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Aimee Guest's avatar

Congratulations! And it's pretty normal (at least in my experience) to feel okay leaning in on some days and feel pretty terrified on others. Grace to both kinds of days!

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you, Aimee! Your comment and kind words mean so much 🤍

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Dr Vicki Connop's avatar

Congratulations on your pregnancy and well done for navigating all that change! Leaning in is such an important life skill, a great reminder that we're not in charge and all we can do is surrender to where life wants to take us 💚

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

"All we can do is surrender to where life wants to take us" -- I just love how you put that, Vicki. Thank you so much for reading, and for expressing the heart of this year for Jose and me so beautifully 🤍

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Mike Sowden's avatar

YAAAAAY oh good grief, you don't do things by halves do you? Absolutely no sense of proportion, I love it. When you go eat at a buffet, are you one of the people who uses bread-sticks to build scaffolding so you can fit 4x the normal amount of food on your plate? Yes? I KNEW IT.

I love what you're building here.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Mikeeee, I almost spit out my tea reading this...my 13-year-old self with its hollow leg would've absolutely approved of a breadstick-scaffolding approach at buffets (and is wondering why she didn't think of that herself), and my current self with a similarly bottomless appetite for change right now can only laugh :)

Also, this: "I love what you're building here." 😭😭😭 Just to continue the scaffolding/ construction metaphors a little more tonight, you've been one of the key architects of Dandelion Seeds from the very beginning, and your support always has me feeling all the feels. Thank you so much, my friend!

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Teri's Doing It!'s avatar

Horses are good teachers. Congratulations!

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

They really are, aren't they? I'm not sure if you're familiar with the poet David Whyte, but his poem, "Four Horses," is one of my favorites of his -- you might enjoy it, too!

https://pathwriter.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/four-horses-david-whyte/

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Teri's Doing It!'s avatar

What a great poem, Candace! It's al.ost as if I'm there!

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Switter’s World's avatar

Kids are good teachers, too. Mine taught me many things, including double checking that I locked the bathroom door during my me time.

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Teri's Doing It!'s avatar

Haha! Yes, that's so true!! How many kids??

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Medha Murtagh's avatar

You write as beautifully as you art 💛

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much, Medha -- that means a lot coming from you 🤍

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Medha Murtagh's avatar

Awww.... and that means a lot coming from YOU! hehe x

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Carol Sill's avatar

Perfect Rilke quote! Makes the vast plain of the heart meet the plain where the horses run. Beautifu.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

I'm so happy to hear that quote resonated with you, Carol! I also loved the juxtaposition of Rilke's words right below the photo, and it makes my day that you noticed it as well 🤍

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Cindy Johns's avatar

So thankful for the joy you shared in the post! And congratulations to you

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you for sharing in our joy, Cindy! Your kind words mean so much 🤍

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Jeffrey Streeter's avatar

Muchas felicitaciones! it must be very exciting for all of you.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Muchas gracias, Jeffrey! Now that we're in November, our Christmas due date is definitely starting to feel a lot more real :) Thanks so much for sharing in our excitement 🙏

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Switter’s World's avatar

Yay! More babies in the world.

Congratulations, Candace, and you already know what kind of Hershey chocolate bars to buy to celebrate when she is born.

Please don’t ask me to explain the part about Hershey chocolate bars.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Haha thank you, Switter! 🙏🙏

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Sue Cauhape's avatar

I loved this, especially your leaning in to ride out that gallop. I too am not into galloping or trotting, so Abby and I rode around the forest with a dog riding point to flush out the cougars and bears. Of course, the cougars and bears hid from my ferocious dog. One day while riding with my daughter, Val, her friends and their moms, about six of us, we came to a dry creek bed about six feet across and three feet deep. We all paused, waiting for someone to be the first. Abby was a jumper and she and I had bonded on trail to the point that I trusted if is I just leaned in and put my heels down. I turned Abby toward the creek, said "Okay, Abs, let's do this," pushed those heels deep below the stirrups and clucked at her. Away she flew over the creek with me feeling the joy of complete comfort and control. WHOA! That's a fabulous feeling. That totally zen moment when all the planets align and the gods don't laugh at me. And the cheers from behind us was the cherry on the cake. All while I was reading your story, I felt you flying along with your horse, full control and joy. And congratulations on your expected joy to come. My second grandchild, a girl, will come at the end of November if all goes well. Let's drink a toast to life and love and the future.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Sue, what a perfect story to go with this post -- thank you so much for sharing it. And what you said about feeling the joy in that moment reminded me of a poem by David Whyte, "Four Horses":

https://pathwriter.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/four-horses-david-whyte/

It's one of my favorite poems of his, especially because of his line about being "happy today in the field of my own making" -- and I have a feeling you'll enjoy it, too!

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Sue Cauhape's avatar

A lovely poem indeed. I can see those horses soaring across the meadow, heads and tails high. "We're free we're free." And at the end, the exuberance of feeling joy in that field of one's own making. I've been thinking the past couple of days about the silly guilt I feel at merely writing and reading and knitting, doing just enough "chores" to assuage that pressure to be "busy" with solemn, undesired activities. Who am I trying to impress. I will feel the joy of doing what I want in the field of my own making. Thank you for this poem, Candace.

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Michie O'Day's avatar

Love your Substack posts, your art, your growing family, your small print of a bright and happy yellow bird - which is on my favorite “wall” (my refrigerator at eye level perfect frequent viewing from my wheelchair). I expect your Substack posts will be less frequent in coming months. Your readers will understand. Each post is a treasure. Thank you Candace. 💙

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Michie, your comment here was a gift to read last week! I'm so sorry to just be replying, but please know how much it meant, and how much I loved hearing that my little meadowlark print is in such a place of honor in your home :) Thank you so much for your kind words and encouragement, and I can't wait to keep sharing new stories with you 🤍🤍

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Roseanne Sabol's avatar

How wonderful, Candace! Congratulations to all. xox

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much, Roseanne! 🤍

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Daisy Anne's avatar

What a sweet post, congratulations! And a Christmas baby, too -- what a blessing! The holidays will be extra special for your family this year 💞 Best wishes to you and yours!

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much for reading, Daisy, and for your lovely words -- and yes! Elena was born a week before Easter, and we are so looking forward to a Christmas baby this time :) I hope you're doing great! 🤍

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Earthsurfer's avatar

Congratulations ! So excited for your new addition to your sweet family! Keep thriving!

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much, Martha! Sending big hugs and love your way today 🤍✨

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Judith's avatar

I so love your stories and seeing where life has led you. Congratulations on the upcoming family member. If you are ever in Lisbon let me know. The EU has it's challenges to overcome but you're learning to lean in. It's seems like there's a new lesson every day.

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Judith, it's so lovely to hear from you here -- and yes! Jose and I would love to make it to Lisbon one day soon. Quite a few people from his studio spent their holidays this summer in Portugal, so it's very high on our list of places to explore :) Thank you so much for reading and saying hello today, and know I'm sending a big hug your way 🤍

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Marianne Lonsdale's avatar

Congratulations. Lovely email, lovely interesting story and drawings

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Candace Rose Rardon's avatar

Thank you so much, Marianne -- I'm so glad you enjoyed the post! 🤍

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