a soft Sunday afternoon.....

 Tina is awaiting the arrival of her new grandson Kamdin....Kyra is going to be the beautiful big sister....

 Kyra 's bedroom ...a very Dora the Explorer affair is shared with her cousin.....

new mothers share a joy and support one another.....this little guy is only 10 weeks old....

Resting in Momma's arms...he kept Momma up until 4 :00am ....

 now he is hearing Kariann 's voice ....and looking around the room.....







The young mother standing in the doorway is due to have her second little boy in May....

Today has been a slow moving day ...the kind of

day we all need to remember to give ourselves.  Yes there is still work to be done...but standing still is essential for our journey.  I attended a baby shower for a young mother today...her new addition Kamdin will arrive in a matter of weeks.   Now as a grandmother myself...I know how important these rituals are.... for preparing young families for the strengths and opportunities coming in the  very near future.  Ken had married this young couple and her mother works at the deli across from my studio.  Hard working women working together ...to give support to young parents.  One attendee had her little 10 week old son with her....she looks amazing ...and she says the breast feeding is the reason the baby weight is already disappeared.  There were the usual games...tiny sandwiches...cupcakes.... and prize bags .... and when I left I found myself homesick for my early Kentucky years where my large family always had a reason to gather in the name of love.  Weddings....baby showers....adoptions...retirements...anniversaries.... just to gather for any reason with those you love and share a simple celebration.  I describe this afternoon as soft...a day for time off ...a day to reflect...hold a new baby... hug a dear friend... and come home for a soft afternoon nap.  I am not sure why I am so tired....but truly I believe the cold frigid temperatures have a lot to do with it.  We have icy weather warnings for tonight and early tomorrow morning....so Ken went out to get some more salt for our steep driveway.  Thank you dear friend for taking care of this much needed precautionary measure. 


......there is something irreducibly mysterious about the genesis of friendship....Christine Leefeldt

I hope you all have had a soft kind of Sunday yourselves..... now it is almost time for Downton Abbey!!!
Imagine and Live in Peace,  Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart