February Picnic.

I woke up this morning and I sensed it. Something was different.

When I got out of bed, I stopped for a moment, pausing to wonder if it really was warm or if it just looked it. It does that sometimes, you know? Its all sunny and bright, and you put on a t-shirt and step outside to freeze your booty off, and run back in for a jacket.

So I do what every normal person does. I call time and temperature. This is like a semi-weekly occurrence for me. I love to know what the weather is going to be. Comes from living among farmers I reckon. I love the word reckon.

Anyway, my hopes were confirmed! At 9:00am it was already 64degrees! Hallelujah! I was so excited!

So I shaved my legs!

Really. I mean, warm weather like that calls for something extreme!

Sorry if that was too much information.

Anyway, I love it. This small breath of warmness so rare and so appropriate for Feb. 29, a day that is rare enough on its own.

I have certain things I do in the Spring. Shaving more frequently is one of them, but I also move on the coffee calender. Oh yes, the coffee calender? Have you not heard of it? It goes like this; Summer = Frappicinos, and other frozen delights, Fall = specialty drinks like mochas and caramel apple lattes and stuff like that, Winter = whatever the heck is strong enough to wake me up and get me out of my pajamas, and Spring...oh glorious Spring! Spring = ICED COFFEE! The greatest invention since regular coffee!

Not that that is a strict coffee schedule by any means... I drink all of the above on any given day... black coffee every morning, so its not like I really stick closely to it...but...but..but...a day like today calls for the loveliest in the land. The iced kind!

Spring also calls for a change in music. I'm done with all of those slow and cheesey love songs that swept my playlist during most of February. No, now I'm talkin Owl City and Zac Brown Band, and other songs that call for the windows down and driving just to drive! Most favorite spring song at this moment "The Bird and the Worm" by Owl City. So weird and naturey and Owl City-y!

Usually I'm crying on the phone to Daniel all like, "Its soooo cold here!" and he's all like, "Its like 75 today...sunny, not a cloud in the blessed sky ::grin::" (I actually hear the grin...its creepy) ... but not today, because today I'm all thrilled, "Its soooo warm outside! I'm wearing flip-flops and Ollie is barefoot!!" To which he replies, "Its pretty nice here too." ... muahaha! Thats why Midwest is best. Because when Spring comes, guess who is more than ready for it? We are! We are! He's all like, ::shrug:: "Who cares?" But we enjoy it soooo much! We love love love it! We wake up like little butterflies from our little cocoons!

Spring is so freeing and wonderful!

Until...I try on swimsuits at Target... where did that bulge come from? I swear I did not have that last summer....and my skin must be like ten shades paler than it was last Spring... Tanning membership must. be. renewed.

Back to the happiness! I had a picnic with Oliver today. The first one of the year. I even let myself get McDonalds (and I am wondering why I hate the swimsuits? sigh) complete with Iced Coffee (woot woot!) and he ate Smooshy Baby Food Carrots. Mmm... 

Anyway. Its been an awesome day. Thank you Jesus! For Iced Coffee, and picnics, and Owl City, and laughter, and friends, and Sunshine, and good books, and reading with babies, and reading with boyfriends, and the windy wind that reminds me how much I love the Midwest!

I love Spring. It has always healed me in more ways than I can imagine. When my mom had her stroke, it was February and it was cold and nasty, but I remember how during those three weeks between the stroke and the funeral, the weather took on a transformation, until one day we stepped outside from the hospital and we realized that it was warm. We shed coats and cried less and smiled more. It was like a little whisper from heaven telling us it would be ok. and it is. I miss her everyday, but God gives grace, healing, love and peace.

Spring is always a reminder of that for me. Of those wonderful friends and family who gave of time and energy and wrapped their arms around us when we needed it most. Those weeks are a struggle for me to remember. It all is like one big blur, but the moments that I do remember are filled with faces of those who I love most.

I know this post was all over the place, but I hope that my joy is contagious for you and that you take the time to step outside, breathe in that air. Look up and thank your creator. I hope you smell that newness and thank God that he allows the Winter  to end. He makes the Spring to come.

Happy Leap Day!

(by the way, these pictures are old. They are from Spring 2009 right after my mom passed away. in case you were wondering! Mercedes is much older now!)