddy's shirt from o'neill, baby's clothes from the childrens place

and what’s a little walk without a detour for coffee? decaf, of course. aveline is enough caffeine for me. when it comes to keeping me up at night, she gives late-night shots of espresso a definite run for their money.

starbucks iced americano with baby in background