April is a good month- it is full of promise and hope. It is newness and freshness all around: couples walking hand-in-hand in the park, softball, the smell of fresh-turned earth, housewives hanging out winter clothes to air out, neighbors calling across fences, rain on the weekends, mud in the kitchen, dirt and grass stains on little girls skirts, storm windows coming out, screens going in, sparrows carrying bits of straw up under the porch eaves, the arrival of baby chicks, gardeners planting pansies, lawnmowers getting a fine tuning, lambs being born, thunderstorms popping up, farmers working the ground, and prepping their planters. April is the great stirring...

This April has been ups and downs for me. I've had some rough moments.....like the news that my sister is fighting colon cancer; fighting depression, being unmotivated, laying awake for hours with nightmares....and I found myself in the valley of despair!

God got a hold of my heart and showed me that I can gather unto my heart the thorns of disappointment, failure, dismay in my present situation or I can gather unto my heart the flowers of God's grace, boundless love, and unmatched joy.

Today I want to gather the flowers...

life is too short to keep this child's hair combed & shoes on her feet

trying to soak up some of that good Vitamin D

my sweet rays of sunshine

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This month I turned 1 year older. Trust me, it's not a time when I get all pumped up about this occasion, but it is a reminder of how blessed I truly am. Friends out of the corners of the world blessed me with birthday wishes and encouragement, I had a fabulous date night with my one & only, I got pampered, my brother flew home from Haiti & we had a late night hanging out with family. Treasured times.

I have been challenged with the thought: "What do I want my children and husband to remember me for?" This motivates me to give my all, my 100%. This requires me to divorce myself and live a selfless life. To lay down my desires and wants and give, give. Sad to say, I have a lot of divorcing to do....

a walk in the park

Silliness} this is my daughters joke: what flower is between your nose and chin?

cjs