I just heard a bird twittering away inside my chimney. That means several things to me... one is that either some poor bird has fallen to his eventual death inside my chimney, because there's no way out, OR it's just a chimney swallow that knows how to get in and out of vertical spaces like that. And if it's the latter, that means... It's SPRING!
I know by the calendar we haven't yet reached the Vernal Equinox or whatever signals the official start of this beautiful and much-awaited season, but since we were able to enjoy an early ushering-in of Daylight Savings time, it feels very Spring-like. The weather is warmer, and we're expecting a great big storm this evening, the kind that will likely spawn a few tornadoes, lots of wind and rain, and will make me happy to sit inside listening to the glorious sound of it all. I just love storms in the spring. Unlike storms in the fall, they usually bring a damp warmth to the earth that just beckons new growth. I can't wait to see the green, to feel myself coming alive along with the trees and grass and flowers. I think I was made for Spring. It's a time of year that awakens and inspires me to stretch and grow and become better than I was before. I feel motivated to WORK rather than to REST.
I hope this spring-inspired attitude is rubbing off on my children and my students. Perhaps their attitude is rubbing off on me. They've been pretty productive lately. Matthew has been relentless in his pursuit of MORE things to do. In addition to many music-related activities, he made a very compelling case for trying out for track at school. Sadly for him, it was just impossible to add daily practice and weekly track meets to our already full schedule of activities. He was devastated. He loves to take on things, and he also wants to spend more time with his friends than he usually does. He reminds me of me at his age. He'll be 14 next month, old enough for church dances, and is approaching his freshman year of high school next year, which means early morning Seminary. Yikes.
Lydia completed her Science Fair project last week comparing reactions of various acidic liquids with baking soda and baking powder. She had fun doing the experiments both at home and at the Science Fair. What amazes me the most about that girl is her ability to plan and be so organized in her work. She finished every step of the science fair process well in advance of deadlines, and with minimal input from me. As she put it, she doesn't like putting things off to cause her stress when they have to be done, so she gets them done early. Where did this child come from? She's certainly not following my procrastinating example. She's diligent in everything she does, from practicing her violin (without being asked) to cleaning her room (every day, and the pillows are arranged neatly on her made bed) to reading her scriptures (she wouldn't dare miss a day). On top of that, she's loving and cheerful and nearly perfectly obedient. If only she would stay just like she is now, age 10, and never approach teenagerhood.
We also had the Pinewood Derby the week before last for Michael. He did very well, but didn't place. He had made (with much help from Papa) his car to be shiny and silver, so he took home the award for "Shiniest Car". He was a great sport when taking his few losses, as well as his several wins. He's just a shiny, happy boy... when he's not whining. He loves Cub Scouts and received his Wolf badge at the Pinewood Derby. As his mother, I got pinned with the traditional mother's pin for scout advancements, but I have to admit that I did very little to help him. He was so motivated to complete all of his requirements, and simply didn't stop until he had finished. It makes a mom pretty proud to see her kids being driven by their own goals and desires.
Last week we also celebrated David's 6th birthday. Although his birthday was actually on Wednesday, we celebrated it on Friday with a party at home with our family and Craig and his kids. My parents were also supposed to come, but my mom ended up being sick. Fortunately, my schedule opened up on Friday so that I could stay home and make a cake from scratch. David had requested a chocolate cake, so I pulled out a pretty basic recipe for Devil's Food Cake. Not so tough... right? I used to bake often enough that it was, for lack of a better phrase, a piece of cake. But as I tried to put this cake together, nothing seemed to go right. I think I was more clumsy than anything else. I ended up spewing cocoa and flour all over as I started the mixer, breaking an egg on the edge of the counter and dropping it all over myself and the floor, and nearly (but not quite) overturning the whole bowl of ingredients before I mixed it up. Despite all of that, the cake turned out fine, but after what felt like a fiasco of making a cake, I went to the store for icing-in-a-can rather than try to mix up more ingredients for the frosting. It's funny how things that once seemed easy become very difficult if you don't practice them for... years. It's been a very long time since my kitchen and I have felt we really know each other. One of the casualties of single parenthood, I'm afraid.
So as I stood in the cake and frosting aisle at Wal-Mart, I reached for a "number" candle in the shape of the number 6 for David's cake and I was overcome with the realization that I would only get to use that candle one time. In the past, candles have been handed down from child to child as each approached a certain birthday. But not this one. This is our last 6-year-old birthday to celebrate in our family. I didn't cry, but felt a little sense of loss inside me as I realized I have no more babies, not even toddlers or "little" kids. They're all people now with identities, opinions, and needs that are far more complex than feeding and changing.
The seasons cycle and change, as do my children and I. But even with all the growth and change, there are familiar things that make us feel safe and secure. Familiar rhythms of the earth warming and greening, familiar traditions of birthdays and school projects and spending time together. And the familiar chirping of the chimney swallows, returning to my world because once again, it's SPRING.
