Change is the only constant.

The significance of the name change is that it means so much to me.  There is so much wrapped up in these yellow 'weeds'. They are a very healing plant, yet most just consider them an annoying weed.  For me, they are a symbol of constant rebirth and tenacity.  

There is a song called "Dandelions" by a band named Five Iron Frenzy.

http://www.lyricstime.com/five-iron-frenzy-dandelions-lyrics.html

The lyrics are this:

In a field of yellow flowers,

underneath the sun,

bluest eyes that spark with lightning,

boy with shoes undone.
He is young, so full of hope,

reveling in tiny dreams,
filling up, his arms with flowers,

right for giving any queen.

Running to her beaming bright,

while cradling his prize.

A flickering of yellow light,

within his mother's eyes.

She holds them to her heart,
keeping them where they'll be safe,

clasped within her very marrow,

dandelions in a vase.

She sees love, where anyone else would see weeds.
all hope is found.
Here is everything he needs.

Fathomless your endless mercy,

weight I could not lift.

Where do I fit in this puzzle,

what good are these gifts?
Not a martyr, or a saint,

scarcely can I struggle through.

All that I have ever wanted,
was to give my best to you.

Lord, search my heart,

create in me something clean.
Dandelions
you see flowers in these weeds.

Gently lifting hands to heaven,
softened by the sweetest hush,

a Father sings over his children,

loving them so very much.

More than words could warrant,

deeper than the darkest blue,

more than sacrifice could merit,

Lord, I give my heart to you

I first heard it in High School and thought it was just a fun catchy tune. As I grew, it took on so much more meaning for me.  I saw my future in that song. Love, Marriage, Motherhood, Worship.

Now I have a son with the bluest eyes.

I have a son that calls me Princess.

I have a son, that brings me Dandelions.

I struggle everyday to find out what my gifts are,

 how they can be used,

if I'm doing all that I need to do to Glorify God.

I have a family that I love, and am so thankful for everyday.

Now, I can barely listen to this song without crying.

This blog was started to keep far away family informed, and updated on what's happening in our lives. 

It's turned itno something different for me, and I hope you all don't mind where I might go with this blog.  Maybe it'll be easier for me to maintain if I feel more vested in it. 

Maybe.

Here's your challenge:

Keep me accountable.

Thanks for being you, we love you all!

-Erin

 

Austin

We made it! We're here!

There is still a lot of unpacking, organizing and situating to do. Nearly all of our belongings have been in storage for the past three years so we're also doing a lot of sorting and sifting as well.

Emery loves his new bedroom and is settling nicely into his new chaotic schedule. He sleeps in his own twin size bed, in his own room, and allllllll of his toys -trampoline included.

With both Owen and I working full time, our poor little guy is spending about 8-11 hours a day in daycare. :( I'm not happy about that at all. so, that doesn't give us much family time, and our weekends blaze past in a blur, and finding weekend childcare hasn't been the easiest.

All that aside, we're happy here! we'll be sure to keep you posted on all thats going on......if I can find time to update the blog!

I have reached the conclusion that if I want to maintain this blog, I will need to update via phone. So sad. My posts will be short and to the point from here

A post of pictures from the past few months......Enjoy!

This was taken on the car ride back from Arkansas.

He likes to stand up and stick his head out of the sunroof.

This is the driveway between Aunt Christi's and Nana's.

Emery and Zoe when we went to see the lights on the square.

Emery and Dawn.

Zoe and Emery shared marshmallows, in bed.

Christmas Morning.

Helping Daddy put together daddy's gift.

Emery with his cousins Breonna and Joshua.

Nana and Emery

Emery playing with his train.

His Christmas Eve present from Aunt Gina.

The Rennaissance Faire.

Decorating the tree.

Decorating the Gingerbread house.

I think He's hiding the red hair somewhere.

I can't believe that its been so long since I've posted anything! Christmas and january for that matter have come and gone Before you know it, it will be Emery's second birthday1 I'll try to post again before that happens.

Emery update? He went to the doctor a few weeks ago and she decided that he needed allergy medicine. So he gets a dose of that everyday. Along with his vitamins. which he would take three times a day if we would let him.
He is so smart. He can go to the cabinet and get out the ones that are his, and the ones that are mine, and the ones that Owen takes. Nobody has told him either. He just knows.

