• The choices I make these days don't feel like me...they feel a bit like wearing clothes belonging to someone else. Cyrus woke up with a cough and runny nose, so he can't go to the church nursery, and Angel's been wanting to take him to the butterfly farm for months, so we decided that was a good plan for this morning: Cyrus won't pass his germs to any babies and they'll have a good adventure together because he still likes adventures even if he's not feeling 100%. . It was already assumed that I wouldn't join, that I would stay home. An outing to church I could have handled--but the long drive down a bumpy, winding road, being on my feet for a long time in the sun and heat of the greenhouse... it's not a wise idea in my current season. Staying home and taking the chance to rest is wiser, especially after some rough nights with a sick toddler. I'm nearly in my third trimester with a pregnancy that I thought wasn't going to make it through the first, and I'm so endlessly grateful for that, but after so many months at home, sometimes I do have to remind myself that homebody...the person who stays home from all outings and adventures and races and parks...is not actually my personality. It describes this season, yes, this precious, worrisome season of hoping for this little boy I already love so much. But it doesn't describe me. There will be time for adventures later. It won't always be Angel and Cyrus going in one direction while Rachel stays home. But for now it is, and I'll take joy in my books and embroidery and quietly anticipating the adventure that lies ahead. . On a lighter note, swipe to see that Cyrus fell asleep before they arrived and remained stubbornly sleeping so Angel had to wait out an unplanned nap in the parking lot before they could go see the butterflies. 🤣 . . . #secondtrimester #27weekspregnant #mamamoments #authenticmotherhood #honestmotherhood #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #thesincerestoryteller #thatauthenticfeeling #creativemamas
    14 2
    The choices I make these days don't feel like me...they feel a bit like wearing clothes belonging to someone else. Cyrus woke up with a cough and runny nose, so he can't go to the church nursery, and Angel's been wanting to take him to the butterfly farm for months, so we decided that was a good plan for this morning: Cyrus won't pass his germs to any babies and they'll have a good adventure together because he still likes adventures even if he's not feeling 100%. . It was already assumed that I wouldn't join, that I would stay home. An outing to church I could have handled--but the long drive down a bumpy, winding road, being on my feet for a long time in the sun and heat of the greenhouse... it's not a wise idea in my current season. Staying home and taking the chance to rest is wiser, especially after some rough nights with a sick toddler. I'm nearly in my third trimester with a pregnancy that I thought wasn't going to make it through the first, and I'm so endlessly grateful for that, but after so many months at home, sometimes I do have to remind myself that homebody...the person who stays home from all outings and adventures and races and parks...is not actually my personality. It describes this season, yes, this precious, worrisome season of hoping for this little boy I already love so much. But it doesn't describe me. There will be time for adventures later. It won't always be Angel and Cyrus going in one direction while Rachel stays home. But for now it is, and I'll take joy in my books and embroidery and quietly anticipating the adventure that lies ahead. . On a lighter note, swipe to see that Cyrus fell asleep before they arrived and remained stubbornly sleeping so Angel had to wait out an unplanned nap in the parking lot before they could go see the butterflies. 🤣 . . . #secondtrimester #27weekspregnant #mamamoments #authenticmotherhood #honestmotherhood #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #thesincerestoryteller #thatauthenticfeeling #creativemamas
  • Baby's got style. He had to get visa pictures taken yesterday and I wish we could have seen all the outtakes which mostly consisted of him grinning really awkwardly and leaning as far sideways off the stool as he possibly could and staring at everything other than the photographer's camera, but especially the ceiling and the lighting equipment. Mostly, I hope we got a good shot that will be accepted and we won't have to have a re-do like we did with his newborn passport photos... . . . #toddlerlife #toddlerstyle #letthembelittle #expatfamily #travelingfamily #travelwithkids #mamamoments #mamalife #parenthood_moments #littleandbrave #littlefierceones #littlepiecesofchildhood #thecaptivatingwoman #thesincerestoryteller #thatauthenticfeeling
    64 2
    Baby's got style. He had to get visa pictures taken yesterday and I wish we could have seen all the outtakes which mostly consisted of him grinning really awkwardly and leaning as far sideways off the stool as he possibly could and staring at everything other than the photographer's camera, but especially the ceiling and the lighting equipment. Mostly, I hope we got a good shot that will be accepted and we won't have to have a re-do like we did with his newborn passport photos... . . . #toddlerlife #toddlerstyle #letthembelittle #expatfamily #travelingfamily #travelwithkids #mamamoments #mamalife #parenthood_moments #littleandbrave #littlefierceones #littlepiecesofchildhood #thecaptivatingwoman #thesincerestoryteller #thatauthenticfeeling
