It's Spring, you guys! For real this time. Flowers are popping up, trees are budding, the grass is actually greener, creatures are reappearing, and the sun, oh, the sun is shining again!
I am a huge fan of spring. Once winter has thawed and new life reawakens, it makes me feel so hopeful and happy. I gotta be honest, winter is such a drag! Physically and emotionally. I am thankful the snow is gone (for now), but the changing seasons make me appreciate the uniqueness of each time of year.
I read a quote recently by Elisha Galotti, "Winter will give way to Spring, and if all we do is wait for the warmth
of the next season, we'll miss the beauty of today." I just love that.
I've been thinking a lot about life (and birth) since the arrival of our baby boy. There are so many sweet eye-opening truths to be learned from babies and how precious life really is and how beautiful our God is. The same God who made daffodils and silver frogs and the sun to rule the day, made you and I and everything that has breath. Despite all of the suffering and chaos that plagues this world, there is so much beauty to be seen and joy to experience. It's all around us.
I'm reminded of Ecclesiastes 3:1, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."
Take a few moments to look around and breathe in the sweet aroma of spring. Know that God is there and He makes all things new!
Somehow, it's already the Month of May. I somewhat, unintentionally, took over a month off from blogging. I'm sorry friends! I'm still here. Life is moving right along. The days seem to be passing fast, yet slow, if that makes any sense. My schedule has been a bit busy lately. And I've been taking some time just to "be".
I've been happy to be working on a few wedding invitations. I'm also a volunteer on our Church's graphics team, which is fun. I get to use my design skills in a different capacity and feel like I'm making a difference in our church community. I recently helped design the backdrop theme for a Sunday sermon, which was new for me and pretty exciting.
Last week, I completed my first 5-day clean eating challenge. All my meals and snacks were planned out, along with LOTS of water drinking and exercising 25 minutes a day. At the end of it, I felt great, and I've adapted some new healthy habits. I haven't had dessert in 9 days! What?! I've turned down cookies, brownies, ice cream and the like. Mostly to see if I could do it and to break my need for sweets on a regular basis. I feel better about what I'm eating, I actually have more energy and I'm sleeping better at night. I'm hoping to keep it up (with some cheat days, of course). I'm not about to swear off sweets permanently, or anything like that. You should be worried if I said I was. Everything in moderation.
We've reached the other side of a looooong winter and a not-so-spring-like spring. I was thankful that the sun was shining today, even if there still was a very cool breeze. I picked a few flowers from my yard and admired them on my kitchen windowsill. The buds are blossoming on the trees - at last! Warmer days are on the way, I can feel it.
We went to Pennsylvania for Easter and got to spend time with family, which is always nice. On a side note, my hair is getting really long again. I think I'm about due for a summer trim to spruce things up a bit - nothing too drastic though. I'm still loving the peek-a-boo highlights I got in November.
Besides the business of life, my blogging has taken a bit of a backseat simply because I haven't had a ton to share lately and I haven't felt very inspired. I think it's definitely good to take a break now and then. I want my posts to be meaningful, useful or interesting. Sometimes, I've got nothin'. Plain as that. Plus, I often wonder if anyone is really reading this or if it's just a creative outlet for me.
I do want to say a sincere thank you to those of you, faithful readers (you know who you are!), who loyally follow my blog, and miss it enough to tell me. That means a lot to me! I treasure your support and kind words.
xoxo
Sarah
These guys have appeared. Yup. It's practically spring. And I've got spring fever. I walked outside without a coat. I drove with the sunroof open. It didn't look or feel like night when I left work (the only reason I like daylight savings). I even picked up sticks around the yard when I got home - voluntarily. You know it must be spring fever.
Sweet little crocus buds. Hope for warm and sunny days ahead.
Even the tulips are making an appearance. Hopefully the dear/bunnies won't get to them before they bloom.
And a lone cluster of daffodils. Even though we've had an incredibly mild and actually enjoyable winter (thank you LORD!), I am always ready to welcome back spring. Everything is starting to look green again. A new season. New life!
"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:"
Ecclesiastes 3:1
It was actually 60 degrees outside when I arrived home from work today. I didn't even need a coat. A day like today felt like heaven after a long snowy winter. I quickly changed my clothes and headed outside to soak up whatever remaining daylight and fresh air I could! I did a little bit of spring yard cleanup in the front of our house. While I was raking out some leaves, I uncovered these welcome little daffodil buds. Hurray! Something green and growing in the no longer frozen ground. Something green on St. Patty's day no less.
I fear though, this may just be another tease. It could very well be snowing again in a day or two. Let's hope not.
Welcome March 1st! You are one of my favorite months because you bring spring and you bring my birthday, sometimes on the same day. It felt a little like spring today. The sun was shining and melted some of the snow. I didn't even have to button my coat at lunchtime.
I took a fast trip to The Christmas Tree Shop. Boy, was that a mistake. The place is loaded with spring and summer merchandise. White wicker patio furniture, bright colored garden tools, picnic plates and adorable planters and ceramic pots. Like this turquoise beauty with sweet little birds and scalloped edge. I just had to take it home, for $5.99, and I knew exactly what I needed it for. See how I said "needed it" not "wanted it." This was a practical purchase. The birds sold me though. It was a win, win.
I let my only thriving house plant stay in this tiny basket for far too long. It was a house warming gift from a dear friend. I could not let the roots suffer any longer.
In you go, into your new home. I love how the bright turquoise adds a splash of color to my red kitchen. I feel much better now that my plant has room to grow. It felt good digging in some potting soil, even if it was in my kitchen. Spring is near...soon I'll be gardening outdoors.
We also have this little fella starting to sprout. Can you guess what it is? A cactus. I bought a little egg dome cactus seed kit for my husband, after denying him the much larger cacti ecosystem he saw at the store. He planted all the seeds, but it looks like only one is taking. Come on little fella, you can do it! Keep growing! It is a bit of a wonder that a cactus could even grow in Rochester, in the dead of winter, on our drafty windowsill.
Dear spring, please come quickly. I'm looking forward to green grass, daffodils and budding trees.