He is such an amazingly strong-willed, courageous, fearless, little spitfire. I swear his tow-headedness is just a guise, secretly it is really red. :) For example: lately he has been waking up at 4:00 every morning screaming at the top of his lungs for milk. I'm trying so very hard to night wean him to no avail. Owen said he's like a junkie going through withdrawals. If I didn't work so much I think things would be a little bit different. I need my sleep to work. It seems that sleep is really hard for me. I have a really awful time going to sleep and then if I don't get my full 8-10 hours, I'm a terrible awful no good, horrible mommy and wife. (I'm literally unbearable)Emery NEEDS his milk to make it through the night apparently. Last night I implemented the 4:30 am snack. Popcorn. It didn't help. he was awake until 5:30. and ready to start his day at 8.
Sigh. I digress.
When he eats, be sure that your are super alert, or you'll end up wearing his food. He tends to throw it when he's full, and just for good measure, occasionally his utensil will follow. This is honestly a daily ritual. We can't seem to get him to stop.
This morning I gave him a bowl of dry Life cereal. No problem. Once he started getting low, I added Cheerios. Emery then shouted, " Mo-om, spoon." I gave him a spoon, to which he replied. "mulk, mulk, mulk, mulk..." incessantly until I poured some milk into the bowl. Apparently all cereal, unless cheerios, must be eaten dry. Otherwise once the cheerios have been completely removed from the bowl, the remaining mushiness (Life cereal) and the entire bowl that contains it is to be thrown at Mommy.
Then he had the audacity to ask for eggs. I figured that he hadn't eaten enough cereal so I scrambled an egg for him. He was doing a wonderful job of scooping small pieces onto his spoon and putting the morsels into his mouth so I began to clean up the cereal mess. I look up and see Emery dumping the whole bowl of eggs over the side of his high chair tray, and then as if to make sure it wouldn't float back up magically, he drops the bowl on top, and throws his spoon into the floor.
Needless to say, he helped me clean that mess up, and had a time out.

Two days agao Owen and I took emery to a nearby school playground. He has been to this playground on a couple of occasions with Owen and Grandad. As soon as Owen got him out of the car and put him down, Emery took of running across the parking lot. He tripped over an uneven spot and began to stumble. I watched in slow motion as my baby landed on all fours, then his hands slid out from underneath him and he wacked his chin on the pavement. He jumped up. asked me to wipe his hands off ( he doesn't like them to be dirty) and trotted away with out shedding a tear. (I think it hurt me way more thatn him!) He had some skin missing from his little knees, ankles, and hands, but didn't seem to notice. Soon he was climbing the U-shaped ladder up to the top level of the equipment trying to slide down the slide by himself -head first.

I think it's gonna be a bumpy ride folks!

My next post, I'll try to post pictures from the last few months, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Arkansas trip. Blah, blah, blah.
Ciao.

Intentionally Honest- which leaves me feeling raw, open, and vulnerable.

My friend Jasmine tagged me to write ten honest things about me. Since this is the only blog I have, and semi-keep up with, I guess this is where it will be written.
I suppose this is a good thing because really, the people I started this blog for don't ever read it anymore-and if they do, they'll learn some things about me.

1) I struggle daily with a raging temper. I'll scream, yell, and say nasty things. The problem is: I don't know why I'm so angry.

2) Because of number one, I feel like an awful mother a lot of the time. I feel like I'm going to somehow scar Emery for life causing him to be an awful friend, partner, and father when he is older.

3)I love, love, love my job. It actually is inspiring me to do more with alternative medicine/Health/Natural Healing beyond just massage therapy and Midwifery (Maybe possibly a Naturopathic Doctor or a Nutritionist someday?!) However, I hate, hate, hate leaving Emery every day. I want to be the one teaching him things, and watching him grow.

4) Because of number 1, 2, and 3, I am terrified of having another child, but lately it creeps into my every spare moment when I'm allowed to think about future possibilities.

5)I love Owen more and more each day and I am amazed at what a blesing from God he is in my life. I don't show him, or tell him this enough.

6) I don't know how to keep a home neat, clean and tidy. It drives me nuts to be surrounded by clutter, disorder, and chaos, yet I also find it strangely cozy.
I was never taught to 'clean', and I don't have the self-discipline to start a regimen all my own. I secretly hope and wish that I absorb housewifey skills as such from Judy (my mother-in-law ) while we are blessed to be sharing a home with them while Owen is in school.

7) I feel really alone a lot of the time. I really miss my family and my friends in Arkansas. I get sad when I think about them and I wish I could go see them right now.

8) As much as I complained about Oregon ("it rains, and rains, and it was too cool, and it rains, a nd we are so far away from everyone") I miss it, and all the friends we made while we were there.

9) I'm trying to wean Emery, for convenience sake, but I don't really want to. I want to let him nurse until he weans himself.

10) I spend far too much time on facebook, Blogger, and mothering.com. I guess that stems from me feeling alone a lot of time. Hi friends!

Pictures are worth a thousand words......

......or so they say. Here is what happened in October, as told by pictures.