Escargot

This week we start on two new adventures.
First Kyle starts his job at an orthopedic physician assistant at HOPE Orthopedics in Salem, OR.
It is amazing to think that after a long road of late nights studying, hands on training all over the state of Oregon, and passing his boards that he is starting his new career this week.
Kyle looked high and low for jobs in family practice in Bend, Tahoe, and Portland. There were simply none to be found or they were not willing to hire a new graduate. We are so thankful and fortunate that HOPE Orthopedics was hiring and willing to take on a new graduate. As a result of Kyle taking this job we will be moving to Salem. This is where the escargot comes in  . . . at first glance Salem seems like a bit of a snail. It is far from the mountains and the snow that Kyle and I both love dearly. It is a hard working town in the middle of a giant rainy valley. So, it's going to need some butter and garlic to become a place we feel at home fulfilled.
The butter and garlic so far are  . . . Kyle's parents live about 30-40 min from Salem and this will ensure that Jonah will know them well. My cousin Jessie and her husband live in Salem and we will get to see them much more than we do now. Kyle has a job there and I will not have to go back to work. We are in escrow on a beautiful home that matches pretty much our description of the perfect home.
 Here is a link to the listing for our new home. (We are still in escrow so I guess it is not officially ours yet).
http://192ruralave.com/

So, the second adventure is the start of my 31st year on this planet. As I look back over being 30 I realize just how much 30 really was the year of the baby. Bringing Jonah into this world was such an honor and beautiful process (with a few bumps along the way) I feel certain that my 30th year was well spent. So, what does that leave for 31? As I walked through the forest of Central Oregon yesterday the answer was clear to me  . . .
31 is the year of the mother.
For starters I am letting go of worry a.k.a fear and embracing love.  This is an excellent opportunity to practice living in this moment and bringing my light to those moments.
I am looking forward to shaping who I am as a mother and seeing what lies naturally within and I have to say so far so good.

 Jonah wearing his little sheriff outfit from Uncle Hyfte and Auntie Danielle on New Year's Eve.
Below, Jonah is starting to really enjoy looking at new his toys and sometimes he reaches out for them.

 I think he would sleep for 24 hours if someone was holding him . . . sleeping on his own . . . not so much.

~Emily

Christmas Memories

Uncle Ty, Papa Mark, Jonah, and Dad posing like Jonah

Papa Mark, Mama, Dad, Jonah, and Granny

Jonah and his smile: priceless

Before the memories begin to fade as we are propelled into 2011 I want to share some thoughts and photographs from Jonah's first Christmas. We visited Arizona to spend Christmas with my family. It was a really big treat to be there as both of my grandmothers were there as well as my brother and his girlfriend who moved to New Zealand last year. It was perfect timing for them to meet Jonah as they met during the week that Jonah had mastered a heart melting smile. It was so great to see Jonah and our family bond so deeply. We marveled over and over again at our fortune as we spent time with so many generations of our family.
Jonah continues to be as easy going, charming, and delightful as a baby could possibly be. As mentioned previously he has started to smile and suck on his hands. He is also sleeping longer at night (sometimes more than 5 hours at a time).
Tyler and Jonah took many a "walk around the house" and we all would laugh at how small Jonah looked in his arms.
Tyler, Kyle, and Mark transformed back into kids again as they flew thier remote control helecopters all around the house.
His Auntie Mae figured out that if you squeeze Jonah's cheeks when in the right mood he will smile on que!
Grandma Joyce (GiGi to Jonah) spent hours on the couch holding Jonah when he slept. Grandma Frances comforted him when he was extra fussy at night humming and singing in his ear and telling him she hoped he sings better than she does.
His Granny was quoted saying, "Jonah, that is the sun!" as he had his first sun bath near the window. (We don't get much sun in Oregon this time of year).
His Papa Mark (aka Sir) gave Jonah his first baby massage and bounced him on his knee pretending that he was riding a buckin' bull.
We ate like Kings, visited with my cousin Bear and his family, and reconnected with friends.
Christmas can be about so many things. This year for me Christmas was about new beginnings and that ever awe inspiring way that love continues to expand and change if we allow it to. We are looking forward to being as present as possible to that love in 2012.

Grandma Frances, Papa Mark (aka Sir), Jonah, and Mama