First Spring Bouquets

The weather warms and the yard begins to green.  The children revel in sunshine outside, riding bicycles, and playing kick ball. 

When they break from the play, they gather about the front porch sipping water and chatting.  Three little ones wander off through the front yard gathering the earliest of spring blossoms, creating a bouquet of wonder.  

Giggles and smiles erupt as they tumble into the kitchen hands behind their backs.  "We have something for you!"  I turn from the dinner preparations and see three hands extend with offerings of beauty: my first child picked spring bouquet this year.

...continuing my gratitude listing...

386.  little fingers picking the first flowers of spring

387.  their enthusiasm in giving me their hand picked bouquets

388.  light that illuminates and makes all things even more beautiful

389.  reading Easter themed books with my children

390.  the Easter tree we add to daily

391.  reading through the Gospel of Mark before Easter

392.  spring bursting forth in color and capturing some of its beauty in photographs

393.  time to check on each sleeping child before retiring to bed each evening

394.  whispered prayers in darkened rooms over sleeping little ones

395.  tucking covers about little ones

396.  fingers extended over bed sides

397.  making pumpkin muffins with my youngest

398.  a post by a blogging friend that inspired me to include myself in the photographs (Over the years, I have become the family photographer...recording the moments and memories, but I had been leaving myself out of all the photographs, not on purpose,...just the way it was...always photographing, never being in the pictures.  Now, I'm making some changes, as it is important to us that we have photographs of all of us...)

photograph taken by our oldest daughter

399.  taking photographs with my daughters

400.  field trip midweek to a 'new to us' museum

401.  learning and fun shared with a group of students at the museum

402.  the mom who organized the field trip

403.  beautiful sunshine that beckons the children outside to play

404.  crisp, winter-like air that drives them back inside an hour later

405.  real progress on the backyard fence building

...and so it continues...