erica's story | the birth of elliott boone

I got the call it was baby time in the wee morning hours. I drove through the rolling hills outside of Asheville as the full moon lit my path. When I arrived to their home it was giddy with excitement. As the birth tub filled we all laughed between contractions. Erica stood as ripe as the moon outside, bathed in a glorious glow. The kind only laboring women have. She worked hard in the darkness and when it felt impossible, the sun rose and brought warm light into the birth room. Aiyana woke up to see her sibling born and brought in her treasured box of jellybeans that she had faithfully saved for lavver day (labor day). (Not pictured me swaying her to sleep on my hip as I took pictures).

Erica pushed for several hours and then delivered her baby into her own hands. It was a surprise boy, as they had been thinking all along it was a girl. Elliott Boone ended up having a really big head which is why it took his mama so long to get him out.

This birth was so full of joy, even in the midst of such hard work. The family was surrounded by women who held space for them. It was safe and warm just like the rising sun outside the window.

At the end of the day when everyone was tucked in, Aiyana whispered to the baby,

“Welcome to Asheville, welcome to the club, welcome to the family.”