Wide open Spaces

This weekend we finally got around to weeding, weedwacking, and prepping our garden beds. We had our work cut out for us. We have twice as much garden space as we have had in previous years, so we are looking forward to growing squashes and possibly even some watermelon. I intend to grow an obscene amount of cherry tomatoes.

Nate's hives suffered over our long cold winter but have improved in the past month. He built a ton of bee keeping equipment over the winter and I'm glad he did, otherwise we would have had a few hives swarm already. The tall hive on the far left side of this photo is one of the most aggressive he has ever had.

Being able to keep our bees and have a garden on this lovely five acre farm has been such a gift. There is no way that we would be able to grow vegetables in our shaded back yard. Perhaps one day, God permitting,  we will have a property with lovely rolling hills like these.

Being able to spend time at farm has also been a gift to our children. While we enjoy hiking and exploring in the many parks in our community, it is nice to have wild, open spaces a two minute walk from our house. In the winter the children sled on the hills and in the spring the girls spend hours at the pond catching frogs. In the  summer  they spend hours catching snakes, cuddling chickens and foraging in our garden.

Celebrating the ordinary: May

Being without a camera for three months made me think about the things and moments  I am drawn to photographing and ones I avoid. I like capturing moments that bring me joy and avoid the uncomfortable, messy moments that compose the majority of my day. I want to change that. I want to start celebrating the ordinary. I want to get better at being present in the less than glamorous moments- you know, the downright crummy ones. So am going to start taking pictures of my disastrous laundry room, the fight to get the children out the door on time, the meltdowns, the tears, the time outs and other moments that make up my ordinary life. I want to remember those moments as well as the lovely moments. I want to capture and celebrate my world in its entirety.

Climbing under our deck.

We have come a long way in the hair brushing department but it can still be quite tedious.

Walking home in the sun turns my five year old into a puddle of despair. She was actually thrashing and yelling at the top of her lungs. I am so glad that Levi was paying such close attention. *sigh*

Okay, so this photo makes my heart feel a little mushy, but the truth is,  my naked son is sitting on our kitchen table for the zillionth time despite being told not to.

 Grocery shopping. We all do it. It's life.

Another meltdown.

After watching  YouTube tutorial about how to de-tangle doll hair, my girls tried it out. They destroyed the bathroom.

A very dirty entryway and a little man who wants "up" every other minute.

Motherhood

Motherhood. 

A gift. A life changing commission.  

It will wreck you in a thousand ways

and then turn you into mush.

It will stretch your body and your patience past what you thought possible all the while

revealing your inner ugliness as well as your boundless love.

It will challenge your expectations, hopes, fears and values and force you to surrender

everything.

You will experience every emotion known to mankind while you navigate its uncharted waters, grasping at lifeboats as they float by.

It is intense, it is lifelong, it is eternal.

It is one of the most incredible gifts you will ever receive.

Hang in there mommas!

Currently: May

Planning

on ordering a new camera this week. It took me awhile, but I finally decided on the Nikon D7200 with a Nikkor 35mm  f/1.8 lens. Initially I thought would purchased a full frame DSLR but then decided otherwise when I borrowed a friend's camera and it was a dream to use. Furthermore, I
am not a professional photographer and I don't have unlimited funds. I  really wanted something that could handle low light situations and be compatible with my other lenses. The D7200 fit those requirements.

Painting
an old headboard that I found on the side of the road... its been a work in progress for a couple weeks now. I used to finished a piece of furniture in a couple hours... now it takes me a couple months.

Working
on a birth preferences sheet for a client I will be supporting next month.

Learning
about  victim impact statements and the healing they can bring to those who have been victimized.

Dreaming
about the day that Levi sleeps through the night consistently, doesn't want to be held 24/7 and will allow someone other than me to do things for him.

Longing
for rolling green hills, dogwood trees and river views

Designing

my dream home (if we ever build one) using a program called floor planner.

Eating
roasted yams and brussel sprouts. No one else in my house likes either of them so I get to have them all to myself.

Wearing
Dark blue denim jeans from H&M, a colorful blouse from bootlegger and earrings from a cute shop downtown.

Thinking
about how isolating depression can be

Listening
Amanda Cook's album "Brave New World"  on Spotify. It is so good, so powerful and so uplifting that I wish I could play it at full volume every.single.day. The music, the worship and the lyrics always carry me to beautiful places.
*sigh*

Picking
armloads of lilacs at all my favorite spots. Over the years I have found spots in my community where they hang over fences or grow in abandoned lots. I love the deep purple and white ones. Their fragrance is intoxicating.