One by one, the boys hopped into the van.  Michael greeted each one, so excited to get to play his favorite sport with his favorite buds.  Water bottles, soccer balls,  sweatshirts and excited boys filled the van.   I was taking Michael and 3 of his buddies to soccer practice and the chatter in the van swung from "Dude!" to "I can't wait to see Coach Izzie".  All 4 of the boys still sit in booster seats because they are 7 years old and their height/weight combo doesn't quite add up to a regular seat yet.  Another mama was picking them up from practice, so the boys all had been instructed to take their seats out on to the field with them.  We pulled up to the soccer field, and the boys jumped out, once again lugging their ball,  water bottle and now booster seat.  They raced to round the corner of the school we were practicing at.  Coming towards us from the other side of the building, out of our sight until we met up, was a group of 16 year old soccer players that Coach Izzie also coaches.  These boys were sweaty, boisterous, jingling car keys, and speaking with voices like that of a man.  As soon as my boys saw them, they slowed down, gazed in reverent silence, their eyes widened to the attraction of these older soccer players.  I heard one of the young men say "Look - they all have their car seats..." and just like that time sped up right before my eyes, imagining MY little guy as one of these big boys.  Not so long ago, a mama dropped these guys off at soccer, juggling their water bottle and booster seat, wishing for the day he was old enough to sit in the car without it.  And in the blink of an eye, that boy is now driving himself to practice, probably has a job or a girlfriend, wears a bigger shoe than his mom, studying math she only vaguely remembers.  I got a glimpse into the future on Sunday.  The slow motion move that day around the corner of the school, revealed to me what is just around the real life corner to our lives.  My boy will one day be a young man, and what I saw that afternoon on the soccer field  a few days ago is so much closer than I think it is.  One day, my son will drive himself and his friends, he will have independence and skills and an-almost-grown-up- life.   I'm so grateful to be a part of Michael's world and watch him grow up.  I have the best seat in the house. 

 Daisies are my favorite flowers.  They are cheerful and in my imagination they smile at me. 

The weather forecast was for more snow over the next few days ,

 so I went and bought some sunshine to put some happy into our home.

 Last Monday, I noticed that this plant that hangs out in our bathroom was blooming.

It only blooms a couple of times a year.  The scent gives it away a few days before it actually blooms.  It is one of my favorite plants and brings hope that spring is on its way!

This weekend, we had company.  My sweet sister-in-law brought me this beautiful purple plant.

It is now gracing the counter of one of my favorite little spots in my house.  

 It is so wonderful to have blooming plants around.   Plants have so many similarities to life.

The other day, one of the girls and I were talking about the snow.  We discussed how it is covering the ground and how we were waiting for the day that spring comes and the snow melts.  And then it occurred to me that right now is when the magic happens underground.   We wouldn't have the magic and loveliness of spring without the wet and cold of winter, so maybe I should have patience with it rather than wishing it away.  Sometimes my heart needs the reminder that the magic is going on in me too, even though it might be happening on the inside where nobody can see.  And in time, when conditions are ideal, the magic produces blossoms.  

My Dad calls it "airport noise".  It is the commotion that is always going on around us.  The noise, the words, the opinions, the criticism that rears its ugly head and takes you down.  Down to that place of feeling without purpose, depressed, and unmotivated.  The decibel of the noise has gotten me distracted from what I should be focusing on.  Add onto that a 6 day pounding headache, and THAT is where I've been.

Determined to not stay horse-whipped, I got out of bed today with a different attitude.  Praying for help and pushing forward to keep my eyes focused.  I believe that there are places in my life that the evil one wants to use to push me down.  Places of weakness and fear.  In the stage of life that I'm in (married and raising kids) there are many opportunities to feel defeated and give up: parenting is too hard, communicating with my husband takes too much energy, staying within our budget is too constricting, dealing with an imperfect-middle-aged-hormone-whacked-out body is too difficult.

All of these places can be handles on my life for being pulled down, down, down.  But... the good news - the GREAT news  - comes to me from God's word.  John 16:33 says "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart! I have overcome the world."  Hallelujah and AMEN!!  I am trusting in my Father who is bigger than headaches and hormones and tantrums and budgets.  The promise is that He has overcome.

And the TRUTH is that there is SO much good.  SO MUCH GOOD.  I can't get derailed by the negativity and the hardships, which really aren't that hard they are mere inconveniences.

We have happiness and health and love.  Those things will take me far into believing that in God's power, I can say to the mountain... Move... and it will move.

And so today, I am celebrating the goodness of life, ignoring the outside noises that threaten to distract and discourage.

There is snow on the ground AND falling.  I would rather see the sun, but March is coming and so I know that the sun can't hide forever.