*Gratitude Sunday*

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I’m joining Wooly Moss Roots for Gratitude*Sunday.

Wow, this is LONG overdue. Spring is here and brings with it plenty including plenty to be grateful for. More than the average bear.
Life has been, well, challenging to say the least.

Mama Swan and Mr. Indigo.

Mama Swan and Mr. Indigo.

*Our tiny son (Mr. Indigo) was born at 37 weeks (1/31/13), with Down’s Syndrome, and various complications that lead us to a specialized children’s hospital over 100miles from home. Among other things, he had pneumonia, major intestinal surgery due to duodenal stenosis, collapsed right lung, delayed response after surgery that lead to a CT scan, blood draws and x-rays galore…so much. It brings tears to my eyes retelling just a small portion of this experience. OUR BOY LIVED! He’s happy and healthy at home now.
*The community outpouring of love and support (from kind words to financial assistance) has been phenomenal, over the top, beautiful. We are blessed by our community and extended communities.

*Our family and friends (who are family by way of love)…we couldn’t have done this without you. No amount of years and tears and gestures of grandeur can express how much you mean to us. You know who you are!

These past few months have really taught me to slow down, take notice, and give it your best. Life is short. Be thankful for what you have and do what you can to make life a little sweeter for yourself and those you share this life with.
Cheers!


Gratitude Sunday

Local Coastal Trip

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“The sea that calls all things unto her calls me, and I must embark” – Kahlil Gibran

We saw our midwife on Friday. She let us know that in 3 weeks time we will be given the “no travel” status. This means no traveling farther than a 30ish minute drive or something like that. Hubby and I didn’t think we’d be doing any adventures any time before the babe comes anyways but it still made us think about what was really important to take care of before the big birthing day.

So the morning of our adventures Hubby looked at me with his sparkling eyes, the way he does, and announces that we will be traveling to the Oregon Coast after picking up Treetrunk boy from his sleepover.

We also decided that our homeschooling project could fit lovingly into this plan. At the new year Hubby decided that we would do one family homeschooling science project per month that would involve data collecting on a special field trip. (Seriously loving this guy and his ability to embrace education in a different light/realm). Yay for collaborating and wrapping up family time and learning!

We found ourselves in Yachats, Oregon where Ten Mile Creek meets the Pacific Ocean. Here are some photos from that day:

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

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G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y

{Sunday’s heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

A Wooly Moss Roots Tradition

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Treetrunk walking the path at Mt. Pisgah, May 2012.

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-I’m grateful for the wonderful abundance of food we have right now. We are so blessed with our basic necessities and more. It’s a cause for reflection in gratitude, for sure.

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-Hubby and his undying love for me and the kids. He’s providing us with a life where we feel safe, healthy and happy. Things I never really felt (so deeply) until partnering with him.

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-The large windows in our living room. We watch the “wild life” every day and enjoy make believe commentary that we give to the squirrels and birds. The voices they have through our family’s goofiness is delightful fun us. It also serves as a distraction to screens.

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-I’m grateful for complications because they are forcing me to slow my roll. And on that note I must say good day and good week because those complications are nagging at my body again.

Happy Merry Holidays everyone!


Gratitude Sunday

A Year In Review

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The Pacheco Swan Family’s year in review. Skip to the bottom if you just want the photos.

Looking back on the year, and being honest, we were hit rather hard in 2012. “Parenting Plan” court dates, fractured friendships, pregnancy, moving, dropping the ball everywhere else in life, all while keeping this family going through the daily routine. With little to no help from the ones who we thought would have our backs. We formed new friendships and rekindled old ones. Our community has been pouring the love toward us. There are so many of you! We love you all!

(Light candles, smudge, hold hands, sing songs…)

Hubby and I also leaned on each other more than ever before. Hubby has been the rock for the family this year. Incredible only dusts the surface in revealing who he is. He’s been making me breakfast and getting my vitamins and tea for me every single morning during this pregnancy (32 weeks now – 8ish weeks left), amongst the other numerous things he does for us. He spends more time with our Treetrunk boy so that he feels supported through the pregnancy too. I love Hubby with all of my heart, soul, and mind.

