♥♥♥~THEY PASSED COURT!!!!!!!♥♥♥

K...I am so ridiculously happy for Courtney and Jason over at Dandies in The Sunshine who just passed court and are officially the beaming proud parents of the super cute, cuter then a button Solomon!!!

Guys, I am so, so, so happy for you! Your son is a beautiful miracle and I believe you are just as much a gift to him as he is to you!

(she is called The Wish Bearer....seems she was visiting you!)

~ a simple womens daybook~

I was over at Owlhaven and was inspired to join Mary in the Simple Women Daybook..

for today...

Outside my window… sunshine streaming through towering fir trees...dappled shade on the lawn.

I am thinking… about the amazing bonds of women and the beauty of relationships

I am watching… my kiddos bound around the house doing their morning chores and being all around silly

I am thankful for… my life in every way....the challenges I have faced that have brought me here, the people with whom I get to share this journey, being a mother

From the kitchen… crepes leftover from Eden's 11th birthday...thawing on the counter for supper tonight. the question: do we fill them with fruit and yogurt or steamed veggies and cheese sauce??

I am wearing… brown well worn gaucho's, a brown t-shirt and a super soft grey v-neck sweater

I am reading… Eragon to my daughter Eden (whilst daddy reads Franklin and dr.Seuss to the wee ones) for myself: African Ark: People and Ancient Cultures of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa (Hardcover) by Carol Beckwith, Angela Fisher and Graham Hancock AND Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese

I am praying… for my Dad as he journeys through his battle with lung cancer. Also for patience and strength for those families who are waiting to pass court so that they can be together forever.

I am creating…costuming for my dance performance tomorrow at the Canada Day celebration

I am looking forward to…Going to Vancouver with my family to be with my Dad while he undergoes surgery.

A picture for today

beautiful falls near our home

wanna do this? share a link to your blog ok??

♀~the Beauty of Women~♀

I was blog hopping early this morning and I came across a lady who posted this link http://theshapeofamother.com/

WOW....this website is so beautiful. SO moving. So TRUE!! Amazing images and stories of REAL women. Real bodies...beautiful bodies in every shape, size and color. Images that tell the stories of the wide and varied differences in the beautiful, sacred female form. The stories of the women who struggle with their image, who struggle with societies pressures and who are trying to rise above it. Learning to LOVE themselves and the form that they are in. Understanding that they ARE beautiful.

enjoy.

share.

XO

Jenn

(near the end of my pregnancy with Honey)

~of my Dad and cancer~

That's it.

My Dad was just diagnosed with lung cancer. 13 cm tumor in his right lung...possibly operable although they are doing test right now to see if its spread elsewhere.

my first thought. Damn cigarettes. you can't smoke for 50 years and not expect some negative side effect.

second thought. stupid man. stupid man for smoking for 50 years knowing full well that it was not a good thing to be doing to his body.

third thought. damn big business for being so damned concerned with big money that they don't give a sh*t about the fact that they're peddling death.

fourth thought. damn big money for owning all the pharmaceutical companies who make even more big money off of all the people who get sick and need crazy amounts of medical interventions.

damn you all!....grrrrrrrrr

fifth thought. damn me for trying to place blame when really what I need to do is spend my energy sending out big,. big love.

sh*t...sh*T...SH*T

isn't there a manual for "how to deal with an issue so multi layered that really, is there a beginning?"

well?

no?

I thought not. ((sigh)

(funny...this whole conversation happened in my head over the course of about 5 minutes...yeah, I'm well practiced at talking with myself)

My Dad and I have not always been close. We have had issues. Lots of issues. But somehow, over the past few years we have come to a place where there is forgiveness and acceptance. A place of firm boundaries and removed expectations. A place where healing and respect can flourish and honesty is welcomed. A place that is what it is....nothing more, nothing less.

In the past year my Dad and I have had some amazing conversations. Conversations on topics I never thought he would even be aware of, let alone have deep conversations about. During his winter illness (he has been really sick for almost a year) he became aware of the healing power of food. He started drinking a super-food juice combo that changed his life. My dad drinks coke and coffee, eats cheese and meat...and cheese..and meat.... he's drinking a super-food juice!!! Becoming more aware of the effects of all food on his body/life and striving to make a change there.

