A week later . . .

So here are more pictures of my garden.  This is about a week later.  The reason why I am so happy about it is because I can see how it is going to look in a couple of years when it fills out!  It makes me so very happy! 

Of course, these 2 make me very happy.  We went to a little lake front beach near our house this week.  The weather was beautiful and our friends were there to play with.  The only thing that would have made it better would have been if J. was there too.







Lesson for Mom:  When spraying sun block on your self (because if you forget, your husband will scold you because you aren't taking care of yourself and then go and buy you the spray because you complain that he isn't there to get your back), make sure you get every spot.  Otherwise, you might miss a 4 by 6 section on your arm that will get burnt while the rest of you (and your children) will be fine.  

outside

This is what I see outside my window

Once upon a time, I did not enjoy being outdoors.  If I got in trouble, I was sent outdoors; not to my room.  It was a family joke.  It wasn't that I didn't like the outdoors, I just preferred the quiet of my room.  I could get away from my siblings and their craziness.  I could read in peace.  I was able to sit on something soft to read in quiet.  I am a very solitary person.  Sometimes given to thinking way too much - okay, all the time but the point of this ramble is that, I never used to like the outdoors. 

And now, I do.
I love to garden.  I like to see flowers blooming and sit in the sun.  It isn't any

Front yard - just imagine next year when this is all filled out!

 quieter outside then when I was a kid.  But I like it.  I like to see some effort in what I am doing and know it is my choice.  My parents laugh because they say I used to grumble and complain about gardening.  Ok, folks, it wasn't gardening, it was weeding and if you don't get the joy of planting and only have the "cleaning".   It is also not gardening if you don't get to PICK out the plants.  I mean, it was vinca that we were weeding.  My parents used to say that they planted the vinca so that when we were gone, it would have spread and THEY wouldn't have to weed.  Know what? They ripped out the vinca!

I love the irises! 

But now, I get to plant and weed my own garden! We have a raised bed for vegetables for my husband since he loves veggies - even brussel sprouts but the flower beds are for me.  Most of the flowers are summer flowers but recently, I have been putting in some spring flowers.  It makes me happy to see something pretty in my yard.  They are all perennials and I keep adding to them every year.  Someday soon, they will fill out.  I like imagining that day.

Just imagine, that knockout rose in a couple of weeks!

I hope that you have some flowers that are growing in your yard and if not, enjoy mine!  

Jealousy

I just had a good friend tell me that their house sold after being on the market for only a couple of weeks.  Not only that, but they had 5 (FIVE) offers.  And she is building her dream home.  I had another friend tell me that she is expecting their 5th (what is it with this number?  Maybe I should play the lottery with it.  Can you just roll 5's?) child.  

So what does this have to do with jealousy?  J. and I have tried to sell this house twice.  It has been on the market for 18 months and 1 year at 2 different times.  It is a nice house.  Perfect for a young couple but even better for an older couple. It is the house he bought while married to his ex-wife.  That isn't really the problem; it is just not a house I would have bought.  I  probably would have considered it but maybe not bought it.  

If you know me, then you know my story as to why jealousy is a theme.  I did want 3 kids.  A ruptured uterus, however,  is not something to gamble with. 

But this isn't about me being jealous but rather the lack of it and it makes me happy.  It makes me think that I am growing because I am just happy for my friends.  

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven: 

Ecclesiastes 3 :1

This verse has been used so much that sometimes it comes across as cliche'.  It is unfortunate that some truths get that way.  Maybe it is an indicator of how truthful they are.  I am content in my house.  I am doing things in it that (in my mind) make it beautiful.  I am learning how to do things or not do them for my dream house. And I have the added benefit of seeing how my friend does hers so that I won't copy her mistakes!  He he.  It also gives me hope that when the time is right, God is going to MOVE.  

I am very happy with my 2 beautiful children.  I think that is all I can handle.  Sometimes, I get wistful for another baby but then I just talk to my brother who has an ADORABLE 7 month old and I am good.  J. and I prayed about it before our son was born and this is the answer we got.  We feel like we landed and can really start doing things now that we aren't planning for another little one.  Our family of 4 is what works for us. 

Maybe, I am a little jealous but I am working on it and it passes quickly.  I hope that the house building goes smoothly and there are no problems. I hope the pregnancy is easy and the baby is healthy.  Did I mention that this friend has like 2 hour labors?  Now that is something to be jealous about!  

Enjoy your Easter and praise God for the blessings that you have!