joy seeker (september)

A guest post from Jon:

We were wandering on that stretch of beach near the Point Wilson Lighthouse, and you found a stick in the sand. My first instinct was to keep it away from you for fear of injury, but I knew you needed to be allowed to investigate and explore things in nature. Also, you are currently figuring out how to be quite persistent, so I decided to see how this moment would unfold. You tromped and stomped around in the sand, briefly losing your footing, only to regain it an instant later. You would swing the stick wildly to spread out sand and then move on to another spot. Later, we played with a small stone and tapped it against larger rocks and logs to make music. I always want to remember the sense of discovery you had throughout our adventure on the beach.

*****

the series "joy seeker" is one way i am documenting the "joy" superhero power that ellie jane has. i hope to gather these glimpses here on the blog from her first to second birthday, and then, i will put them all together and have them printed in a small book.

::we stood::

puyallup fair . september 24, 2011 . instagram iphone photo

on saturday, as we stood in the midst of the laughter and the bright hot sun and the elephant ears and the sheep and the chickens and the rainbows of color everywhere and the root beer floats and the "you must try these oh my goodness they really are that good" scones, i suddenly could feel summer saying good-bye.

i want to remember how this summer pushed me to let go and open my heart to joy.

on the move

just in case you thought i was kidding about that 15 month old on the move thing...

joy seeker (august)

Usually it goes like this: You will suddenly look at one of us and pause whatever you are doing. Then, you will frown. Then you will almost start laughing, but instead, you will frown even deeper. Then, you will close your eyes for a few seconds. Blink. Blink. Blink. Now you will open your twinkling eyes wide. Then, you will giggle until your whole body shakes. You laugh even harder if one of us frowns back at you.

I think this is my most favorite game ever.

*****

the series "joy seeker" is one way that i plan to document the "joy" superhero power that this kid has. i hope to gather these glimpses here on the blog from her first to second birthday, and then, i will put them all together and have them printed in a small book.

oh this quilt

this summer, this quilt has been our companion as we breathe in life, healing, hope...as we let go and choose love...as we wave to the birds hopping around the yard.

i always want to remember that getting outside and leaning into the simple moments can change my perspective and open me up.

i always want to remember that i can just show up.

i always want to remember that things can be softer if i give them space.

i always want to remember that we live the life we choose...that i live the life i choose.

i always want to remember that this is much more than a quilt. 

brooklyn (part 1)

i just kept thinking about the cosby show . brooklyn, august 2011

the conversation started a few months ago after i saw a note on twitter that made me think, "i'm going to call that girl today." so i picked up the phone and dialed jen lee's number and within moments we were right into the good stuff. we shared stories and ideas and laughed and said "me too" and talked about the work we most want to be doing.

and then we talked some more and a plan began to form that sounded a bit like, "i think you might need to come to brooklyn this summer so you can work on this."

and i stood in my kitchen and the thoughts ran into each other and were filled with phrases like, "i could just get on a plane. by myself. and head across the country to new york city? i could make this choice for myself and my business and work with a friend on a new project just like that? i could ask jon to watch ellie jane during some of his last days of summer break while i do this?" 

the response to all these questions and the others that followed was always: yes. just like that. you can make that choice.

so that is how i found myself in brooklyn in the middle of august in the humidity and the rain and the i might be melting through my clothes but i am so living this dream into reality truths and the stories and the beauty and the moments of feeling deeply seen and the moments of standing inside what i most need to look at and sift through and notice.

good stuff. all of it. good stuff.

joy seeker (july)

as evening pulled on the afternoon sun, we shared a small bowl of blueberries tucked under the cherry tree in the backyard. you kept trying to give me a few of your blueberries and would laugh each time i said, "thank you. now here is one for you."

i always want to remember the moment when i noticed you were waving at the fence, and i looked up to see a house finch hopping from post to post. you were waving to that finch! and you had the biggest smile on your face as though you were greeting an old friend. i am in awe of the way you seem to intuitively understand that joy is the way.

*****

the series, "joy seeker," is one way that i plan to document the "joy" superhero power that ellie jane has. i hope to gather these glimpses here on the blog throughout the next year, and then around her second birthday, i will put them all together and have them printed in a small book. 

i stood tall

as the evening sun created a face-to-face meeting of one, i stood tall remembering that light can be found in the rootedness.