Josh and I talked for hours this morning about religion, the Bible, spirituality, loving our family, finding community and how it’s all just so freaking hard to meet in the middle sometimes. We see eye-to-eye on a lot, but like any other relationship, we also have our differences- mainly when it comes to beliefs, methods and eating cake.
I live for these deep conversations about the meaning of life and what’s really at the bottom of the everything we think and do... but sometimes the rabbit hole can be scary. Which brings me to a favorite memento: LET LOVE LEAD. Let love bring you back to heart. ⋒

Together, Josh and I have journeyed through difficult, awkward, painful conversations. We’ve navigated times of disagreement, confusion and moments of misunderstandings. We’ve learned to breathe through every single triggering word or tone. I know there are more to come and I welcome them.

When we really listen and take in each other’s side of the story, compassion expands our hearts and more love comes in- filling in the holes of hurt and insecurities. It’s like our differences have in a way bonded us together through acceptance and understanding. ⋒

Relationships. Phew. The great teacher about myself. And really the universe... Bottom line: walking through differences always bring me to LOVE. Love is the guide, love is the way, love is the end. Love will take you home. ⋒

The challenge now lies in releasing control and insecurities. By letting fear move out of the way and letting Love lead, we can actually get somewhere great. If we all began to listen deep, speak truth and let Love show the way... maybe we can all be bonded together by the willingness to accept our differences and the fact that we don’t understand and that’s ok!! #unity#collectiveconsciousness #lovewins

Be still and know ⋒

One of my favorite texts from the Bible. It’s so simple, yet so powerful. And just the words I’ve needed lately to anchor into the present moment (where the magic happens). Be still and know that other forces are at play. Be still and know that you are healing. Be still and know that you are light, love, darkness, formless and everything in between. Be still and know that you are not alone. Be still and know that what you are feeling is truth. ⋒
May you take some time to enter into the deep, divine feeling place and know whatever comes up for you is exactly what you need. Trust it.

U-N-F-O-L-D-I-N-G. 🌸

Adding layers, peeling them back, letting them go or tucking some away for another day. We all contain so much wisdom in our layers of life experiences. Today, I let one go. Today I choose not to feel bad about wearing lipstick and mascara. Somewhere (probably while hiking the AT) I picked up a story that wearing makeup was dishonest and not “natural” enough. 〰️〰️〰️ Jeeeee-wiz, amber. Loosen up, girl. You can be so rigid and serious sometimes. Right?? Hmmmm, so today’s wisdom seems to be coming through as : if it feels good, don’t suppress or resist it. Do it! Be it! Love it! And maybe, find some time to be a little silly. 💋💄💁‍♀️💃🏻 #rejoice in #femininity !!! #hershelterpoetry

True story: in my head, in dreamland, in the astral realm- I walk tall.

I speak seldom but with authority. I’m confident in myself, my ideas and my creations. I am powerful. In this physical plane, not so much. But working on it!!

Are you also making yourself small? Like your shoulders are hunched and you find yourself wishing to be invisible in public spaces? And sometimes you try to talk but the words don’t leave your lips??? You see yourself differently. You know in your core you are creative and strong as hell but you have problems manifesting that version of yourself? Or maybe articulating? Welp, me too! You aren’t alone! Yay! Yay internet for connecting us. I’ve been doing my darnest to step outside my comfort zone and follow my intuition instead of my head. So maybe I can live up to the Amber I really like when I’m dreaming. Will you join me? 💞 #introvertconfessions#calkingalldreamers #hershelterpoetry

I feel it.
Like I’m not in control.
Just the vessel, just the shell.
The container that carries it all.

The weight,
The wildness that inhabits me
cannot be fully contained.
Sometimes I break.
I crack. I crash.
And the wildness falls out.
I used to hurry to put it back.
But now I don’t.
I used to pretend like there were no cracks.
No brokenness.
Only temporary releases that could be filled with make-believes.
I used to pretend.
#hershelterpoetry

🌷🕊 Growing up, my mom would take me and my sister Easter dress shopping where we would find coordinating outfits to match our brother and dad. Every year, we would wake up to hunt for an Easter basket that was hidden somewhere inside of the house. Then we would snap a family porch picture, hop in the car and drive about a mile away to our little country church. And afterwards we would spend the day hunting eggs that we had dyed the weekend before.

