I love this all so much. I’ve missed your thought process and writing. Well, I’ve been up since 3:45am EST. I think labor is beginning. I’m 40 weeks and 6 days pregnant with a baby girl soon to be arriving. Contractions are 15 minutes a part. Maybe like the heifer, recently calving, I will soon welcoming my first born daughter into the world. 🤍
Oh, Lesley! What a beautiful message to be the first to greet me on my return! I got misty reading this. Hallelujah and congratulations and my heart is with you in this beautiful, powerful moment in your life. I do hope you'll report back whenever you're able. Miracles on an early Saturday morning! What a beautiful world we live in.
My beloved husband and I beyond excited to announce the arrival of our first born, beautiful baby daughter, Penelope Jane DeSessa.
She decided to make her big debut at 41 weeks; yesterday, Sunday April 21st at 6:01am. She weighs 6lbs 8oz and is 19in long.
I had a spontaneous, natural birth at a birth center in North Carolina. God is so good! I feel like I’m living on another planet right now. Other worldly. I am in shock of what my body was/is capable of doing.
Oh Lesley!! Tears of joy for you and your family! Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Welcome, sweet Penelope Jane! We are all the better because you're here. ❤️
This is so beautiful and amazing. I have not had children myself though feel the magic with you. What a gift of a welcome back, with Tara returning and this wonderful community coming back together. Wishing you many blessings with your growing family.
welcome back Tara!!! Missed you so much and chatting inside this wonderfull community!!💚💚💚
What’s in my life?
Uncertainty unfortunatelly… in my part of the world (East Europe, Baltics) we have worse situation than before - I mean constant media news about war and Russia entering here, also government plans to invest into country defence more and more and that means higher taxes and poorer economy and finally even higher war threat.
Well, we are prepared for the war - for staying or running. I packed the bags with some essentials, we did first help and gun using courses as many our country people did. I prepared food, lasting for some time.
…but at the same time we enjoy life and planing future and this makes life more intense and meaningfull!
I am happy that my skills I’ve learned within this community help to offset the harsh personal income decrease ( I am forced to close my small art gallery).
I am happy my oldest son studying in Denmark - being nonnative here helps to focus on studying and job and stay away from all crazy propaganda of these times ( we sending him good food provision from time to time to ofset the supermarket food harm ).
I am happy I finally decided next year to move from small city and settle down in our homestead ( which we were renovating these years) in the country and start raising animals!
That's a lot Modesta. I must claim ignorance to what is real and what is propaganda these days so forgive my question, but how much of what they are saying is real and how much is to keep you (us) all in fear? I recognize you live in a very different part of the world so it may be hard to tease out some threads of truth from the ones being exaggerated and amplified.
It's not the same here as it is there, but I feel like the heavy handed propaganda is being just as skillfully used. Fear, fear, fear. On one hand mainstream media says we're all gonna' die from bird flu and we should eat lab grown food to be dutiful citizens and on the other hand, alternative news saturates us with endless things to worry about. It sounds like your in a good place despite their efforts - prepare and then having done that, get on with the business of living well and simply.
I'm happy to hear you're going to make the move to the countryside next year. That's an exciting and big step! Congratulations!
Still my country past, when big players in game divided Europe between themselves, and further consequences when people were under free speech denial and other oppression is real fact- we already lived in it.
I get it. I think we'd be a lot better off in N. America if we had a history to pull on. As it is, those that came here from other countries with tyrannical governance are trying to warn everyone else, but for the most part, people are just snoozing in front of their screens here. Not everyone, but many.
Tara, you are back - it brings me to tears. Reading your words makes me so happy, it brings joy and grief and a treasure that is beyond words.
This last few months have had me shift in subtle ways. I feel it is God working me so beautiful. Things shift and change - which is not always pleasant, but so necessary. I feel closer to my man than ever and more confused as a mother. I am finding my way. It is truly a delight to have you inspire and ground me through your words again.
Thank you so much, Lena. I feel so touched by these warm and welcoming comments. How wonderful that you feel such closeness to your man and how relatable that you feel confused as a mother. I don't know if that ever stops. I still feel challenged to grow beyond myself in my interactions with my big, grown up daughters to this day. All the time. Maybe that's a good sign that we're paying attention and trying to evolve.