  • 27 week update on the blog...well, we're closing out week 26 so I'm just calling it 27 at this point. Also, the photo on the blog definitely shows the belly better because you can see the contrast to my scrawny legs. 🤣 But alas, it was not really square enough for Instagram. We saw the doc and baby boy on Saturday, and both Angel and I left the ultrasound with the distinct impression that this boy's face looks like a totally different face from Cyrus's face. Which we ought to have known by now, but I think there's a part of us that just feels like we're doing the same thing all over again and getting ready for Cyrus to arrive. But we don't even know this little person yet! A new adventure! So yeah, check out the blog for more details, and if you haven't been able to comment in the past, give it another try, I changed some settings to hopefully maybe fix the problem... . . . #26weekspregnant #itsaboy💙 #secondtrimester #bumpdate #bumpstyle #maternityfashion #mamamoments #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #mynameismama #documentyourdays #myunicornlife #myeverdaymagic #celebrate_motherhood #cherishlife #livethelittlethings #livingauthentic #momswhowrite #momswithcameras #momstyle #momootd
    87 7
    27 week update on the blog...well, we're closing out week 26 so I'm just calling it 27 at this point. Also, the photo on the blog definitely shows the belly better because you can see the contrast to my scrawny legs. 🤣 But alas, it was not really square enough for Instagram. We saw the doc and baby boy on Saturday, and both Angel and I left the ultrasound with the distinct impression that this boy's face looks like a totally different face from Cyrus's face. Which we ought to have known by now, but I think there's a part of us that just feels like we're doing the same thing all over again and getting ready for Cyrus to arrive. But we don't even know this little person yet! A new adventure! So yeah, check out the blog for more details, and if you haven't been able to comment in the past, give it another try, I changed some settings to hopefully maybe fix the problem... . . . #26weekspregnant #itsaboy💙 #secondtrimester #bumpdate #bumpstyle #maternityfashion #mamamoments #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #mynameismama #documentyourdays #myunicornlife #myeverdaymagic #celebrate_motherhood #cherishlife #livethelittlethings #livingauthentic #momswhowrite #momswithcameras #momstyle #momootd
  • I think humans are fascinating--with all of our likes and dislikes, or habits and dreams and endless variations. So, for #fridayintroductions I thought I'd share some of what makes me Rachel. 1. I consider myself an introvert. My lifelong daydream has been about being stranded with a couple family members on a deserted island (think Gilligan or Swiss Family Robinson) and build a treehouse and live off the land. It's really unfortunate that I don't like coconuts or seafood because that will make such a lifestyle difficult, but I'm sure I would adapt eventually. 2. I'm an odd combo of health nut/just be practical, realistic, and respectful about what living in our corner of the world entails. So I send Angel to work with a lunch of oatmeal, kiwi, pomegranate, and blueberries so that he won't eat cafeteria food every day...but no, I don't order all-natural ingredients from other countries to make my own cleaners and skin items. My general strategy is just not using products where products aren't needed. 🤷 Way easier and cheaper than searching for the best of the best. 3. My favorite hobbies are reading, sewing, and general crafting although I mostly gave up crafting when we moved. I still remember getting rid of all my supplies. 💔 My favorite hobbies that are conducive to our current lifestyle are writing and planning travel (I even plan vacations that I don't go on for my parents and siblings). 4. I'm a lifelong frugal-ish person and a minimalist. Which has served us very well in very tight times but sometimes also leads to funny habits that others can't quite relate to. I love strategically using up all of my fridge ingredients to make as many meals as possible without wasting anything. I don't have a dryer or an oven and my 10 year old sister bought me a toaster for my birthday after finding out that I had been toasting bread on the stove for years. Hey, it works fine! 5. Almost everything I'm proud of in life is nothing I can really take credit for because it's not like I made it happen... it's just what I like best about my life. My many little siblings, my parents, my husband, my little boy, my left-handedness. 🤣
    55 12
