Ramona Charlie

A couple-a-three-or-so (I've clearly lost track of time and/or the ability to count backwards)

months ago, a very pregnant Maria came back to Portland so that we could all celebrate the impending arrival of the tiniest member of our rag-tag little family, Ramona Charlie, with possibly the best baby shower of all time (Mean Girls themed and the resident three year old accidentally did a shot of vodka - for the record, EV is an angry drunk). 

Anyway, the last time I'd seen Maria, we didn't know Ramona was Ramona yet so talking about Tiny and buying gender-neutral onesies were our only option. This time though, I could barely get in the door of her brother's apartment without squealing at the sight of that seven month bump and practically launched at Maria because LA is too far away and I don't get to hug her nearly as often as I want to.

Before I could even put my purse down though, she stopped me and with a smile on her face and said she needed to ask me something... And then she asked me to be godmother to her daughter. 

And then I cried. 

And then her sister asked her what the hell she did to me.

And then I cried some more. Because never in my life have I been so honored. Also, I may have continued to cry every time I thought about what it means to be a godmother to such an amazing baby girl for like, the rest of the week. 

So I suppose it goes without saying that when Maria went into labor and let three aunties know their newest niece was fully on her way, there was appropriate hysteria. In fact, I'd be so bold as to say our four-way text message thread from that 24 hours or so is one of the greatest masterpieces of all time. 

All night we waited. 

Laura, Ashley and I texted and called back and forth between us, hoping one might have gotten word in the meantime. I was texting Lizz (Maria's sister) with the fervor I would usually reserve for the second coming, or finding out how much longer the wait will be for a table at Tasty N Sons (fifteen more minutes, always about fifteen more minutes) (or, in Maria's case, two more centimeters, always about two more centimeters). The real fun was once Ria got an epidural and joined in on the conversation herself. We were all getting a little goofy at that point...

Finally, FINALLY... There she was. 

July 24, 2014 at 1:45am - 7 lbs, 8oz and 19.5 inches of incredible wrapped in the fiery little Martin package. 

And so she's here. Ramona is here! My goddaughter is here and I can't believe how much I love this tiny person! The world is forever changed and my heart will never be the same because SHE'S HERE! Welcome to the world, Tiny girl. 

You are loved so incredibly, you have no idea.

Pictures from our first meeting coming up next...

six years

Six years ago today, after a two day drive, I arrived in Portland and my love affair with Oregon began. This place has been home to some of the happiest times in my life, and my refuge in some of the most devastating. I've made my dearest friends, fallen in love, lost friends and learned how to fall out of love with both people and places when you know it's just not right anymore. I've played in the snow, danced in the rain, crawled through waterfalls and climbed mountains. It was here that I became an aunt and a godmother, and discovered what an incredible love and honor that is. This is where I learned how to trust and love God in a way I never imagined, because of things I could have never imagined. In the last six years, Oregon has raised me up, dragged me down, guided me, pummeled me, bent me and forged me in a wild, unruly fire. It has taught me how to be the woman I want to be. Because of this place I have learned that I had no idea how utterly whole and complete a heart can really be. Oregon, you have become so much a part of who I am and every good thing in my life is because of that last minute decision to pack up my car and drive north... Best decision I ever made.

i had a monty python joke set to go for a title but it took too long to explain and I think I'm the only one who thought it was funny

the most accurate portrait of how life's been lately

It seems like quite the trend lately to let Instagram completely eat up the once beloved platform of proper blogging and if that is indeed the case, then consider me right on the mark here. 

It’s been a weird sort of writer’s block (if that’s even the issue) when it comes to updating things here lately and while I’ve gone through spurts of being both super dedicated and falling off the blogging wagon (this wagon, I’m guessing, would no doubt be a DIY project covered in pictures of our feet and objects held in one hand against a neutral background made into some sort of homemade wallpaper and then photographed against a rustic nature scene)… 

Oh lord, I’ve already lost my point. There was too much of an aside there...

Point here being that while I still take pictures of every single thing that happens on a day to day basis (sorry IG, you knew what you were getting into when you followed me), I’m not entirely sure I miss keeping this page up to date. I still love reading everyone’s posts (and seriously, just because I don’t comment, it doesn’t mean I don’t read your posts! I just read them all on my phone and haven’t found a solid way to comment without making me want to chuck my phone into the nearest gorge...). On that note though, I kind of love following life on everyone’s favorite photo platform – it seems so much more active and personal somehow, even without as many accompanying words. It must be that instantaneous nature of it.

That being said, I do want to try and get some things up on here a little more often. I miss the need to write (like I said, some sort of writer’s block… The words just ain’t coming lately… Letting the pictures do the talking…) and there has actually been so much going on that I desperately want to put into words and talk about and share, I think now it’s just a matter of not knowing where to start.

So I guess there’s a bit of a warning tangled up in this too?

More parentheticals and ellipses too, no doubt. 

There might be a few good, long, supremely overdo rambles… Pretty sure my dad will be the only one happy to see those (HI DAD!).

OH, and most importantly (and probably first post after this)… 

I HAVE A GODDAUGHTER!!!

More on our beautiful Ramona Charlie coming soon…