Welcome back Tara. A Beautiful post you share! Thank you for the lovely photos and video. Your granddaughter is such a cutie pie- “moo”! What a scene for her to take in - all the moo cows. Looking forward to all your insights and conversations that evolve with our wonderful Substack community.
We welcomed our 6th grandchild - a boy born Feb. 29- a leap year baby! I was at our daughter’s birth. Her first was breech so this was her life changing VBAC and seeing her experience pushing out her second boy was exhilarating for all of us.
so many of our boot camp principles are a natural nourishing part of my life each day. With the addition of some health concerns slowly diligently getting resolved, life in this glorious spring is full and rich. 💙
Such a welcomed way to awake this Saturday once again reading your words 🥰
Much has changed and much has remained the same. Isn’t that the point? To continue to evolve? We are selling our little homestead in hopes of different dreams. A hunting property, a bit more land…let’s see where this adventure takes us! I officially launched my apothecary in January and find a new level of joy sharing my creations with the world. Inspiring and teaching others that nature IS medicine! My kids are growing like weeds and the sweet sound of spring is bustling around us!
Oh my, this is exciting news! Would you live on the hunting property full time, Charissa? Sometimes I dream of moving up north and just living off the land. Might happen one day. And yes, nature is medicine (in all its forms). I'm happy for you!
I would LOVE to live there full time, but the reality is my husband still travels to the city daily for work and while I have more flexibility than he does, I also travel to the city for work still (when I have to). The kiddos are 7 and 9 now, so our hope is to divest assets now and start to build what we one day will move to. Otherwise we’ll just be running this rat race forever!!
Welcome welcome back! I wonder if it's strange to say I've really missed your words and at the same time, enjoyed a bit of a break from thinking about all the ways we could change into holistic health? I realize that says a lot about me and learning to find that healthy balance with what I can do and what I need to let go.
But we've been experimenting with going lower carb (per Troy's threads) and I've finally started lifting weights and exercising consistently. And you were right about that😉
This year is our 10th anniversary and I'm so looking forward to celebrating with my man in the deep woods in a little camping trip. We are more in love than ever and I'm thankful for that. My baby is 16 mon old and starting to trot around the farm and I'm getting baby fever again ❤️
I like those insights. I also think it's really healthy to observe how things, me included, affect your life. So much of what we do with what we learn is perspective, but if it's your perspective that you need to do/be/act/acquire something because of what's been shared and that starts building up and up and you feel inadequate or pressured.... well, that's no good at all.
I think I try to share that all this stuff is fun for me but it's not for everyone. We're all different. If it wasn't fun for me, if I felt like it was drudgery I wouldn't do it. Just thought I'd add that tidbit :)
I'm so glaad you're onto the weights and exercising consistently. Yes, I was right. Glad you agree - haha.
Congratulations on ten years in a love that keeps growing. I'm so happy for you, Louella. ❤️
Welcome back, Tara, you’ve been greatly missed! How lucky I felt to be able to dive into previous posts and get my ‘Tara fix’ over the last few months. But it was time - thank you, geese!
Things here on the farm have been much the same since you paused: full of renovations, kitchen/tallow skin care experiments, and continued hunts for vintage treasures to fill our new old home. It seems I dive deeper into farm solitude a little more each day, a newness I’ve happily embraced. I’m pleased to report that the dumbwaiter will be delivering jars filled with homegrown goodness down to the cellar this spring/summer…he’s much more clever than he’s given credit for.
We received news that a dear family friend passed in a car accident two days ago, a weird spring white-out snowstorm here in Alberta. We’re all trying to wrap our heads around this loss and sorting out how best to support her husband and two kids. I’ve been talking to God a lot too…I’m so grateful for my faith.
On a happy note, my daughter is wrapping up year 3 of her naturopathic medicine studies and boarding a plane from Toronto to Calgary as we speak. She’s gonna get loved up hard in just a few short hours.
Congratulations on your book, Tara, I can’t wait to have a copy on my bedside table. It’s so good to have you back. ❤️
What a beautiful update. I'm so happy that your daughter will be home (maybe even now). And the dreamy dumbwaiter and vintage finds and experimenting with potions and lotions in your kitchen - wonderful!
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and the family that is surely struggling in the wake of his death. If I may, I would suggest being there not just now in the haze of her pain, but in the longterm. If you ever want some suggestions for books that you might offer to her, I could share a few. Also, say his name. Ask her how she is. Share stories. How that looks and is received now will change in time, but it's always such a gift to have people say the names of those who have died but who we still love. It's always heartwarming to know others keep them in their hearts too.
