~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama.

 

 

 

~breather~

Just in case my 5 million followers were wondering if I fell off the planet.... (hehehehe!)
I'll be back soon. 
Real life is calling.
Thanks for understanding.
XX~ Kelly

~page 191~

Being a parent can be really hard sometimes.

We teach and guide and pray that when our children are away from the home that they make good choices.

But we never know what choices they'll be confronted with or what they'll be exposed to once they step out that front door.

That is what scares me most.



Our oldest came home from school one day last week and started telling me about a book that a female classmate was reading.

This book was on the shelf in their classroom, available for anyone to read.  As much as we encourage literacy in our own home, there are some books that are just meant for adult eyes only.

You would never find such a book offered in a school book order or even in the Young Adult section of the library.

I own a copy of the book.  (This particular author is great, but geared toward an adult audience.) 

I ran and got the book and turned to "page 191" and read the four very *descriptive* pages, just like he had at school. 

It was the longest four pages I've ever read in my life.

His wheels were turning. 

Then the questions started.

And kept pouring in...

and going on...

and on.

Don't get me wrong, I didn't mind him asking.

I WANT him to come to us with questions.

I WANT to be the one to tell him the answers.

The correct answers.

Not the "school bus version". 

What gets me was that we even had to have the conversation in the first place.

I was ready to talk, but wasn't ready for him to hear what I had to say.  We've talked before about the same things, but not to this extent.



The conversation went as well as it could have.

I stressed some important things and kept some items for a later discussion or for him to discover on his own.



Sometimes I wish I could keep them young and innocent forever.

To be able to hold their hands and give them security.

But then I remind myself that we are giving them the proper tools to make their own decisions in life.

We have to slowly let go more and more each day, trust them, and watch them grow before our eyes.

It's awesome and scary at the time.

More than anything, I'm glad we've taught them to feel comfortable enough to come to us with any questions.

 That door will always be open.

~this moment~

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week.

A simple, special, extraordinary moment.

 A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

~raising hens and chicks~

My version of raising hens and chicks... in the city!

This is the closest we'll get to raising our own hens and chicks where we live.  As much as I'd love to be filling these cartons with fresh eggs, we'll have to settle for these babies for now. 

Each season, I cut some of the side shoots off my larger existing plants and get these little ones to root on their own.  I've found that this method works great and I can easily get 18 new plants off the "mama".  I poke holes in the bottom of each section with a pin for drainage, then put another carton underneath with a few pebbles inside to create a space for air flow. 

I know the plants are ready to be moved into another container when I gently try to lift them and they are attached to the soil beneath.  They'll move to a new container for a few months until they get bigger and start having multiple side shoots. Then I'll give some away to neighbors or family and plant the rest in my flowerbeds or containers until the next year.  Then I'll repeat, as needed.  

Someday, I might actually have some hens and chicks with feathers running around our property. 
But for now, these will do just fine!

~eggs~

Today at work we have an activity planned for the Seniors. 
They'll be dying Easter eggs.  On the invite I wrote, "Bring your own hard boiled eggs" and some got a huge kick out of that! 

I ran to the store last night and picked up the dye tablets and cups to dip them into.  I think we'll try the natural dyes at home with the boys this year, but they need to sit longer to reach the color.  So, we'll have to go with the fast dye tablets for today.

It's a blast working with Seniors!
They really are just grown up kids.
I have so much fun at work with this group of people!
You never know what to expect from one day to the next.
Or one sentence to the next.
They are wise, caring, loving, and independent.
And they are family.

Will you by dying eggs this year?
It doesn't matter if your kids are grown, if you are a boy or girl, if you are young or old, or if you've never done it before....
it's a fun time! Colorful eggs are just lovely. Just beware of the "Colorful Finger-Tip Fairy".  She tends to leave her mark every Easter!

~today...~

Today, I am:

waking to the birds singing outside our bedroom window

watching as the ground around us turns greener

appreciative of my family and friends

loving the site of daffodil's and grape hyacinths everywhere

expecting a package in the mail

deciding what character in my husband's novel I am enjoying most

enjoying the smell of the grill as our dinner sizzles away

listening as my little one sings his heart out during his shower

smiling at his song choice

hoping tomorrow is as beautiful as it was today

wishing all of you sweet dreams