How I Know Spring Has Arrived
Spring sings, laughs, and skips her way back to us
not only in the daffodil's happy blooms
(though they are lovely)
or the cheery songs of the birds
(though they are lovely)
but for me, she sings of her return
in the sidewalk chalk masterpieces
colorfully adorning my driveway;
in the obstacle course of mud kitchen supplies
strewn around the porch;
in the lingering daylight that beckons the kids
outside after dinner
where they run like wild, voices carried in the breeze,
until bedtime summons them back inside.
It’s the commencement of catching lizards and frogs,
releasing them, and recapturing the same ones the next day.
This is how I hear Spring’s welcome back song
And it’s lovely.
_____
SPRING. Deep breath. Doesn’t it feel so good to be in the season of hope and life and growth? This year it felt sudden…like all at once, I noticed that the trees visible from my kitchen window are the most vibrant green. When we drive to town the kids remark on all the new colorful blooms that now punctuate our tried and true pathways. Our front pastures are lush and filled with fresh grass and clover so the bees, goats, horse, and donkey are happily buzzing and grazing again.
Our family rhythms and schedule have shifted along with the season which is a welcomed change of pace. We’ve relocated school outside whenever possible and have started working on some outdoor projects around our property, mainly the garden and the feed shed. More and more hours are getting checked off on our 1000 Hours Outside tracker sheet. Finn started playing rec baseball for the first time and that has been a fun adventure for our family to get involved in, even if it does come with some late nights.
One of the things I’m finding most joyful about having a garden is how the planning and prep stage brightened my winter. In January, I was pouring over gardening books and seed catalogs researching what varieties of vegetables and flowers I wanted to grow. In early February, I was receiving packages of seeds to sort and organize. In late February and early March, we were finalizing plans of how to build out our garden space next to the house. At the same time, I was getting my hands in the dirt planting seeds to keep inside until it was safe to transplant them outside. Each day as winter waned and spring approached, the little seedlings sat in the corner of the dining room under their lights just growing away, and I couldn’t help thinking what a perfect picture of hope it is: to plant a seed or twenty or a hundred.
No one has ever planned their garden wondering if spring will come. It always does.
“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22
The reassurance of the rhythms God built into creation stand out to me even more so as our world generally feels less and less stable. They are a steadfast reminder that the Lord is fully faithful and good to us.
Planting a garden feels like an exercise in faith - not only that the process itself will yield a harvest but in the one who designed the process.
Plant something; anything. Plant for a renewed infatuation with and appreciation for the cyclical nature of our world; precisely designed in such a way that spring never fails to show up. Plant a seed & remind yourself that all the Lord made is indeed good. That He himself is indeed good.
//
BABY UPDATE
I am now 27 weeks with this baby, which is just wild. That’s third trimester territory! Some days I still can’t believe this is for real.
It’s a…..?
There was a bit of a contentious debate in our house over whether or not to find out if we were having a boy or a girl. With my background in ultrasound, I was always very early to know what I was having with my other pregnancies and I love the connectedness I feel with the baby once I can settle my mind in one direction or another. But Brandon’s argument was that it’s our fourth and last baby, so why not wait until delivery this go around?
Well, considering we are doing just about everything different time, knowing if we are welcoming a boy or girl is one constant I craved. I was feeling more stress around waiting than I did excitement at the surprise of it. He ended up conceding and funny enough, the sex actually did line up with what we all had guessed and confirmed a dream my niece had before she even knew we were expecting!
So, without further ado…it’s a boy! Or as my kids like to say, “it’s a brother!!”
We can’t wait to meet him.
//
HOMESCHOOL
We are nearing the end of this school year, as we typically wrap up in early May. Every year around this time we start progressively losing steam the more beautiful the weather gets – I just want to let the kids play outside all day long, and I know I’m not alone!
Since my last newsletter, we participated in a Science Fair, art contests, went to the State Capitol and the GA Aquarium, and watched safety demonstrations at our local electric company. We read stacks of books, nature journaled, studied found objects under the microscope, and crafted. The kids made up their own plays and re-enacted favorite movie scenes (right now they are very into Wonka and the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory). We researched orioles and pheasants after coming across them in our read alouds, and then they all drew their own versions. We picked strawberries at the strawberry patch and played for hours at the park with friends. It’s been a really memorable spring semester, in large part due to all the fun and unique experiences we get through our co-op. Wouldn’t want to do this without them.
//
LIFE
Life feels like a lot right now, to be honest. Just a lot of stressors and some heaviness pressing in all at once. You know that feeling when you’re sick and you can’t help but think about all the days you took being well for granted? I feel similar to that right now – a renewed gratitude for the less overwhelming seasons of life.
I have to give myself permission to pull back when things start getting chaotic or stressful. There are things I have a say in: I can simplify my commitments, go to bed early, lighten the school load, and consciously unload my burdens onto the Lord who very kindly invites us to do so.
Pull back from the pressure; press into the Lord.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Last week, we had to put down our precious boxer, Lexi, who we’ve loved wholeheartedly for 8 years. She was so genuinely sweet-natured and calm that we actually had friends and family volunteer to dog-sit for us. :) We used to tell Lexi that she could never leave us, and I really didn’t see this day coming so soon. Up until a few weeks ago, her health was pretty perfect - especially for an older dog. But out of the blue we knew something major was wrong and while we managed to get a little more time with her thanks to some medicine, it was clear that she was declining rapidly. The day she passed away we scrapped all of our school lessons and just camped out on the couch skimming through photos of her and reading through a stack of our most beloved picture books. While I read, the kids drew countless pictures of Lexi - their own childlike way of grieving and honoring her.
It’s unexplainable but reading aloud is some kind of a mysterious magic balm. Just something to remember on the days when you don’t know what else to do – you can always read. <3
//
*Because this post is almost too long for email, I’m going to send a follow up with a recap of our homeschool curriculum choices for the past year and all of the things I’m currently loving — reads + podcast episodes + otherwise. Keep an eye out for that!
//
I hope you’ll plant something this spring. And even if not, get outside today and take a minute to welcome the season of hope if you haven’t already.
Talk soon!
Shanna