Sorry to go on. I write that from the open wound of isolation after a child's death. I know you know what I'm saying. And wounds are best healed with God's love and exposing them to light and grace. People fall short, but so much can grow from our barren ground when we let the sunlight in.
I think I need to do another thread on projects we're working on in the chat just so I can see the dumbwaiter progress. Thanks so much for your kind words, Deanna :)
I think for early grief "Bearing the Unbearable" is very good. Is she a believer in God? If so, CS Lewis' book, "A Grief Observed" was very poignant for us. There are many other books, but we found some inappropriate to early grief when the heart is gushing and raw. Hope this may help.
Absolutely perfect timing for your return and I am thrilled about your victory in meeting your goal!! This past week we left our Air Force life behind forever and are currently “unhoused” as we transition out to our forever life in north Idaho! 10 acres of woods are waiting for us to come and build! And yes, I’m terrified 🤪. Trying to get my mind around the whole thing and still take those baby steps without getting too overwhelmed.
Wow, Shannon!!!! Well you may be terrified but I'm thrilled for you! Terror is a good motivator for a time anyway. I'm so happy for this transition in your life. We know that time well. It's like a small death - you've jumped off the pier into waters unknown, but you've still got you and all of your skills and ambitions and determination. It's going to be wonderful. I'm truly so excited for you ❤️
I loved reading about the happenings of spring in your neck of the woods.
I just had my first baby seven weeks ago! A little boy. We didn’t know what he was until he entered this world and what a fun surprise that was! He was born at home 9 lbs 10 ounces (must’ve been all that raw milk I drank throughout my pregnancy). What a joy motherhood has been!
Congratulations, Dani! How wonderful for your sweet little family! What's his name? What a little porkchop you had! Yes, all the nourishing food does tend to bring about these robust little babies. Our last daughter, Mila, was 10lbs6oz. I figure anything over 9 lbs is baby heavyweight class. What a way to start life.
I'm truly so happy for you. Big hugs and a grateful heart that you have brought more love and life into this world. ❤️
We named him Gideon! Thank you for your kind words. I’m so amazed by women’s bodies who can grow a life and continue to nourish them after they’re born!
I'm sorry your father has died, Linda. You have some beautiful and astute observations here and it sounds like you've been working through a lot in your life. You're so right about forgiveness. Many people feel it's a gift given and maybe the person receiving it doesn't exactly deserve it, but it's a freeing for ourselves. I've forgiven everyone but it doesn't mean I choose to include them in my life going forward. Moving through the world with bitterness and harboured anger is a thief of our peace and potential.
Thank you for sharing these things you've come to learn and accept into your heart. What a gift to be open to receiving and now living in this place you've come to. ❤️
You’re back! How I savor your words and all that’s in them. Bravo on finishing your book, and may the polishing go well! I can’t wait for all you’ve saved up to share with us, in great anticipation.
It’s a brave thing to take a winter of hibernation in a way. To step back from the go, go, go, that is both societal and self inflicted - at least for me. Giving more time with God, it’s a good reminder of what is needed most. It’s a short life we have, what matters most is most important, not the hustle to get it all done. Thank you Tara ❤️
It’s so, so good to hear from you - I missed your writing immensely! My husband and I were driving my parents to the airport very early this morning and witnessed the sunrise. Shortly thereafter I was thinking about you and lo and behold I opened my email and, surprise!
As to what’s going on with me… In the last Q&A you answered one on my questions about what to do when spotting post exercise. One of the things you mentioned was Rosita’s cod liver oil. I bought it immediately and started taking it and I’m now 8 weeks pregnant after 10 months of trying. Thank you so much, Tara, for taking the time to answer questions so thoroughly and with such care.
Hallelujah and ring the bells! I am so truly happy for you and your husband, Sophie! And, I get to be so happy for that little being growing inside of you. What a miracle. I am thrilled beyond measure and I don't even know you. But these little invisible threads that connect us are so thick with love and truth and meaning that it's impossible not be electrified by them simply by opening up to the joy of another. Please do remember to share updates as the months go on (if you feel compelled to). ❤️
Oh, it is so good to hear from you!!! ❤️ I am glad everything is going well for you. Love that so much!
