I never thought this day would be here. Sharing in the triumphs and struggles of motherhood with my sister has always been something I hoped for. Even while my sister was pregnant, I couldn’t believe I might one day be holding my niece or nephew. I knew that moment was going to special.
Photographing births and newborns would be an incredible job, if it weren’t for that being on call part. I’ve only done it a few times for friends and family, but it is so thrilling and quite the emotional experience. Waiting for the phone call makes me so anxious. Though, getting to capture those wrinkly little human when they are only a few hours old is amazing. The joy surrounding a birth cuts through most any difficulty experienced before and during labor. I said most, not all.
The human body is incredible. I was always surprised by how much adrenaline kicked in during birth. Who would think you could go all of those hours or even days without much to sustain you, nutritionally. The water cup with the yummy ice was such a lifeline during birth, wasn’t it? I kept my giant Yuma Regional Medical Center tumbler for a few years after Faith was born because it brought back happy memories of that cool, icy water roll down my throat when I needed it most. I wanted to capture the little memories that fade, such as beloved ice cups, the discomfort of the IV that also brings replenishment, the dreaded blood pressure cuff that would automatically go off in the middle of a contraction, the “comfortably situated bed” for the Dad, the odd yet beautiful way the monitor shares the baby’s heartbeat, and your first meal after the biggest workout of your life.
New life. New baby to snuggle.
Ethan Weston Homestead, you are loved.
                     
I feel like I’m right where I need to be.
So many times I asked God for contentment, to find joy in my daily tasks, to remove the heavy burdens of the world from my heart, to give my heart peace about what I’m able to accomplish in each season of life. I can’t homeschool, run a business, blog, make everything from scratch, do photography, and still be good to my family. I think I hid behind a busy life while ignoring significant pain. Also, most importantly, I can’t take care of myself well.
I have learned that I was taught incorrectly to be completely selfless. Even saying that, “I am important” would have been declared a sin to me. There is freedom to be found in the knowledge that Jesus thinks I am important because He loved me enough to create me. HE VALUES ME. Therefore, how can I not value myself? Rest, friends, it’s one of the greatest freedoms I’ve been given in my 31 years. Rest can only come after you have let trauma, sadness, anger, and grief pass through you without stopping them because you feel like you should out of guilt (message me if you need a therapist in San Diego!). This sickness has catalyzed so many gifts of understanding and I’m extremely grateful for it.
Take care of yourself, friends.
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F a c e b o o k // T w i t t e r // P i n t e r e s t // I n s t a g r a m // E m a i l
This is the face of a girl who thought she had Mom to herself for the weekend, while the boys were adventuring in the mountains. She would eventually wake up to find her brothers back at home again from camping because there was too much rain and cold weather up there. I’ll hold on to this moment, though, as a sweet time of enjoying girl talk. Topics included Disneyland, schnitzel, Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, summer projects, cheese, and what it’s like to be “nearly 10”.
Recently, my friend Kristin came down from L.A. for a quick visit, along with her overflowing box of mysterious props and delightful stylish pieces. She started this fun challenge on her blog, DineXDesign, called “You Got Served”, which involves her showing up at your door with a box of styling pieces she pre-selected for you to play with. In each challenge series, the same box and items are given to a few different people. It’s fun to see the way each person styles the same items differently! Kristin says she can often predict which items people will use, based completely on their gravitation toward things natural, like wood, or in other cases, toward statement pieces that are bright and bold
I was nervous to be a stylist for the day, as I mostly throw together and photograph our meals as they are happening in real time. Kristin was kind enough to interview me about my style in the home, which you can read HERE. I share which pieces I’ve got my eye on right now! You’ll also find some shots of me in my kitchen with my best concentration face. She says SO many nice things about me that I don’t feel I deserve! (thanks for the sweet words, K! ;)). Once you answer questions that force you to define yourself, you realize you have more intentionality in your creative process than you were aware. Go to Kristen’s lovely and super-stylish blog, DineXDesign, to be inspired by her keen eye for design and ability to bring together things that make your soul sing with delight. She’s a pretty great lady and I’m happy to know her in real life. ;)
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F a c e b o o k // T w i t t e r // P i n t e r e s t // I n s t a g r a m // E m a i l
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