A Few of My Favorite Things

We are home from our two-weeks in Utah. It was a busy and fun time. Even with much to do, I found it relaxing (Phil probably didn't - he had MUCH more to do than I). Eden had a great time. I think she loved every minute of it. Here are a few of her favorite things:

• Grandpas and Grandmas who spoil and love her.
• Cousins, cousins, cousins (that would be Kesler cousins, Beck cousins, and Voice Male cousins).
• Outside or "sigh" as she calls it now. She loved playing outside on soft grass (ours is coarse); without the threat of yucky, mean bugs (I have a fear of chiggers and the like); and without the muggy, hot, humidity. A big thanks to Lydia and Natalie for endless hours of taking Eden "sigh."
  
• The Voice Male concert in the Centerville park (which was outside, of course). She had so much fun playing with Pinga, and Landon (and her other VM cousins) and then her Beck cousins when they arrived. She loved clapping after each song. She especially loved the food that was available in plenty. Seriously, she ate an entire banana, several animal crackers, about 16 oz. of milk, several grapes, and anything else she could get her hands on. She had a tummy ache that night - go figure!
• Sleeping in (ok this is probably more mine than hers). My mom's sewing room has no windows and is therefore totally dark night and day. It becomes the baby's room whenever there are visitors (and if more than one of us shows up at the same time there is a battle over it). This was Eden's first time sleeping in that room and she totally slept in, later and later each day. She usually gets up with the sun so we are loving this and have draped heavy blankets over her windows in the hopes of duplicating this miracle. (It worked this morning - she slept in until 10, of course she didn't get to bed until midnight.)
  
• The moving walk ways at the Denver airport. We had a two-hour layover yesterday (why is it that when we have 40 minutes we have to cross massive airports to get to the departing gate but when we had two hours we ended up departing from the very gate at which we landed?). There was a moving walk way right by our gate. I bet Eden and I walked back and forth on those twenty times! She loved it. She is just getting a little more confident at walking (still won't do it without holding my hand though) and this was great practice.
• Climbing stairs. Our house doesn't have stairs so she hasn't had much opportunity to develop this talent. She is now proficient and thinks she is pretty cool (we need to teach her how to go down now - anyone want to loan us their stairs?).
• Bath and Bodyworks in the Denver airport. Eden loves lotion and anything that has a nice scent. I took her into the store in the airport and she had a blast trying all the "TRY ME" lotions. She rubbed it on her hands and face and arms and then sniffed and oohed and ahhed. She is such a girl!
• New shoes. Speaking of being such a girl, Eden loves shoes (or "shehz" as she says). Her cousin, Brinley, gave her three pairs of shoes and she thinks they are pretty awesome. Her feet are finally growing (she was a size two forever - I sometimes think this might be why she is a late walker) and she is into size four now. She loves her shehz.

We had such a nice time with friends and family. Thanks everyone! Now we are home and it feels nice. It is good to have friends both near and far. We are pretty blessed.

Seasons

It is actually finally starting to appear and feel like fall around here. Some of the leaves are changing (last fall was absolutely beautiful - rivaled New England) and the temperatures are cooler (although we are still hitting the 80s in the late afternoon). I LOVE fall. I actually really enjoy each of the seasons but there is something magical for me about both fall and spring.

This is a picture of our backyard a couple of weeks ago. Many of the leaves have since dropped. This makes our deck a big heap'o leaves, twigs, acorns, and pecan shells. Of course the squirrels love it.

This morning I watched as a squirrel tried to wrestle a twig - about 2 feet long - up the tree to add to her nest. She did quite the dance with the twig and for a moment I thought she had won but alas, the twig remains on the deck. The squirrels are fat from all the nuts they've eaten (as evidenced by the shells carelessly tossed onto our deck). They are such funny little critters.

In the spring (which came at the end of January last year), the daffodils will greet me. The former owners of our house must have loved bulbs because we have daffodils and irises and day lilies galore! Summer is a little less wonderful to me but I still love the magic of summer with the kids that suddenly appear as if from nowhere. I love the sounds of children playing in the streets (I wish more kids did that these days - I wish it was more safe for them to do that).

Of course winter is wonderful and I'm so grateful that we get to experience a few weeks of winter in Utah each year. I love the feeling of sitting by a fire, sipping hot chocolate, and reading or snuggling as the snow falls outside. Cozy is just the right word for it! (this is actually a picture of the snowstorm we got stuck in on our way home to 'bama last December - I think this is Albuquerque)

I've been thinking about other seasons lately too. The seasons of my life. Sometimes when I read about the lives of some of my single friends like this one or my friends who don't have kids yet, like this one, I think, "what am I doing with my life?" I wonder if I am developing my skills and talents. Then I recall that I am changing diapers, singing songs, loving and (I hope) encouraging my husband, making meals, buying groceries, cleaning the house (although not often enough), and so forth. I am also learning some new things along the way. Most significantly, I'm learning about faith, service (on the receiving end as well as the giving), and friendship. I enjoy this season of my life. I hope that I utilized my time in prior seasons in a good way. I hope I served and developed talents and enjoyed unique experiences. I don't think I wasted too much time pining away for another season. I hope not. Now another season is upon me and I hope I don't long for those days of "self development" too much and instead enjoy this season.

Of course, the real miracle of the seasons is that without the buds you would never have the blooms and if the leaves didn't fall new buds couldn't develop. Each season depends on the ones before. They also prepare the way for the ones to come. Enjoy the seasons - Eccl. 3: 1 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."