This year I have my own little family. And I’m hit with a wave of #gratitude for my parents. I had no idea how much effort goes into keeping family traditions... well... traditions. So shout out to all the parents for making this day special and memorable. It may not seem like a big deal to dye eggs or hide baskets, but it is.

Thank you mom and dad for my magical childhood. I’m so happy I have you as parents. ❣️ I’m thanking my lucky stars for my little family and for this beautiful Earth we get to call home. A planet that awakens each Spring with color and new life. I’m so excited for creating our own traditions together in this sweet little cove.
And of course today I honor and celebrate the story of Jesus. That guy is a special dude- the real deal messenger of hope, love and kindness. Thank you Jesus for being a light for me.

I love this season of hope and renewal so much.

Feeling alive, feeling new-
Fresh, like the kiss of morning dew.
Is this what it’s like to really be true?
I asked the Dogwoods,
“How can I always feel like the real me?” Singing in harmony, they have replied:
“You can choose what you want to see.
You can choose who you want to be.

This is your power.
This is the key.

You can see the burning tower.
Or you can see the blooming flower.
Thinking, feeling and dreaming are all good.
But this is only a fraction
of the way to true becoming.
The rest is about taking action.

Watch as we stand in our glory.
We will teach you how to share your story. “

#hershelterpoetry #treetalks#poetsofinstagram

There is a place to go within.

for the roaming mind to rest
for the soul-seeking journey to begin

a shelter for life’s hardest of days
for you to be alone and still feel ok

where feeling gives way to healing
and answers arise through
words gracefully moving
across the minds eye

where we can string together
the song of our heart-
our life’s work, our art.

where we can watch as thought
manifests into form
opening portals, opening doors

where we become one with the muse
the source that resides inside
our spirit, our life force
the true Divine

and when it’s time
we fly, we soar
finding our flock while finding our core
like birds in the sky
gently awakening all that pass by

Dear River,

We’ve been side-by-side for six months. And I mean that very literally. We have only been away from each other a handful of times.

Every morning you wake up happy and chatty. I like to imagine your dreams being full of adventurous, wonder and you are telling me all about them.

We spend all day together, everyday.

I’m told by some people that this is not healthy for either of us. Apparently, I’m creating attachment issues. But, ya know what? I don’t care what they think. I love our time together. Although, sometimes I wish you would chill a bit more so that I could write or eat a warm meal. 📷

We walk the aisles of bookstores and grocery shops like it’s our job. You LOVE being outside and people watching. You got your first tooth this week! It’s on the bottom and right in the center. You are growing like a weed and we are bagging up all of your stylish clothes to pass on to your future BFF cousin! (he’ll be here later this year) You met the ocean this month. Your attitude towards it was as mysterious as the ocean itself. You love to study and observe. (hmmmm, I think you get that from me AND daddy) Oh, and I almost forget- today you tried your first food! The delicious, nutritious AVOCADO. You seemed to like it, but you liked drumming with your spoon more.

River, I hope you will always see and feel and know that me and Daddy are doing our best with what we have been given. I hope that you always feel supported and loved at every phase and stage and age of your life.

Liberation from old thought patterns, stories in my head, self-sabotage, toxic environments, the need of approval. #moksha #happiness

Inner Guidance: set yourself FREEEEEEE! Be that bird in the background. Love one another. Be gentle. Be easy. Let go. Rise up.

“What in the world! It feels like there is a phone buzzing in my ovaries!”

Yep – I felt implantation vibration.

At first I thought it was stress related. I was working on my feet all day, everyday on hard concrete floors and I was exhausted. So I chalked the buzzing ovaries up to another symptom of adrenaline fatigue. But two days later and the buzzing was still happening- my spidey senses started kicking in. “Could I be . . .”

The full moon was in 8 days. Maybe I’m feeling that, I thought. I’m 3 days late. Hmmm, but my period tends to show up at all different times, so that didn’t mean much to me. I told myself that I would take a pregnancy test on Friday so that I wouldn’t be distracted during the work week if I was actually pregnant. (see, I already knew).

I pulled out my tarot cards and laid out a pregnancy spread which ended up being pretty dang accurate! Then I googled “early signs of pregnancy” all day. Two days later, I took a test and got confirmation that I was pregnant.

Trust that intuition, mama!