Photobucket Photobucket  photo M1_zpsmeajs2i9.png  photo hs_zpsjdypdbbd.png Photobucket

About

I’m Rachel and I really like to sew.  And create.  And, in the words of my toddler, do it myself. 


My husband Dan and I have been married for 13 years.  We have five children - Jude, Indigo, Tarikua, Iris and Hazel.  


I started this blog in 2008 as a way to document our adoption of our third child, Tarikua. She was born in Ethiopia. 



During that time, I discovered sewing - more specifically, that I loved to sew clothes for my kids.  I couldn’t get enough of it.  As it turns out, I still can’t.


Over time and especially after our adoption process was complete, I found myself writing less and less about adoption.  Adoption is complicated and I felt less qualified to write about these issues online and more inclined to have conversations with others who I knew personally.  Dan and I are also passionate about advocating to keep birth families together when possible and desired.  We currently sponsor a project in Ethiopia that provides meals, education, medication, and healthcare to 37 mother-infant dyads. 


After Indigo was born I became a doula.  After we adopted Tarikua, I started working as a postpartum doula one afternoon a week at a transition home for women who were pregnant or had recently had babies.  We’d talk about attachment, nutrition, and infant and self care.  Many of those women wanted to breastfeed, but were struggling.  That was the impetus for me to pursue a certification in lactation counseling.  I took a break from that work, at least officially, after Iris was born but look forward to doing it again someday. 


In 2013 we started homeschooling.  It isn't easy but it has been one of the best decisions we have ever made.  We love learning and spending our days together!


So, yes, back to sewing.  I do love sewing.  I love seeing what others create, too.  The sewing community is such a unique place.  It bridges a gap that I’d otherwise be missing.  It gives me the opportunity to learn and be inspired by others, many of whom live hundreds or thousands of miles away.  I’m so grateful for it.  I also enjoy photography, tinkering with herbs, making my own lotions, salves and lip balms, reading, cooking and baking, and gardening (mostly unsuccessfully).  Oh and sunshine.  I really love sunshine.  Which is good, because although I am from the Midwest, we currently live in south central Texas where the sun shines 300 days a year.

my little loves