    I think humans are fascinating--with all of our likes and dislikes, or habits and dreams and endless variations. So, for #fridayintroductions I thought I'd share some of what makes me Rachel. 1. I consider myself an introvert. My lifelong daydream has been about being stranded with a couple family members on a deserted island (think Gilligan or Swiss Family Robinson) and build a treehouse and live off the land. It's really unfortunate that I don't like coconuts or seafood because that will make such a lifestyle difficult, but I'm sure I would adapt eventually. 2. I'm an odd combo of health nut/just be practical, realistic, and respectful about what living in our corner of the world entails. So I send Angel to work with a lunch of oatmeal, kiwi, pomegranate, and blueberries so that he won't eat cafeteria food every day...but no, I don't order all-natural ingredients from other countries to make my own cleaners and skin items. My general strategy is just not using products where products aren't needed. 🤷 Way easier and cheaper than searching for the best of the best. 3. My favorite hobbies are reading, sewing, and general crafting although I mostly gave up crafting when we moved. I still remember getting rid of all my supplies. 💔 My favorite hobbies that are conducive to our current lifestyle are writing and planning travel (I even plan vacations that I don't go on for my parents and siblings). 4. I'm a lifelong frugal-ish person and a minimalist. Which has served us very well in very tight times but sometimes also leads to funny habits that others can't quite relate to. I love strategically using up all of my fridge ingredients to make as many meals as possible without wasting anything. I don't have a dryer or an oven and my 10 year old sister bought me a toaster for my birthday after finding out that I had been toasting bread on the stove for years. Hey, it works fine! 5. Almost everything I'm proud of in life is nothing I can really take credit for because it's not like I made it happen... it's just what I like best about my life. My many little siblings, my parents, my husband, my little boy, my left-handedness. 🤣
  • Toddler mom dilemma: Do I share A) the one where he's trying to lick me, B) the one where he's showing off his molars, C) the one with the nicest smile or D) the one where he's giving the camera the snake-eye? 😂 All expressions captured within about 10 seconds, total. And that basically describes the pace of my day, from 6 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. I love this boy!!! I can't wait to see what two of them are like... . . . #toddlerlife #mamamoments #livethelittlethings #livingsmall #joyfulmamas #risenmotherhood #motherhoodintheraw #authenticmotherhood #babyandme #getintheframemama #mamaandson #celebratechildhood #celebrate_motherhood #parenthood_unveiled #parenthood_moments #thesincerestoryteller #thecaptivatingwoman #thehonestlens #theheartcaptured
    81 22
    Toddler mom dilemma: Do I share A) the one where he's trying to lick me, B) the one where he's showing off his molars, C) the one with the nicest smile or D) the one where he's giving the camera the snake-eye? 😂 All expressions captured within about 10 seconds, total. And that basically describes the pace of my day, from 6 a.m. till 7:30 p.m. I love this boy!!! I can't wait to see what two of them are like... . . . #toddlerlife #mamamoments #livethelittlethings #livingsmall #joyfulmamas #risenmotherhood #motherhoodintheraw #authenticmotherhood #babyandme #getintheframemama #mamaandson #celebratechildhood #celebrate_motherhood #parenthood_unveiled #parenthood_moments #thesincerestoryteller #thecaptivatingwoman #thehonestlens #theheartcaptured
  • I've gotten two separate comments so far today along the lines of, You're wearing jeans??!!! I didn't even know you had any! in case you're wondering how much time I spend in either dresses or leggings. My maternity fashion strategy is simple: I've walked into several of the few maternity clothing boutiques that I know of here, and walked out, deciding not to spend any money on thick polyester shapeless shift dresses. I've attempted to order maternity clothing from familiar brands online, only to be informed that they don't support shipping to my location. So...I've made my normal clothes work. And that's better for the budget, anyway! What makes this possible is: 1) A 3-pack of leggings I bought at the grocery store in America years ago that have a perfectly soft comfy waistband. These three pairs of leggings are worn with tunics/dresses approx. three days a week during pregnancy. 2) I have always worn a lot of cotton or jersey dresses. Comfortable in the tropical climate, good when working with kids, and room to grow. 3) Random hand-me-downs...like these jeans that my sister got about seven years ago from Old Navy. They're a size up from my normal, and work well at #25weekspregnant 4) Also because I'm petite, a lot of my normal wardrobe is oversized, anyways. It's too annoying to find clothes that fit perfectly and I typically err on the side of a little too big.. because that's WAY more comfy than a little too small. So most of my normal clothes have growing room. All the normal clothes that don't work, I put away in the guest room so they don't annoy me. 😂 5) And I don't have to look professional...kids are the only people who see me most days and they love my floral dresses. 😆 . . . #maternityfashion #bumpstyle #maternityclothes #secondtrimester #mamamoments #mamastyle #mytinymoments #risenmotherhood #mamahood #authenticmotherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising
    48 0
