March in Spring and Only Good Things!

March's in my memory have been full.

Both my brother Luke and I have Birthdays, his on the 2^nd mine on the 30^th.

4 years ago my Grandpa passed away on the 1^st. 

Luke and Rachel got married on the 3^rd of that same year.

And I’ve had the opportunity to go on missions trips, due to spring break.  Mexico and now Ireland!

It’s so hard to believe that Ireland awaits us, only 8 days away.  It seems a dream at this point, hard to believe we’ll get to go to this country that brings up rich and wonderful expectations in me.  I can’t wait to see the countryside, fields full of sheep, stone walls, crashing oceans, windblown cliffs, maybe a real life castle ruin, to see the cobblestone streets of Dublin.  Even to experience the wind and rain, I want to feel what Ireland is like.  And I’m hoping I can get a taste of that in our short time there. 

I’ve just finished reading a book all about different parts of Ireland and the history and myths of this culturally rich country.  It seems a culture that thrives on storytelling.  Though we won’t be visiting the local pubs for a pint on our mission’s trip, I hope we can still get a taste of what it’s like to sit around swapping stories.

In other news!  I am just longing for spring!  This winter has been just horrid, especially following up after our summer of record rain.  4 big wind storms, 2 of which were hurricane force I’ve heard, one ice rain storm that stranded us at home due to roads or should I say ice trails.  I’ve never had a winter effect me so much as far as darkness goes either.  So yes… I am READY FOR SPRING!!

So, to hurry it along and to lift my spirits, I have planted an indoor herb garden!  I went out and bought little pots and paint and personalize and gave them each a personality.  Rosemary, basil, cilantro, and lavender!  They probably won’t pop up until April, but I am expectant.  Although I’ve just realized I will have to leave them to the care of my brother while we are gone. *cringes* Lord willing I won’t have to start from scratch J

I remember growing up in Big Lake spring (or break up as we called it) was a time of exploring and much anticipated hours on end of outdoors!  We would always get GIANT puddles on the roads around our house and we usually each had a pair of rubber boots.  I remember being able to venture into the deep puddles and feel the water push my boots tight to my thighs and the shock of freezing water when I got a little too greedy for the deepest parts of the puddle.  We would go tromping through the puddles before all the ice had melted.  We would create dams, throw rocks to see the splash and even shovel snow into the water to make it melt quicker.  Spring could never come soon enough!  Running through the woods wearing sneakers because we refused to acknowledge the clumps of snow that still hung on.  The glorious mudd pies we could create and pretend to dine upon.  Getting to run around with only a sweater or light jacket on was a thrill!  And of course the ever lengthening light that let us play longer into the evenings. 

Isn’t spring a wonderful thing?  I know that now (Almost 25 yikes!) I tend to forget that wonder and thrill and focus more on the ugly brown everywhere and that it’s still cold! Why is it that I can remember the different seasons when I was a kid better than I can now?  I can remember the way the air smelled those break up days playing in puddles and the way my fingers and hands would tingle when they got too cold.  I can’t remember much about last spring’s weather.  Granted I was distracted with being a new wife, but still!  I hope that this year I can really embrace the seasons and try to enjoy each in its turn.  I can’t wait to see the flowers bloom!  And the grass pop up fresh and green!  And that first drive through the s curves on Fairview with the wind blowing through the green leaves and the smell of summer coming in my open windows. 

But for now I will embrace the cold and look forward to this incredible experience waiting for us just across the pond!  Oh, did I mention, we’ll be in Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day!  What an experience!  I cannot wait! J