My oldest is now 13 and with it comes all the feels. So many emotions going on. I have been learning so much about health from Barbara O’Neill and her advice on hormones and wild yam cream has really been helping I have to say.
I have constantly been growing in my faith in God and as you mentioned he just fills your heart with joy and gladness the more you make room for him. It has been transformative!
I have started to sell my sourdough bread after years of making it so that has been fun. We had our first baby goats born on our farm a few weeks ago and my 10 yr old son helped to deliver them! He is a lover of all babies. ❤️ We are in the throes of sports with three boys on different teams, but I would never change it. I love it and cherish this time.
We are expanding our garden, working on lots of farm and home projects, continuing to homeschool and support our boys and their wonderful projects and imaginations. We are very blessed!
Please let me know if and when you are back in Chicago. I am in the city for work weekly and would love to connect over a nice cup of tea. ❤️❤️
This all sounds so rich and thick with life and meaning, Katharine. I'm so happy for you and so impressed that you're now selling your sourdough bread! That's a big thing and such a lovely connector to others that share reverence for nourishment in all its forms.
I hope to not be in Chicago again (although the tea does sound nice). 😉
I love this all so much. I’ve missed your thought process and writing. Well, I’ve been up since 3:45am EST. I think labor is beginning. I’m 40 weeks and 6 days pregnant with a baby girl soon to be arriving. Contractions are 15 minutes a part. Maybe like the heifer, recently calving, I will soon welcoming my first born daughter into the world. 🤍
Oh, Lesley! What a beautiful message to be the first to greet me on my return! I got misty reading this. Hallelujah and congratulations and my heart is with you in this beautiful, powerful moment in your life. I do hope you'll report back whenever you're able. Miracles on an early Saturday morning! What a beautiful world we live in.
My beloved husband and I beyond excited to announce the arrival of our first born, beautiful baby daughter, Penelope Jane DeSessa.
She decided to make her big debut at 41 weeks; yesterday, Sunday April 21st at 6:01am. She weighs 6lbs 8oz and is 19in long.
I had a spontaneous, natural birth at a birth center in North Carolina. God is so good! I feel like I’m living on another planet right now. Other worldly. I am in shock of what my body was/is capable of doing.
Oh Lesley!! Tears of joy for you and your family! Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Welcome, sweet Penelope Jane! We are all the better because you're here. ❤️
This is so beautiful and amazing. I have not had children myself though feel the magic with you. What a gift of a welcome back, with Tara returning and this wonderful community coming back together. Wishing you many blessings with your growing family.
Wonderful Lesley! We are all by your side as you and your baby daughter traverse the threshold together ☀️
Blessings and all things good be with you as your family grows, Lesley!!
welcome back Tara!!! Missed you so much and chatting inside this wonderfull community!!💚💚💚
What’s in my life?
Uncertainty unfortunatelly… in my part of the world (East Europe, Baltics) we have worse situation than before - I mean constant media news about war and Russia entering here, also government plans to invest into country defence more and more and that means higher taxes and poorer economy and finally even higher war threat.
Well, we are prepared for the war - for staying or running. I packed the bags with some essentials, we did first help and gun using courses as many our country people did. I prepared food, lasting for some time.
…but at the same time we enjoy life and planing future and this makes life more intense and meaningfull!
I am happy that my skills I’ve learned within this community help to offset the harsh personal income decrease ( I am forced to close my small art gallery).
I am happy my oldest son studying in Denmark - being nonnative here helps to focus on studying and job and stay away from all crazy propaganda of these times ( we sending him good food provision from time to time to ofset the supermarket food harm ).
I am happy I finally decided next year to move from small city and settle down in our homestead ( which we were renovating these years) in the country and start raising animals!
That's a lot Modesta. I must claim ignorance to what is real and what is propaganda these days so forgive my question, but how much of what they are saying is real and how much is to keep you (us) all in fear? I recognize you live in a very different part of the world so it may be hard to tease out some threads of truth from the ones being exaggerated and amplified.
It's not the same here as it is there, but I feel like the heavy handed propaganda is being just as skillfully used. Fear, fear, fear. On one hand mainstream media says we're all gonna' die from bird flu and we should eat lab grown food to be dutiful citizens and on the other hand, alternative news saturates us with endless things to worry about. It sounds like your in a good place despite their efforts - prepare and then having done that, get on with the business of living well and simply.