    I've gotten two separate comments so far today along the lines of, You're wearing jeans??!!! I didn't even know you had any! in case you're wondering how much time I spend in either dresses or leggings. My maternity fashion strategy is simple: I've walked into several of the few maternity clothing boutiques that I know of here, and walked out, deciding not to spend any money on thick polyester shapeless shift dresses. I've attempted to order maternity clothing from familiar brands online, only to be informed that they don't support shipping to my location. So...I've made my normal clothes work. And that's better for the budget, anyway! What makes this possible is: 1) A 3-pack of leggings I bought at the grocery store in America years ago that have a perfectly soft comfy waistband. These three pairs of leggings are worn with tunics/dresses approx. three days a week during pregnancy. 2) I have always worn a lot of cotton or jersey dresses. Comfortable in the tropical climate, good when working with kids, and room to grow. 3) Random hand-me-downs...like these jeans that my sister got about seven years ago from Old Navy. They're a size up from my normal, and work well at #25weekspregnant 4) Also because I'm petite, a lot of my normal wardrobe is oversized, anyways. It's too annoying to find clothes that fit perfectly and I typically err on the side of a little too big.. because that's WAY more comfy than a little too small. So most of my normal clothes have growing room. All the normal clothes that don't work, I put away in the guest room so they don't annoy me. 😂 5) And I don't have to look professional...kids are the only people who see me most days and they love my floral dresses. 😆 . . . #maternityfashion #bumpstyle #maternityclothes #secondtrimester #mamamoments #mamastyle #mytinymoments #risenmotherhood #mamahood #authenticmotherhood #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodrising
  • This is how he wanted to pose when I wanted to take his photo. 😆 My mom was having how to use a knife training with the kids which inspired my own edition of knife practice with a plastic knife and some Play-Doh. I like toddler activities that are practical for mom, too, and don't require a lot of supplies. This one kept him occupied for more than half an hour! We do a lot with old bottles and boxes from food packaging, paintbrushes with water, crayons, endless sheets of old label stickers, and this one jar of play doh from his birthday has provided lots of fun! Also, my pitcher has become his best friend recently, especially during showers (and sometimes he wants to take it to his high chair to eat lunch with him)...but this is not without downsides as it would also be useful to use my pitcher once more for what it normally does...hold tea in my refrigerator. Maybe his new best friend should be a ladle or something else I don't use often... . . . #mamamoments #toddlerplay #sensoryactivities #toddlerlife #toddlerlearning #earlylearning #playdoh #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #parenthood_moments #letthembelittle #littleandbrave #littlefierceones #livingsmall #learningathome #homeschoolfamily #mamatribe
    58 2
    This is how he wanted to pose when I wanted to take his photo. 😆 My mom was having how to use a knife training with the kids which inspired my own edition of knife practice with a plastic knife and some Play-Doh. I like toddler activities that are practical for mom, too, and don't require a lot of supplies. This one kept him occupied for more than half an hour! We do a lot with old bottles and boxes from food packaging, paintbrushes with water, crayons, endless sheets of old label stickers, and this one jar of play doh from his birthday has provided lots of fun! Also, my pitcher has become his best friend recently, especially during showers (and sometimes he wants to take it to his high chair to eat lunch with him)...but this is not without downsides as it would also be useful to use my pitcher once more for what it normally does...hold tea in my refrigerator. Maybe his new best friend should be a ladle or something else I don't use often... . . . #mamamoments #toddlerplay #sensoryactivities #toddlerlife #toddlerlearning #earlylearning #playdoh #risenmotherhood #joyfulmamas #parenthood_moments #letthembelittle #littleandbrave #littlefierceones #livingsmall #learningathome #homeschoolfamily #mamatribe
  • What classes and teachers do you remember most vividly from your own education? Summer's over and school's starting up this week. As Angel begins his second year teaching Spanish, we've been talking about how to strengthen the Spanish program and more effectively communicate passion for the language to his students. . So, what do you remember most? I think it's always my best and worst experiences with teachers that stand out in my mind most vividly. Best: 1. The language Prof who used Barbie cars, puppets, and a life-sized cut-out of Spock in a college classroom. Shaquille O'Neill was his go-to subject for any example sentence patterns. I took six semesters of classes with him. 2. The Prof who wore his happy shoes every time we had a test to cheer us up. I recognized a kindred spirit when I showed up to class on Valentine's Day and we were both decked out in themed red-and-pink outfits. He made a class on sports history that I was only taking because I was about to graduate and needed one more history course one of the most memorable classes I ever took. Honorable mention to: the public speaking Prof whose other job was recording audiobooks and had a truly magical voice. The ethics Prof who was so obviously in love