I've been looking through a ton of photos the past week as I finally finished Hazel's baby book (now that she's almost 18 months old!) At Christmas, I like to do a "gift from the heart" and hers this year is her baby book. As I was sifting through pictures, I found this little series. This was in August when we were in Utah for Jacob's family reunion. We had a little solo time one day and so we took the kids up the canyon on a little hike. It was such a perfect, heavenly day. It is rare I am in front of the camera, so I'm grateful to Jacob for capturing a few frames of me and my baby Hazel. She is getting big so fast, even though she is still so little. She's like a little pixie. So darn cute :) Next week, she will be eligible to go to our church's nursery (for little people 18 months to 3 years old - Aspen is about to "graduate" in January). I can hardly believe I won't have a baby to chase down the hallway! It will be nice, but bittersweet for sure.
Sooooo much has happened this year. So much has happened since this little girl came into our lives. New job, new city, two moves, new house, new friends, new place...it has all been a lot harder than I thought it would be. Hazel has been such a blessing to have in our lives. We knew it would be crazy to plan to have a baby when we were planning on big moves and changes,(maybe not exactly how crazy, but we knew it would be crazy!) but we just couldn't wait for her to join us. So we went ahead and let her come. And we are so glad she did :) This is the time of my life I have looked forward to since I was a little girl myself. I was one of those little girls who was born loving babies. All I ever wanted to do was get married and be a mother. I was made to do this. So now, here I am, living my dream!
Back to the photos...me and my baby Hazel in all our glory. :) I love being outside. I feel most authentic sans makeup or nice clothes. Thankfully, Jacob likes me best that way, too :) He loves his little hippie-hearted girl in the raw ;) I feel best with a baby on my hip, taking my time to enjoy nature with my family - no racing to end of the trail. Just stopping to enjoy. To notice. To breath. To take note of everything my senses are engaged with around me. One of our favorite things to do is to stop and just be silent and still. To listen. I also love to hold Jacob's hand, or help one of my kids climb a tree stump or identify a wildflower. Each of our children's name references the natural world, quite intentionally. That is my heavenly place. They, with Jacob, are my heaven. I am so thankful for the world God has given us. It is a broken place, but it is still bursting with beauty and goodness, too.
I guess these images triggered some thoughts. So there they are. Ode to the peace and calm that mother nature brings:)
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