I'm happy to hear you're going to make the move to the countryside next year. That's an exciting and big step! Congratulations!
I understand what you mean about fake realty.
Still my country past, when big players in game divided Europe between themselves, and further consequences when people were under free speech denial and other oppression is real fact- we already lived in it.
I get it. I think we'd be a lot better off in N. America if we had a history to pull on. As it is, those that came here from other countries with tyrannical governance are trying to warn everyone else, but for the most part, people are just snoozing in front of their screens here. Not everyone, but many.
Oh Tara! How is it possible to miss someone so much whom I have never even met?!
Dare I announce this publicly, but I have been checking Substack daily just in case I have missed something from you here. 🙊
And now, back to reading your words…
I am flattered beyond measure. I've missed being here and talking to all the fine humans like you. Glad to be back :) Thank you, Natalia. ❤️
Me too Natalia!! ( checking my Substack in case I had missed a notification)😏😍
Well I guess we’re Tara fan girls then 😆
Add me to the fan girl mix!!
🥰
Tara, you are back - it brings me to tears. Reading your words makes me so happy, it brings joy and grief and a treasure that is beyond words.
This last few months have had me shift in subtle ways. I feel it is God working me so beautiful. Things shift and change - which is not always pleasant, but so necessary. I feel closer to my man than ever and more confused as a mother. I am finding my way. It is truly a delight to have you inspire and ground me through your words again.
Thank you so much, Lena. I feel so touched by these warm and welcoming comments. How wonderful that you feel such closeness to your man and how relatable that you feel confused as a mother. I don't know if that ever stops. I still feel challenged to grow beyond myself in my interactions with my big, grown up daughters to this day. All the time. Maybe that's a good sign that we're paying attention and trying to evolve.
Oh I've missed you so much!! I have reread so many of your essays in your absence....still learning something new every time x
Love to you, good woman. Thank you for your generous, convicted heart.
Welcome back Tara. A Beautiful post you share! Thank you for the lovely photos and video. Your granddaughter is such a cutie pie- “moo”! What a scene for her to take in - all the moo cows. Looking forward to all your insights and conversations that evolve with our wonderful Substack community.
We welcomed our 6th grandchild - a boy born Feb. 29- a leap year baby! I was at our daughter’s birth. Her first was breech so this was her life changing VBAC and seeing her experience pushing out her second boy was exhilarating for all of us.
so many of our boot camp principles are a natural nourishing part of my life each day. With the addition of some health concerns slowly diligently getting resolved, life in this glorious spring is full and rich. 💙
Oh, congratulations, Rebecca! What a beautiful experience that must have been. Six grandchildren - what a joy!
I'm happy to hear that the boot camp has become part of your day. There's good stuff in those simple habits. :)
Hip hip hoooorayyy!!
Such a welcomed way to awake this Saturday once again reading your words 🥰
Much has changed and much has remained the same. Isn’t that the point? To continue to evolve? We are selling our little homestead in hopes of different dreams. A hunting property, a bit more land…let’s see where this adventure takes us! I officially launched my apothecary in January and find a new level of joy sharing my creations with the world. Inspiring and teaching others that nature IS medicine! My kids are growing like weeds and the sweet sound of spring is bustling around us!
Welcome back 🤗
Oh my, this is exciting news! Would you live on the hunting property full time, Charissa? Sometimes I dream of moving up north and just living off the land. Might happen one day. And yes, nature is medicine (in all its forms). I'm happy for you!
I would LOVE to live there full time, but the reality is my husband still travels to the city daily for work and while I have more flexibility than he does, I also travel to the city for work still (when I have to). The kiddos are 7 and 9 now, so our hope is to divest assets now and start to build what we one day will move to. Otherwise we’ll just be running this rat race forever!!
Welcome welcome back! I wonder if it's strange to say I've really missed your words and at the same time, enjoyed a bit of a break from thinking about all the ways we could change into holistic health? I realize that says a lot about me and learning to find that healthy balance with what I can do and what I need to let go.
But we've been experimenting with going lower carb (per Troy's threads) and I've finally started lifting weights and exercising consistently. And you were right about that😉
This year is our 10th anniversary and I'm so looking forward to celebrating with my man in the deep woods in a little camping trip. We are more in love than ever and I'm thankful for that. My baby is 16 mon old and starting to trot around the farm and I'm getting baby fever again ❤️
May your summer be blessed!