In a way these hard times have been a blessing. Yes, let’s look at them that way. Because, really, when this family was put through emotional hellish circumstances, dealing with horrible people, not enough money and bureaucratic limitations…we did not crumble. We grew stronger. And that is what a family should be, right?

My family are the people I can grow with, learn with, love with, cry with, frustrate with, hold on tightly to and release knowing that time will be short so let us enjoy each other. And I’m finding more and more that our communities are an extension of all of this wonder.

We are magic! Thank you for being apart of all that magic.

Bits of family life 2012, in no particular order:

Treetrunk and Oboster Summer 2012

Treetrunk with one of his besties.

Oboster’s first homemade applesauce Summer 2012.

7 months Pregnant at Hendricks Park.

Nico and Treetrunk at Hendricks Park, December 2012.

Hubby at Mt. Pisgah May 2012

Treetrunk and Hubby at Mt. Pisgah May 2012

Peace!
The Pacheco Swan Family

Gratitude*Sunday

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G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y

{Sunday’s heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

A Wooly Moss Roots  Tradition

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Gratitude is such an interesting thing. It can lead us to find greater appreciation in the every day. All you need to do is look around you.

*Gratitude for the simple. We have heat, fresh water, indoor plumbing, beds. Nothing is fancy. “Just” a home, to give birth in, to raise children in, to make our life in.

*Gratitude for my family.
**My boys! I love them so. I cannot imagine my life w/o them. I’m thinking of those beautiful souls that were taken on Friday. If I think too much about it I see their confused scared faces in the moment. I can’t wait until my boys are home with us and I can breath them in.
**My amazing husband! Such a wonderful person. Thoughtful and kind. A loving and giving and involved father. He gets my toast and egg for me every morning before he has to head out the door for work by 5am. He has helped made this pregnancy so special. I’m so thankful I married my best friend.

*Gratitude for Mama friends/Sisters. I’m grateful to have a space where I can sing my praises and vent my frustrations. Thank you! I’ve learned so much from all of you!

That’s a lot to be thankful for. I say this a lot, because I feel this a lot, I am truly blessed in this life.


Gratitude Sunday

Gratitude Sunday

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G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y
{Sunday’s heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.}

I’m starting something new here. I’m not sure how this will fit our current family rhythm but I’m excited to find out.

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*I’m grateful for my boys, 11 and 12 y.o.
-Receiving something so simple as a school portrait brings me joy. My 11 y.o. smiling eyes are so wonderful and fill my heart with joy. I cried a bit when I opened the holiday card from his family up in B-ham. I’m so grateful that they send these to us.
-My Oldest working hard last week to complete tasks that may be easy for others but aren’t for him also brings me great joy. It’s hard to see your kiddos struggle. I’m grateful that I have resources to help him when I feel my own are drained. It’s been some happy jaunts forward only to be slammed in reverse 10 paces. That’s life on the teenage track though and I’m grateful for the experience.

*I’m grateful for my multi-talented hubby. Last week he fixed the fridge that had been out since before Thanksgiving and unclogged some relic plumbing in our bathroom. Functional! I didn’t realize how dysfunctional this family could get w/o a working fridge and bath tub.

*I’m grateful for our wonderful midwife. Wow! She’s a beacon of knowledge. She taught hubby how to put my dislocated rib back when it pops out. Awww! Relief…for now.

*We can’t forget the honey in the pot. Our little bean brings me so much gratitude. On days when I think “I’ve had enough!” I feel those little magical kicks and reprocess that negativity. Powerful! I look forward to seeing what becomes of this, already, bright bright soul.

Thank you to Another Day-Another Mom for introducing me to this wonderful little tradition.

You can follow the Wooly Moss Roots who brought this tradition about.


Dia de Los Muertos

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Some of you have heard this story but I love it SO much that I’m going to share it again.