We've talked about alternative therapy's for cancer treatment. We've talked about foods and supplement's that have been shown to fight cancer and strengthen the body. He is optimistic (most of the time) and feels like he can really beat this. I believe he can.

I came to realize something the other day. I am so thankful for these last few years. To see such a change in him...like he woke up after a lifetime of sleep. There are people who "sleep" right up until the day death comes for them, never having known what it was like to open their eyes.

But him...his eyes are opening, slowly. And I wonder if his illness doesn't have something to do with that.

♥~Okanagan Life: Faces of Adoption~♥

I just read this article and it made me smile....beaming on this Thursday morning. I LOVE that the stories of these fab-tastic families, formed in ways that sit somewhere out side the box of normality, are being celebrated and highlighted in such a wonderful way. What a great opportunity to educate people about adoption!

"Beyond blood, beyond race, beyond class, beyond nationality, beyond religion, there is a greater force that holds families together. It knows no borders. It knows no limit. And it can be found in these Okanagan faces of adoption"

Click on the magazine cover to read the full article...there are loads of adoption links at the bottom of the page. Happy reading!


xo
Jenn

♀~we are wise, wise women, we are giggling girls~♀

Every year on the weekend of the Summer Solstice I pack my backpack and head out to an organic farm co-operative for the Wise Women Solstice retreat. In the 4 years that we have lived here I have always made sure that I make it out to at least part of this weekend of blissful women wonderfulness. This year I asked our oldest daughter, Beena now 11, if she would like to join me since, after all, she is almost a women. Her eyes were so full of light as she exclaimed " really??!!! YES!!". Her next question "mama, can I ask questions?"

You see, one of the things that Beena loves...more then nearly any thing else, is to sit with women, listening to conversations and asking all of the millions of questions that come to her creative mind. Her questions are deep and soulful, sweet and innocent, wistful and adventurous. She was beyond ecstatic to spend the afternoon/evening with all of these wonderful women who welcomed her with open arms, honoured by her inquistiveness and enthusiastic spirit.

Sharing this special, sacred time with our daughter made my day!!! heck, made my.....life!!??!! I have dreamed of doing these things with her when she was a baby...building the bond of our women connection. Strengthening her roots as she comes of age. Giving her confidence and faith in female relationships by inviting her to take part in an event such as this, where women and girls of all age, sizes, walks of life get together and celebrate our similarities and our differences. Having soooo much fun just being together. Relationships that grow year after year. Relationships that share laughter and tears....and food!! oh the food!! It never ceases to amaze me how phenomenal the food is when we all get together. Maybe we should rename the even the Hungry Women's Food Gathering!!lol

It was such a gift to be able to share this magic with my daughter. I am beyond grateful.

♀~base camp~♀

♀~Beena planting her tree~♀

♀~mmm, Greek salad for the feta queen~♀

♀~drumming to start an evening of music~♀

♀~a few of the stops along the fairy walk the Beena helped to create...enchanting lite by candles under the light of the moon~♀

~re-entering the bloggosphere~

And so it begins again. I'm BACK!!!!!!

My hiatus has been rejuvenating in so many ways. I have spent more time with my kiddies reading, playing and exploring, wrapped up another awesome year of homeschooling (although, really we don't ever stop learning☻), recovered from the craziness of renovating this house and remembered what it's like to have a wee bit of that illusive thing known as time. I have spent time with amazing friends, planted my beautiful garden, read many blogs that have inspired and moved me...sometimes as a lurker:), spent time sewing...those curtains and muslin I've been holding onto forever became this......

...super fun belly dance costume with a big bustle skirt and bloomers! We have spent many hours talking about our future and have decided to move back to this little hamlet of awesomeness a place of summer sun and many beautiful friends. Dad-E-o has wonderful work and we get to have access to things that have been unavailable to us for the last 4+ years(like a pool, arts, culture and oddles of home learners to hang with)

I am excited to be beginning my Birthing from Within mentor-ship training and can't wait to begin mentoring Childbirth Preparation classes with my dear friend T!

I feel inspired and excited about life in general and am learning how to be patient in a whole new way (and here I thought I had the patience thing down..hA!)

((sigh)) it has been an eventful 6 months! I am excited to be back! To share the tidbits that float around my mind with you and to take part in the beautiful exchange of connectedness that can magically occur through this crazy piece of technology.

xo