Springtime Joy

It is springtime which is the signal of many things in the Dumoulin house - the start of our garden, the collection of many critters who now reside in our "backporch zoo," late dinners due to outdoor play, a desire for our typical routine and schedule to change. I am antsy for the school year to end which makes it doubly hard to hunker down and complete our daily academic tasks.
Sadie's make-shift reptile and insect zoo has come to life again, her various collection of old tupperware containers, aquarium tank, and even empty glass bottles scattered along the porch. Currently we have a worm snake, tadpoles, a large frog, and an Eastern Fence lizard.  Last night, I had to call her in from down the driveway.  She arrived red bucket in hand, muddy boots, her hair slightly matted to her head - a mixture of an earlier swim practice and sweat from her activity.  She arrived with a joy in her soul that there were an unbelievable amount of frogs and tadpoles down in the little water pools created from the recent rains.  How she loves to be in the world exploring.

For me the yard beckons to be tidied up from its winter doldrums.  The birds began chirping in early March and we have enjoyed watching and documenting the transient birds that make their way to our feeders and bird houses. Our little garden patch overgrown with weeds and a few leftovers from last season needs to be cleaned up and tilled.  I almost feel the outdoors whispering our names each day to abandon what keeps us inside and run carefree and wild in its offerings.  Hard to resist.

Spring Has Sprung!

Spring has sprung at the Dumoulin house. The kids are finishing up their week of spring break which has felt so much like summer vacation that I am dreading Monday. The weather has been unbelievably warm and I have really enjoyed having the kids with me.

The kids have taken every advantage of it by playing outside - riding their bikes and scooters, playing in the old chicken coop, on the trampoline and down at the creek. Yes, the creek. You know what that means? Critters!

A baby turtle with a salamander on its back. Now THAT is unusual, slightly bizarre.  The turtle has been with us for several days now.  He has been given a name, Boxer.  The addition of the name is a bit concerning.

To the left of the reflection from my flash is a crayfish.

And finally, this is an example of what has just been added to the endangered species list...MY TUPPERWARE!

I told the kids new tupperware would be coming out of their allowance.

Spring also means market cleaning (boo!) and starting our garden (yay!). Our little patch of goodness is coming along. I am so excited something that has already begun sprouting! SUNFLOWERS! And lots and lots of them.

The seeds were a gift from my Aunt Sue. We planted them in a row beneath our kitchen windows so that we will have this beautiful view of sunshiny, bright yellow flowers sometime in about 2 - 3 months. We will have to weed some of them out, because we overplanted. If anyone wants to come take a few, be my guest!

We still have some maintenance and beautification issues to take care of, but all in all, it is a start.

Elsewhere in the garden, my lettuce is looking a little weak, but I think that is because we had that string of bizarre 90 degree days this week. Tomatoes, green beans, squash, zucchini and a couple of cucumbers. I have a pot with some herbs, another pot with a few strawberry plants and another single rosemary plant. I am still waiting to plant the sugar peas and various peppers. The kids have been an integral part of the process - weeding, watering, etc. I think today they will feed the garden and all the rose bushes in the yard.  We have our first strawberry!

Huh. I just realized that I will need to find someone to watch the dogs and water the garden while we are on our trip in May/June. Add that one to the list.

In a move that can only be describe as self-destructive, I took Sadie to the store that makes me insane yesterday. Yes, Justice. Sadie chose a new scarf and decided she was much better off with her budget to go to Claire's. Good move Sadie! The kids had some money from Valentine's, Easter and from money earned for market cleaning. Let me make a note that my kids have become quite the expert cleaners. For example, Ethan rocked the baseboards in the house and Sadie is a meticulous furniture polisher. Their attitudes have also been that of servanthood for a change and that has made the week wonderful.

Therefore, we have done quite a bit of fun stuff, along with the cleaning. We went to the zoo, the kids had a night with one set of grandparents where they fished and had a bon fire by the creek. The other grandparents took them to lunch and the movies. Two kids have had sleepovers with their cousins and one had a playdate at another friend's house. I failed at getting us to the Civil Rights' Museum or ArtQuest - both things I wanted to do. However, I had to get the house ready for market and we just ran out of time.

This morning my little love rolled over in her sleeping bag. She coughed quite a bit and then looked at me. Her first words of the morning, "I love you, Mommy." What a great way to start the day. If this is any indication of what is to come, I say BRING ON SUMMER!

End of Winter Update

The turn of winter into spring - at least on the calendar - never fails to stir in me a fervent desire to travel. It happens every year. We have had one of the coldest, seemingly longest, snowiest winters I can recall in my lifetime. Statistics probably prove otherwise, but for someone who gags when she is overly cold, this winter has been the pits. March, only a days away, signifies spring to me, whether the biting winter winds have died down or not. It is also time to start putting away the heaviest of winter clothes - the corduroy, the velvet, the wools, etc.

In previous years, March drove me to the streets. I felt like a caged wild cat, needing to get out, explore, anything for a change to the daily grind. I would hit the road with the kids, heading to the beach or to catch up with friends. Many times it was in tandem with my sister. Now that all the kids are in school, it makes the possibility pretty slim. And, with all that is going on with the business, it is not the time to "get away." My heart still pines for the warmth of the sunshine and change of scenery. I guess I will just have to settle on traveling 2 hours east for the kids' last swim meet of the season in Raleigh. The warmth will have to come from the humidity of the indoor pool.

I write this post on the heels of Jay's return to our home. He was away for 11 days for work. The kids were really out of sorts with him being gone. In the end, I was weary from consoling little children and wiping crocodile tears. I had to deal with some behavioral situations with Sadie, a crick in the neck with Lily and a weekend I had planned on being out of town since November, the logistics of which were quite ridiculous. However, I have found the most wonderful retreat for scrapbookers or any women wanting to get away. Whispering Winds. Simply divine!

Today was special because Sadie was baptized today. It was a sweet time of celebration. So many of our friends and family came to show their support. Throughout the service, she kept asking when was it going to be time. In her videotaped testimony, she said that the reason that she decided to get baptized was that she wanted everyone to know that she loves Jesus, the He is her Savior and that He is her Lord. She also talked about how Ethan led her to Jesus. It was a very special moment for our family.

Jay was asked to say a few words and here is what he said:

Ten years ago, Kelsey and I were baptized on the same Sunday in this church. It took us a lot longer to decide what you have already done in your short 8 years, Sadie. We are so proud of the choice you have made today. On your own, you have chosen to proclaim to your family, friends, and church that Jesus Christ is Lord of your life. Sadie, this is not the pinnacle of your journey with God. This is just another step that deepens your commitment to living out a Christ-centered life. We pray that you will continue to call upon Him in your time of need, that you will praise Him in the triumphs and in the defeats, and that you will understand that nothing surpasses knowing Him and being loved by Him.

I would like to close with this promise: Psalm 91:9-11
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

We finished the day with a lunch at our house, adding in a birthday celebration for my grandmother - 84!

I was checking the kids' Friday school folders this evening. Sorting through the papers, I realized how much my youngest is growing this year. Adding numbers, writing little sentences like, "I like to ski."

Slow down! I wanted to scream, "Slow down clock. You make me very uneasy." And then, just as I needed it, like a director said, "ACTION!" Lily came prancing into my room, her hair a little unkempt and scraggly, wearing unmatching pajamas, requesting a "Lily sandwich" from her parents. She still needs me. Just reassuring to know.