with and bewildered by his wife that he told a story about her every day before class began. . Worst experiences: 1. The Prof who insisted that the only correct way to write a paper was to make the thesis statement the very FIRST sentence in the paper. Also insisted on use of Wade-Giles romanization instead of pin-yin. 2. The Prof whose exams tested whether you were able to write down the lectures that he'd given, word-for-word. 3. The Prof who cheerily said, I don't give As. at the beginning of the semester, and who this gave me the only A- I've ever received, in spite of giving me 100% on multiple projects for the class. I would have gotten my bachelor's with a 4.0, but because of her class, it was 3.998. . #teacherlife #teachersofinstagram #teachingspanish #teachersofinsta #internationalschool #teacherstuff
    37 3
    What classes and teachers do you remember most vividly from your own education? Summer's over and school's starting up this week. As Angel begins his second year teaching Spanish, we've been talking about how to strengthen the Spanish program and more effectively communicate passion for the language to his students. . So, what do you remember most? I think it's always my best and worst experiences with teachers that stand out in my mind most vividly. Best: 1. The language Prof who used Barbie cars, puppets, and a life-sized cut-out of Spock in a college classroom. Shaquille O'Neill was his go-to subject for any example sentence patterns. I took six semesters of classes with him. 2. The Prof who wore his happy shoes every time we had a test to cheer us up. I recognized a kindred spirit when I showed up to class on Valentine's Day and we were both decked out in themed red-and-pink outfits. He made a class on sports history that I was only taking because I was about to graduate and needed one more history course one of the most memorable classes I ever took. Honorable mention to: the public speaking Prof whose other job was recording audiobooks and had a truly magical voice. The ethics Prof who was so obviously in love with and bewildered by his wife that he told a story about her every day before class began. . Worst experiences: 1. The Prof who insisted that the only correct way to write a paper was to make the thesis statement the very FIRST sentence in the paper. Also insisted on use of Wade-Giles romanization instead of pin-yin. 2. The Prof whose exams tested whether you were able to write down the lectures that he'd given, word-for-word. 3. The Prof who cheerily said, I don't give As. at the beginning of the semester, and who this gave me the only A- I've ever received, in spite of giving me 100% on multiple projects for the class. I would have gotten my bachelor's with a 4.0, but because of her class, it was 3.998. . #teacherlife #teachersofinstagram #teachingspanish #teachersofinsta #internationalschool #teacherstuff
  • These clothes, and a few others, were sent from America, gifts from a few of my aunts--not for Cyrus! No, they're far too small. My hands started shaking when I read tags that said 6-9 months and 3-6 months. I never expected gifts for the little brother! . Sometimes it's incredible when other people have faith for something that's hard for you. The idea of preparing for a baby doesn't come easily to me. Part of me still wants the proof of an actual baby to diaper and feed and dress first, before I get around to preparing things for said baby. I thought I would be a little better this time around, but after spending 5 days almost entirely sure my pregnancy was over two months in...and then getting more news of risks and restrictions and the need for caution when I was 18 weeks and starting to feel more confident... it's been harder on my heart. . A second baby boy doesn't need much, after all, and we're not even in the third trimester yet, and I'm a relatively minimalist parent (i.e. Cyrus only had one bottle and one paci + clip)...but somehow it means the world when people who love my family are able to bet on a baby that no one has met yet. I'm grateful for people who are better at the very things I'm worst at.
    60 4
    These clothes, and a few others, were sent from America, gifts from a few of my aunts--not for Cyrus! No, they're far too small. My hands started shaking when I read tags that said 6-9 months and 3-6 months. I never expected gifts for the little brother! . Sometimes it's incredible when other people have faith for something that's hard for you. The idea of preparing for a baby doesn't come easily to me. Part of me still wants the proof of an actual baby to diaper and feed and dress first, before I get around to preparing things for said baby. I thought I would be a little better this time around, but after spending 5 days almost entirely sure my pregnancy was over two months in...and then getting more news of risks and restrictions and the need for caution when I was 18 weeks and starting to feel more confident... it's been harder on my heart. . A second baby boy doesn't need much, after all, and we're not even in the third trimester yet, and I'm a relatively minimalist parent (i.e. Cyrus only had one bottle and one paci + clip)...but somehow it means the world when people who love my family are able to bet on a baby that no one has met yet. I'm grateful for people who are better at the very things I'm worst at.