Spring yin and yang

This has been a hard month.  I knew before February ended that my March would be straightjacketed with scheduled obligations, mostly my children’s.  When I say that, it sounds negative.  I don’t mean to whine.  I’m happy to be able to chauffeur my kids to all of the places they need to go.  I’m happy to have a schedule that allows me to volunteer (and dress like a pig in a tutu) at my daughter’s school.  I’m happy to give my time and energy to fundraising for her school too. (Side note: the read-a-thon that I co-coordinated with another awesome mom raised over $2,300!!!  This overwhelms me with joy when I think of how many truly needy kids at that school will benefit from the additional funds.)  So, I am tired but relatively happy.

What I hadn’t counted on was my father’s girlfriend of six years ending up in ICU and bouncing between the hospital and nursing home.  What I hadn’t counted on was her diagnosis of inoperable cancer.  I hadn’t counted on her rapid decline or my father’s remorse.  It has been a hard month.

Despite the hectic schedule and the emotional roller coaster, my husband and I put in a couple hours of yard work to bring a few plans to fruition.  I had the vision, my husband did the grunt work, for which I thank him.  So, to balance the sorrow of this past month, we have spring in our yard.  Woody weeds removed, forsythia planted, grass seed scattered, and detritus cleared, kids on bikes and hiding in tents on the lawn, the dog happily chasing squirrels.  A little solace on the porch.  Soon I will plant the fledgling knock-out rose bush in the back flower bed, scatter some lettuce seed in the vegetable garden and plant some summer dahlia rhizomes to replace the perky tulips.  And it will help.

Forsythia from above

I look forward to the forsythia sprawling like a wild child