one day i will be a good blogger

one day i will remember to update my blog on a regular basis...one day i will be on top of everything---NOT
We have been busy finding and buying the perfect farm house....
here is what we found

We should be moving into our own little house in the woods before December is underway...
and little Willow is making big progress

sorry

i apologize for being the worst blogger ever. i have been very busy. we arrived in Oregon exactly two weeks ago today, after staying in Oklahoma for a month to spend time with family. We are staying in a rental house in a suburb of Portland while we look at properties to buy in the country.

This land is so breathtaking and beautiful. i LOVE the overcast/drizzle/GREEN. i guess my English Grandmother's genes shine through in the climate. I don't miss the brown/HOT climate of Texas one bit. There are people i miss dearly though....

Here we are making new friends. Everyone we meet is so friendly- except for the few 'Portlandia-style' hipsters that can be found almost exclusively in downtown Portland.
here is a very cute video of my water-loving baby girl
willow's bath

to the oregon midwives

a little bird told me yesterday that some of you have been talking about me...that some of you are very distressed that i am coming to your fair city. Some of you are worried i might shake things up, and topple your stauts quo-

thanks for making my day!

i hope any crappy cpms or unlicensed "midwives" are shaking in their boots at my arrival. I have great plans to change Oregon's midwifery situation to something that benefits mothers and babies- not woman who are too lazy or ill informed to get a real education or license.

if you refuse to get a license- i have no respect for you
if you have dead babies under your belt- i have no respect for you
and if you keep yourself in business by emotionally manipulating your clients - i have no respect for you

i also am not afraid of you- you have no power over me....


see you soon !

the move

We sold 3/4 of all our possessions. We packed everything we owned into one large POD and one small cargo trailer. Then, we loaded up 6 kids and 6 pets and said goodbye to the house where Aquila died. I honestly can't say i will miss it one bit. I will however, miss several good friends in Austin.
On Monday night we filled up a local BBQ place with our friends. It was bitter sweet- seeing them, and also knowing i would not see them again in one place like that.
Goodbye Austin. Farewell to the stain of Faith Beltz and Centrevida that cling to the city like skunk spray. Farewell to 110 degree days.

I am on to greener, cooler pastures, and new adventures. I am working on a series of projects that i will reveal as they become more presentable.

of course, it's like the old phrase- where ever you go, there you are--- except for us it is ' where ever we go, there she is not '
i miss her so much

family vacation, Paparella style

so, since our foster kiddos are no longer with us it is time for the Paparellas to search for greener and colder pastures. Unable to make a decision about where to move, we decided to go on a 3 week adventure across the country, sampling what there is to be had. Along the way we met many friends and had many mishaps and adventures. here are some pictures....

we saw so many beautiful things and met so many wonderful people, but i think i was most won over by the ocean.....

wouldn't you be???


can anyone guess where we are moving?