It was 2007, my oldest (7 y.o. at the time) and I are taking a train on a whim. I have to see my grandfather. I’ve been dreaming about him, thinking about him several times a day, communicating back and forth with family members about him, “Oh, he’s doing great. He loves the new place and the care takers are so good to him.” Their reassurance, however genuine, wasn’t enough for me. I had to see him. I had to make sure my son knew this great man, his great grandfather.

I kept putting it off. I had put off visiting grandpa all Summer. Summer was coming to an end. And my sweet, curious, intelligent boy would be starting school again soon so I needed to put aside my day planner with all the play dates and mini breaks and get on a train to PDX…now!

It was a simple visit. We took grandpa (great grandpa) out to lunch. We ate Minestrone soup and garlic bread (which is what I’m making for dinner tonight). My oldest asked him question after question about his life. Everything from Mt. St. Helen’s to his work as a chemical engineer to his marriages. It was a good last visit.

Grandpa (Great Grandpa) and brother oldest.

I had a special and odd relationship with my grandfather. It’s still hard to put it into words. I feel that we were completely opposite people yet our love for each other was/is stronger than all that. Stronger than our politics, our agendas, our stubbornesses.

We stayed on for the week with my best friend (thank the spirits for best friends!) and got the news two days after our visit with him that grandpa had a stroke and he wasn’t going to make it. Chills kept surging through me. Tears were unstoppable. I was/am eternally thankful for my loud knocking intuitive drive to see this man one last time.

I feel blessed that my grandfather was living with a family during his last days, a family who was caring and thoughtful.
I feel blessed that I was using this wonderful thing inside of me, my intuition, and following my inner words.
I feel blessed that my son got to hold his great grandpa’s hand one and ask him questions last time before he passed on.
I feel blessed that my now husband got to shake his hand and trade stories with him.

Dia de Los Muertos, it means so many different things to different people. And for me and my family this year it is not only the day we honour the dead, it is a way for us to share our thoughts and prayers we hold for these wonderful spirits we’ve been blessed with.

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” – Frida Kahlo

Yarn Along

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Another Yarn Along with Small Things and more booties.

Babies, babies, babies! Everywhere there’s babies so I’m making booties like a mad woman.

I hope my peeps who are breeding beautiful little people don’t mind something snugly for babe’s feet.

One pair for a friend and another I’m hoping to trade for something special.

Join Ginny and friends at Small Things for her weekly Yarn Along. Share what you’re reading and knitting this week.

Yarn Along

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After the arduous journey of moving (luckily in the same town) and the seemingly never ending chore of unpacking (still in progress). I’ve settled into kind of recognizable routine. Well, at least I’m back to knitting.

Raspberry Brown bebe booties and “I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla” by Marguerite A. Wright for this weeks Yarn Along!

Join Ginny over at Small Things and follow what she and others are knitting and reading for the day/week.

“I’m Chocolate, You’re Vanilla” by Marguerite A. Wright.

I just started the first chapter of this book. It opens by looking at the preschooler: untainted by adult realities, free thinking, curious. The writer leads us through a series of questions that support her theory that the preschooler doesn’t really have a clue about race and the complexities that come along with racial identity.
Well, yes! I agree but I’ve also seen children of this age burdened by their parents hate for other races. I know that this is not an understanding of race or even racial differences in the most complex sense but rather these are families teaching hate. I can say, not in our home!
I’m excited to dive in more with this book. I’m curious about my own stereotypes and my willingness to allow my children to explore this “reality” naturally.

Ok, Raspberry Brown bebe booties! What can I say? I started making them with my most coveted yarns for a very special little person growing inside of me (23 weeks along).

Made with hand spun Alpaca and recycled silk sari yarns.

The name Raspberry Brown came about after I had finished the booties and wishing that I could drink one of my favourite microbrews, Raspberry Brown from Lost Coast Brewery. Just a sip please and maybe a gulp.

Cozy knits for little feets.

Check out other Yarn Alongers today.