I like those insights. I also think it's really healthy to observe how things, me included, affect your life. So much of what we do with what we learn is perspective, but if it's your perspective that you need to do/be/act/acquire something because of what's been shared and that starts building up and up and you feel inadequate or pressured.... well, that's no good at all.
I think I try to share that all this stuff is fun for me but it's not for everyone. We're all different. If it wasn't fun for me, if I felt like it was drudgery I wouldn't do it. Just thought I'd add that tidbit :)
I'm so glaad you're onto the weights and exercising consistently. Yes, I was right. Glad you agree - haha.
Congratulations on ten years in a love that keeps growing. I'm so happy for you, Louella. ❤️
I so appreciate the things you share and i hope I am ever growing and evolving to better understand and follow my purpose.
You have a beautiful way of speaking and influencing 😍
Welcome back, Tara, you’ve been greatly missed! How lucky I felt to be able to dive into previous posts and get my ‘Tara fix’ over the last few months. But it was time - thank you, geese!
Things here on the farm have been much the same since you paused: full of renovations, kitchen/tallow skin care experiments, and continued hunts for vintage treasures to fill our new old home. It seems I dive deeper into farm solitude a little more each day, a newness I’ve happily embraced. I’m pleased to report that the dumbwaiter will be delivering jars filled with homegrown goodness down to the cellar this spring/summer…he’s much more clever than he’s given credit for.
We received news that a dear family friend passed in a car accident two days ago, a weird spring white-out snowstorm here in Alberta. We’re all trying to wrap our heads around this loss and sorting out how best to support her husband and two kids. I’ve been talking to God a lot too…I’m so grateful for my faith.
On a happy note, my daughter is wrapping up year 3 of her naturopathic medicine studies and boarding a plane from Toronto to Calgary as we speak. She’s gonna get loved up hard in just a few short hours.
Congratulations on your book, Tara, I can’t wait to have a copy on my bedside table. It’s so good to have you back. ❤️
What a beautiful update. I'm so happy that your daughter will be home (maybe even now). And the dreamy dumbwaiter and vintage finds and experimenting with potions and lotions in your kitchen - wonderful!
I'm so sorry to hear about your friend and the family that is surely struggling in the wake of his death. If I may, I would suggest being there not just now in the haze of her pain, but in the longterm. If you ever want some suggestions for books that you might offer to her, I could share a few. Also, say his name. Ask her how she is. Share stories. How that looks and is received now will change in time, but it's always such a gift to have people say the names of those who have died but who we still love. It's always heartwarming to know others keep them in their hearts too.
Sorry to go on. I write that from the open wound of isolation after a child's death. I know you know what I'm saying. And wounds are best healed with God's love and exposing them to light and grace. People fall short, but so much can grow from our barren ground when we let the sunlight in.
I think I need to do another thread on projects we're working on in the chat just so I can see the dumbwaiter progress. Thanks so much for your kind words, Deanna :)
Thank you for sharing your wisdom, I’m grateful. I’d love to hear your book suggestions if you get a minute. Thank you, Tara.
I think for early grief "Bearing the Unbearable" is very good. Is she a believer in God? If so, CS Lewis' book, "A Grief Observed" was very poignant for us. There are many other books, but we found some inappropriate to early grief when the heart is gushing and raw. Hope this may help.
Well, what a pleasant surprise this morning!!! Good to read that all went well and is well!
God bless you in your journey towards enlightenment. We are all privileged that you share it with us.
Thank you, friend. :)
Absolutely perfect timing for your return and I am thrilled about your victory in meeting your goal!! This past week we left our Air Force life behind forever and are currently “unhoused” as we transition out to our forever life in north Idaho! 10 acres of woods are waiting for us to come and build! And yes, I’m terrified 🤪. Trying to get my mind around the whole thing and still take those baby steps without getting too overwhelmed.
Wow, Shannon!!!! Well you may be terrified but I'm thrilled for you! Terror is a good motivator for a time anyway. I'm so happy for this transition in your life. We know that time well. It's like a small death - you've jumped off the pier into waters unknown, but you've still got you and all of your skills and ambitions and determination. It's going to be wonderful. I'm truly so excited for you ❤️
I’ve missed your writings, Tara!
I loved reading about the happenings of spring in your neck of the woods.
