I went outside yesterday morning to take our daughter to the bus and stopped dead in my tracks. “Ahhhh. Feel that?” I asked Hannah. “Do you feel that? That’s what Spring feels like!”
It was a glorious, crisp morning with the sun coming up over the mountains spraying our lush green fields and woods with sparkling orange and yellow highlights. Brilliant blue skies with scattered wisps of white cotton provided a carefree canopy overhead. The air was freshly cleansed from the previous night’s thundershowers, and the sweet smell of lilacs and honeysuckle tickled our noses.
“Look around and take in this beautiful day that we’ve been given,” I encouraged my little girl, as she probably rolled her eyes behind me. “And listen.” We stood still, taking in the day through all our senses for just minute, and listened to two, then three, then four different song birds fill the air with their mating melodies. Ahh, “It’s May, it’s May, the lusty month of May!” I thought, smiling to myself as the tune from a long-cherished performance of Camelot echoed in my mind.
Two frolicking squirrels chased each other across the lawn. A family of deer grazed casually in our western field. And bees literally buzzed about the blossoms of our walnut trees. The cool morning air and warm glowing sunshine took turns kissing my cheeks, and I deeply inhaled the sweetness of it all.
Moments like these bring me such joy and peace. They give me the strength to dive back in to the white-water rapids of the daily stream of life.
I gave a brief prayer of thanks, and one of hope that little Hannah would really remember this morning. Hoping that she would be graced with many such memories of a sweet-smelling, peaceful, and loving home that was simply there, always there, around her.
Then off we went, back into the bustling activities of a busy family – enjoying the rest of the season’s treats. This week has included Kevin’s high school prom and the end of his baseball season, more of Hannah’s little league games (where the pure joy of getting safely to first base can still make your day complete!), and Sarah’s return home from college final exams. We can’t wait to visit our oldest daughter Jen and her vibrant new life in New York City next weekend.
Meanwhile, today is our son’s 17th birthday, and tonight we head to Virginia for his weekend AAU basketball tournament. But first, we’ll cheer Hannah and her classmates on at their annual elementary school track and field day. She’s very excited (probably far more so than during yesterday’s bird singing extravaganza), because the highlight of the day will be who gets bragging rights from each grade’s old-fashion tug-of-war contest.
The second grade finale features Mrs. Glossner’s class (with Hannah) versus Mrs. Smith’s class. Hannah and her girlfriends have concocted a secret plan to victory – and she’s been practicing all last night and this morning. See, just as they begin, the girls are going to start singing Taylor Swift’s hit “You Belong With Me” while they heave-ho. They figure the boys on the other team will be so shocked and distracted, and maybe even cover their ears, that their team will quickly pull them all over to win the day!
Hope springs eternal, as they say. And I hope you enjoy yours with your children.
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