Spring and stuff

As you can see, my crocuses continue to bloom beautifully.  And, in honor of the glorious spring weather, I am painting my toenails [green for St Patrick's Day in this picture] and wearing flip-flops as often as I can.  I know that the weather here changes frequently.  I have experienced snowstorms here in almost every single month, excluding August and September.  And so, I am enjoying every single drop of sunshine that I can. 

Jared left this morning for a week-long trip to Chicago.  Since it was Sunday, and our worship service begins at 11am, I was looking forward to a nice, sleepy morning.  Not so: about 7:30am the fire alarm began beeping.  My adorable daughter was trying to cook pancakes, and burned one or two.  I blame her father for this domestic habit- he, too, enjoys getting up way too early on weekends and cooking things.  Luckily, there was no fire.  However, there was also a disturbing lack of pancakes.  We managed to overcome that with a muffin mix or two.

In other news, the snow is disappearing rapidly from our backyard.  I'd like to say that this is because our weather is just terribly warm for this time of the year.  It has more to do with the pick-axe and my oldest son, though.  He has been chopping up the foot of icy snow that lingered in the shade of our north-facing backyard.  Then he would use a shovel and fling it onto the grass that was unshaded, so the sun could melt it during the day. 

This is what our patio looks like now.  And, shortly after this picture was taken, he had removed the rest of that ice and snow.  It's all sitting on the lawn now, in rather large chunks, waiting for the sun to erase it from our memories.  I really like having a snow removal service!  But it makes me wonder what he'll decide to do with all his extra energy when the snow is gone.  I'm hoping it will have nothing to do with the pick-axe...

Gratitude List:

* Beautiful spring weather.  No tweeting birds [yet], but plenty of tender green shoots in my flower beds.

* Delicious dinners, and good conversation, with some good friends who came to dinner recently.

* Snow on the mountains, and not much in my yard.

* Hot cocoa in the mornings.

* Bright green sparkly nail polish.

* Good music.

* This quote: "To ease another's heartache is to forget one's own."  -Abraham Lincoln

* And this one, taken from Psalms 139:14: "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made:"

* My parents will be serving as mission presidents in the San Bernardino California mission. That means they will be in charge of our church's missionary efforts in this particular area for somewhere between 3 and 5 years.  I am thrilled for them, and grateful that they will be close enough for me to visit occasionally.

* Good lessons in Primary, and what I am learning from them. 

* I have a seam ripper, and I'm not afraid to use it :)

* I'm still working on the quilt, but I also have some more dishcloths on my needles.  I need something portable, and as small as that quilt is, it is still too big to drag around with me.

* Myles' grave has new little grass shoots all around it- it, too, is free of snow and eagerly embracing the coming spring.

* God has blessed me.  I am truly grateful for the miracles and evidences of His love in my life.