I just had my first baby seven weeks ago! A little boy. We didn’t know what he was until he entered this world and what a fun surprise that was! He was born at home 9 lbs 10 ounces (must’ve been all that raw milk I drank throughout my pregnancy). What a joy motherhood has been!
Congratulations, Dani! How wonderful for your sweet little family! What's his name? What a little porkchop you had! Yes, all the nourishing food does tend to bring about these robust little babies. Our last daughter, Mila, was 10lbs6oz. I figure anything over 9 lbs is baby heavyweight class. What a way to start life.
I'm truly so happy for you. Big hugs and a grateful heart that you have brought more love and life into this world. ❤️
We named him Gideon! Thank you for your kind words. I’m so amazed by women’s bodies who can grow a life and continue to nourish them after they’re born!
Gideon - what a good name. Congratulations again, Dani.
So glad to have you back! Thank you for returning.
What an adorable granddaughter you have. It’s wonderful that she’s so healthy and that your daughter has taken so well to motherhood!
I'm sorry your father has died, Linda. You have some beautiful and astute observations here and it sounds like you've been working through a lot in your life. You're so right about forgiveness. Many people feel it's a gift given and maybe the person receiving it doesn't exactly deserve it, but it's a freeing for ourselves. I've forgiven everyone but it doesn't mean I choose to include them in my life going forward. Moving through the world with bitterness and harboured anger is a thief of our peace and potential.
Thank you for sharing these things you've come to learn and accept into your heart. What a gift to be open to receiving and now living in this place you've come to. ❤️
You’re back! How I savor your words and all that’s in them. Bravo on finishing your book, and may the polishing go well! I can’t wait for all you’ve saved up to share with us, in great anticipation.
It’s a brave thing to take a winter of hibernation in a way. To step back from the go, go, go, that is both societal and self inflicted - at least for me. Giving more time with God, it’s a good reminder of what is needed most. It’s a short life we have, what matters most is most important, not the hustle to get it all done. Thank you Tara ❤️
I completely and enthusiastically agree. Thank you, Marilyn. It's good to be back 💕
It’s so, so good to hear from you - I missed your writing immensely! My husband and I were driving my parents to the airport very early this morning and witnessed the sunrise. Shortly thereafter I was thinking about you and lo and behold I opened my email and, surprise!
As to what’s going on with me… In the last Q&A you answered one on my questions about what to do when spotting post exercise. One of the things you mentioned was Rosita’s cod liver oil. I bought it immediately and started taking it and I’m now 8 weeks pregnant after 10 months of trying. Thank you so much, Tara, for taking the time to answer questions so thoroughly and with such care.
Hallelujah and ring the bells! I am so truly happy for you and your husband, Sophie! And, I get to be so happy for that little being growing inside of you. What a miracle. I am thrilled beyond measure and I don't even know you. But these little invisible threads that connect us are so thick with love and truth and meaning that it's impossible not be electrified by them simply by opening up to the joy of another. Please do remember to share updates as the months go on (if you feel compelled to). ❤️
This little community you’ve created is really such a blessing. I will certainly provide updates as the months go by ❤️
OK this is just incredible🙌🙌🙌
Congrats on your new life, Sophie! Truly a path of wildness and blessings!!
Oh, it is so good to hear from you!!! ❤️ I am glad everything is going well for you. Love that so much!
My oldest is now 13 and with it comes all the feels. So many emotions going on. I have been learning so much about health from Barbara O’Neill and her advice on hormones and wild yam cream has really been helping I have to say.
I have constantly been growing in my faith in God and as you mentioned he just fills your heart with joy and gladness the more you make room for him. It has been transformative!
I have started to sell my sourdough bread after years of making it so that has been fun. We had our first baby goats born on our farm a few weeks ago and my 10 yr old son helped to deliver them! He is a lover of all babies. ❤️ We are in the throes of sports with three boys on different teams, but I would never change it. I love it and cherish this time.
We are expanding our garden, working on lots of farm and home projects, continuing to homeschool and support our boys and their wonderful projects and imaginations. We are very blessed!
Please let me know if and when you are back in Chicago. I am in the city for work weekly and would love to connect over a nice cup of tea. ❤️❤️
This all sounds so rich and thick with life and meaning, Katharine. I'm so happy for you and so impressed that you're now selling your sourdough bread! That's a big thing and such a lovely connector to others that share reverence for nourishment in all its forms.
I hope to not be in Chicago again (although the tea does sound nice). 😉