Words I Love

" ...It is the stories and the cherishing that make us beautiful. May you catch each falling moment in your hands and kiss it as it goes." -Mary Wein 'These are the Lines of a Story'

Those are the last words from an essay that I just read this morning, after a friend posted it on facebook. And now, my heart is a lovely mess. You seriously need to take 5 minutes and read it. I was left in tears. Good tears.  It is too precious and filled my heart with so much truth and love. Written by a mother, embracing her body and the beauty of this story of life. Grab a tissue, the last paragraph was it for me, as she wrote to her son...get ready. I want to raise my boys with this heart and ode to true beauty, helping mold them into amazing future loves and husbands. It's given me a whole new awareness of how I see and treat myself, especially in front of them.  *insert love filled sob here.* Anna, I'm so glad you posted this.

Love and happy reading. 

Jess

"These are the Lines of a Story"

Go Buddy, Go!

This little nugget of mine, hasn't been still since he turned 3 weeks old. He's standing on his own now and trying to take steps (if he isn't speed crawling down the hallways). Seriously, he started crawling at 4.5 months, guys. Crazy. Kael was always content to lounge and be carried, but Cedar has been planning his first triathlon for months, I swear. ha! These pictures were taken at my parent's house, a couple of months ago. My mom's cute red toes were a bit of an obsession for little C. haha. So precious. 

Oh little bug, I love you and your sweet little wiggly soul. I'm not going to try and stop you or wish you'd slow down. I'll always be your biggest fan and sideline cheerleader, as you pass me full speed ahead on the sidelines. 

Momma

Backyard Friends

Warm days are treasures to me! We've had SO much rain and unseasonably chilly weather that a sunny day is kind of sacred now. Lorean, one of my closest girlfriends, dropped by my house last week with her kids Micah and Asher. (Who I adore like my own!)  Micah and Kael have been buddies since they were born and it was all squeals and giggles on our back deck, as Micah doused Kael with the water hose. He kept yelling for her to get him and she gladly obliged, haha.  They were both in heaven. When I heard all of their happy laughs and screams, I jumped outside to take a few pictures. I love these crazy kids so much and I love how they are growing up together. I can't believe they will both be 3 this year?! (tears) Memories of gold for me right here. 

BTW, If you have don't have a kiddie pool, put your water hose on "mist!" it's the best water gun and source of entertainment for warm days at our house! 

It's My Favorite

"It's My Favorite" 

 2. 

a new mini series of sweet moments and favorite things

The more I allow my heart to realize it's loved, the more I desire to love, and when I love, my heart feels complete and whole. Every emotion that competes with that love starts to become weakened inside of me and more of a memory than a close companion. I'm never happier and more at rest inside of myself than when I lean into that place. For me, to accept love is to be vulnerable, weak and brave. To give love, is to be vulnerable, weak and brave. That's beauty, this is what grace is to me.  My prayer is that I live in this place of weakness and bravery to let love flood in, pouring into the hearts of every living soul around me.  Loving is my favorite. 

Spilled Milk

It is such a treat and joy to be a contributor on this new photography project. 18 moms from around the world, all of us finding together, each week, the beauty and craziness that comes with parenthood. I love looking for my interpretation of each week's theme from simple moments in my home alongside these amazing moms and artists. When you visit the project you can see our first week was "warmth" and this current week is "meal." Looking forward to the many weeks ahead. 

Follow along with us at  Spilled Milk 

Jess

It's My Favorite

"It's My Favorite" 

 1. 

a new mini series of sweet moments 

Holding hands with Kael is my favorite. He will get a burst of energy and run ahead. In his mind's eye, he's chasing a tiger or flying like Buzz Lightyear. But then, he will  stop in his tracks and reach out with a huge grin on his face (his grin slays me)  and asks to hold my hand. It never gets old. All of a sudden, time slows down and I can feel every part of myself soaking up the precious feelings of trust and tenderness. Watching my 2.5 year old toddler turn into a little boy has been the most amazing chapter of life that Samuel and I have experienced, so far. Last night, Samuel walked into the kitchen with tears in his eyes, after tucking in our  little Forest friend and said, "Gosh I love our sons, Jess... Kael, he's just so sweet." More tears well up in his eyes, with a smile that leaves my heart in a puddle. Those are the moments I live for. There are days of whining, frustration and tears, of course. But, I am overwhelmed with tidal waves of love and awe, as I watch this boy of ours lavish sweetness and the most sincere affection on our hearts.

 Kael, you can hold my hand forever.

Jess

Artist+Mother

To say you are the sweetest, most gentle, little souls that I've loved is to speak my heart. 

Motherhood has found me in simple places, the last several months. I've been embracing my own heart, through loving my sons. I've been finding myself, while chasing Kael on his favorite walks and discovering my dreams (old and new) by watching Cedar explore his days with fresh eyes.  

Lately, life has been full of smiles, kisses, tears, early mornings and late nights, friends, family, bumped heads and warm embraces. I've had new motivation that usually comes for me with Spring and Summer. There are new things that I am excited about and old things that I'm learning to dance with, with grace and hope. I have ideas, projects that I've been working on, pictures that I've taken and things that I've created that are waiting to be shared. There are stories scribbled down, songs written and sung at the kitchen sink,  designs I've tinkered with and new journeys that we have started and are about to begin.

All of those things haven't been my driving passion or inspiration during this season, though. It's been the faces of my boys and the heart of my husband that have been my beauty and creative engine. Allowing my heart to explore and soak in this life of mine, without set expectations of my own or others, has been sweet. 

Finding the balance and that fulfilling place of being a mother and an artist, has been a continual growing and learning experience for me. As an artist, I've always wanted to do more, reach deeper with that discontented desire for originality. Right now, my heart feels good, settled in my title of "momma," fulfilled with a healthy desire to create more. 

My home is my center. My family is my home and I'm learning in every moment of every day how to create a living art, by loving them. 

-Jess

Trausch Family Part 1

Last Sunday, I spent the morning at my sweet friend, Beth's house and took some pictures of her beautiful family, 3 year old daughter Hanelia and precious new baby girl, Eva. (I'm in love with her, she is like a little china doll! Swoon.) We had so much fun and my heart enjoyed every second! I took a ton of images, way too many to post, but these are some of my favorites. Beth is seriously so gorgeous and she makes the most beautiful little girls!  Love you Beth! Thanks for letting me play and click away!  

I Like Adoption

A friend of mine posted this video and I haven't been able to stop watching it. This family's love inspires my heart in so many ways. Take a moment and watch. 

xoxo Jess

Hello 2013

Hello 2013. Something in my deepest heart is pretty excited about you. 2012 was a year of growing up, learning what it really means to cherish and to trust. I learned to hope again, to find beauty  and I truly feel like I settled into motherhood. My soul rooted itself in friendships, and found a sweet security, safety and rest in my growing little tribe of boys.  I can't even begin to describe the heaven we find in  our  kids. I've had a growing sense of awe at this precious quiet of love in my life, I'm overwhelmed by it. 2012 was harshest of bitter and the purest of sweet. I've never felt as much pain, and I've never experienced as much joy as I did these past twelve months. There are so many stories that were never written, and moments that could never be captured. It was a heck of a year.

Cheers to simplicity, and to love. Here's to newness, to expectancy of good and the joy of all the days that are waiting to make us know the sweetness of life. This is going to be a precious and fabulous year.