Springtime & wildflowers

I'm absolutely sure that I cannot say one specific season is my favorite.  I do prefer warm over hot & cool over cold but that's about it.  Way back in 2014 I wrote a post called Autumn at the Nest followed a few months later by Ice, Snow & a Stomach Bug. The title of that second one brings upon momentary depression. To this day I STILL preface every plan in the making with "if everyone is healthy we will....." Those yucky weeks really took a toll on our family. So far, this is a strange combination of words to accompany Spring pictures in the wildflowers but if you look back at the Autumn & Winter posts you will find a verse of a song called Every Season by Nichole Nordeman. This is me still trying to catch up two years later & (almost) complete the idea of a post per verse/season! In this case it's better late than never. Here is #3 of 4 posts.

This past winter was nothing like the "harsh" winter we experienced the year we returned to Dallas meaning we saw snowflakes once for about 30 minutes. I know my definition of a "harsh winter" shows that I am Texas born & raised...and a total wimp. Still, the idea of winter is important leading up to the verse about spring. So, glance back at those frozen pictures from early 2015 & imagine what happened to the earth underneath & for those of you who live in arctic like climates, don't laugh at me! We did live in the Sunshine State for the 6 winter's prior & was naturally vitamin D deficient upon return to this great state that has shorter seasons than most other parts of the country.

Not only was I cold & missing the sunshine during those months but our family was in the middle of a really difficult time. I had been diagnosed with a seizure disorder in October, took an abrupt leave of absence from my Labor & Delivery RN job & was unable to drive for five months. Without the assistance of someone else I was literally trapped at home with four children 5 & under. The Lord was SO gracious to provide many people to serve in tangible ways such as taxi-ing us around town or being a personal shopper at Tom Thumb (Kate Wallace....you're the best). We were on edge wondering if I would have another seizure & praying that I would be therapeutic on the medication as quickly as possible. I had a repeat MRI at the end of the five months & then the week I was able to drive again we found out that there would be another Valentine baby...best news ever. When the sun came out we felt like we could breathe again.

The final line of the previous verse says "Even now in death you open doors for life to enter, you are winter" & the transition to this verse is the culmination of the song. Instrumentally it's beautiful. The next words are....

And everything that’s new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season’s change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

It certainly felt like all things were made new. What a beautiful transition it was to witness in the world around us & in my own heart. My medication became therapeutic & we were given the gift of a new baby in the womb. God was faithful to help us persevere & that was a meaningful Spring here at the Nest.

This Spring was uniquely special as it was our first at the new house where we hope to be for a long time. It just so happens that our neighborhood parks were covered in wildflowers. We caught those beauties perfectly in bloom & were delighted to have our friend Brooke (and her trusty old camera) meet us on the windiest day....like 24 mph winds. It was also 60 degrees outside which combined with the wind felt pretty chilly! Thankfully we had some breaks from the hurricane like breeze & were able to get some wonderful family pictures with the help of another friend who jumped around & squealed to get everyone's attention. It worked!

  

Maybe in 2 more years I will finish the series with a Summer post....or maybe I'll surprise myself ; )