Mama's Day

This year mother's day was low key and wonderful.  Chris and I were able to have an impromptu round of golf just the two of us.  It was perfect (not my embarrassing golf game, but the time together).  On Sunday, we enjoyed a nice breakfast at home with daddy the master of Sunday breakfast cooking up quite the feast.  Grady presented me with my gift and a sweet little sign he made. Getting Grady to write is almost as hard as pulling a tooth from a crocodile so his note filled my heart with joy.  I also secretly wondered how many jelly beans daddy paid him.  We then went to the park and for a walk by the river. We ended the day with an afternoon out at the pool. This was before Grady refused to wear his floaties which meant I could fully dig into my book without worry. I couldn't have ordered a more perfect day if I'd tried.

It is a privilege to be a mother to my boys.  They make me pull my hair out.  They make me worry. They exhaust me.  They challenge me on every level.  But they have also uncovered parts of me that I didn't know existed. They have introduced me to new levels of love and filled my heart with such happiness.  They make me smile.  They crack me up.  They make me grateful.  They challenge me on every level. Even on their worst day or my worst day, they can make my heart smile with a good night hug and a sweet kiss, even if Grady always wipes his kiss off.  I am lucky to be a mom and I am lucky to be their mom.

Gardener

I love gardening.   I could spend a half day at a nursery without a second thought.  When I get time to myself, that is where you can find me roaming the aisles looking for that next little treasure to make a part of our yard. I love emerging from the winter, feeling the sun on my back with dirt beneath my fingers and watching my boys unleash again in the fresh air. Corralling a 6 month old and a two year old last year meant that I did not do much spring gardening. This year, I made it back outside doing what I love and found out that they love to work in the garden too. We had a perfectly warm spring which resulted in our best flower showing yet. My boys are adorable little gardeners and I just love being able to spend time with them outside.  There is something about seeing the brown law and bare trees come to life in a matter of weeks with new baby lime green leaves. There is something about seeing the daffodils and tulips emerge from the once completely bare ground that renews my soul.  I love seeing my creeping phlox put down a blanket of pink and purple.I love seeing last years perennial treasures reemerge stronger and better.  I never thought of myself as a gardener because I am not the vegetable type of gardener, but I now know gardening is about how the earth beneath your fingers makes your soul feel.  My soul feels alive out in our little yard.