I love the first days of spring & how they coincide with Easter! There's nothing quite like coming out of the cold rainy days of winter. Here in Texas, one day you're wondering when it will end, and the next it's HELLO SPRING! It's similar to the transformative nature of lent ending with the restorative beauty of Christ's resurrection.
I see God in nature throughout every season, but there's something very special about observing tiny budding blooms, bright green leaves peaking out of dead branches, the first colorful flowers, the bright new sun, and the sweet melodic song of the birds waking up! It's a very spiritual season.
Today the memories of my family working and playing in the bright warm sun of this breezy March day will forever be in my mind, and I'm writing this post to ensure that. As lent draws to a close and my 10 year wedding anniversary approaches, I've been all the more reflective.
Today the sweet smell of fresh cut grass brought back my own childhood memories of springtime and helping in the backyard. My parents always had a job we could help with and our backyard was so great for exploring! I have backyard memories as far back as I can remember. I thought about the house I grew up in as a little girl a lot today. It was such a cozy house. I hope our home & backyard will stir up the same sweet nostalgia in my children when they grow up.
Today we cut our grass, trimmed our trees, pulled our weeds, and planned our small garden. The sun was bright but the air was cool. The kids laughter was our music and their pretend world was our background. I could not dream up a more lovely atmosphere to work in! The joy of our children surrounded by the beauty of spring.
I'm about as happy as one could be here, so very thankful for the gifts we are such proud stewards of. Today as I was dragging a tree limb across the backyard I looked over at a picturesque moment that I failed to capture with my camera. It was Eden (5), Pryscilla (5), and Silas (2) sitting shoulder to shoulder on the back porch. Barefoot. The little guy in a star wars t-shirt and a diaper. Pryscilla in a pretty (but dirty) dress, lace on top sea foam green net on the bottom. Eden in a hot pink shirt with a panda on it with a polka dot skirt. All three...dirty from a long day of playing outside, hair a mess, bag of cheetos in their hand, and smiling orange cheeto faces. I dropped the stick to go grab my camera, but by the time I got back moment was over. Thank goodness I stopped long enough to capture it in my mind before running for the camera. :)
These days are treasures. So fleeting. Please take life slow, enjoy the simplicity, be present, and gratify God many times a day.
Today....
~We found that we have a resident Mockingbird living in our front yard tree, with a nest! We also have a Carolina Chickadee who has taken up residence on our back porch at night. ~
~We put up two birdfeeders one for hummingbirds and a normal one~
~Silas tried to grab a lizard~
~Lots of bike riding, scooters, and playing in oversized boxes~
~A relaxing and fun family picnic outside of Churches Chicken~
~All three kids helpled daddy and spent lots of time pretending to fix things!~
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"In this time of extraordinary pressure, educational and social, perhaps a mother's first duty to her children is to secure for them a quiet growing time..."
