A Taste of Spring!

Yesterday we went down the turnpike and through the woods to Grandma's house. We were going to spend some time out and about with the kids, but the weather wasn't cooperating. It was a rainy, but somewhat warm day as it was in the upper 60's. Austin was having fun playing with the trains, cars, trucks and transformers that his Daddy and uncles used to play with, when in the late afternoon something wonderful happened. The sun came out in a fabulous and brilliant way! We all poured outside and Austin in his best gravelly voice said, "Mark, set, run!!!"
His grandma and I encouraged him to run on the driveway because it had been raining all day and there were definite patches of mud in the grass, but seriously...he is two...so you know he didn't listen. He was loving it!
I honestly felt the cobwebs in my life getting wiped away with every minute in that warm, beautiful sun. Austin headed toward one of the best parts of Spring...flowers.
His grandma was encouraging him to pick a flower for Mommy, but every time she would help him pick one, he just wanted to replant it. Maybe he has somehow gotten a green thumb from somewhere in our genetic pool and I can count on him to take care of my "gardening." Man, that would be really nice! I love the look of flowers and good landscaping, but it is not the least bit relaxing or therapeutic for me to garden. In fact, I am so bug phobic that my heart starts racing just thinking about having to dig in the dirt and possibly run across something with a lot of legs or other strange body parts.
Austin has apparently inherited this bug phobia from me (and his father). While we were outside yesterday he came running over and was pointing to the garage saying, "Buzzy, buzzy!" I asked him if there was a bee in the garage and he said no and took my hand to show me what he had found. I spotted the "buzzy" and it was a ladybug. I tried to explain that it was just a ladybug and it was cute and pretty and he didn't need to be afraid of it, but he wouldn't come near it. Later, there was another one on the side of the house and again I pointed it out. This time he decided to be brave and get a closer look. At that moment the ladybug decided to take flight. He froze in fear and started to whimper and give me that "is it on me" look.
I swear I have tried to be a big girl and not show fear of bugs in front of him. After all that is what a good Mommy would do, no matter how much she is squirming and screaming on the inside. But, regardless of my efforts to be bug brave, he is still not a fan.
That aside, yesterday afternoon was magnificent and I am longing for more, more, MORE of that. Spring is my favorite season and it just renews me and makes my heart sing. The picture below will be cemented in my mind until the next amazing Spring day rolls around. Thank you God for an amazingly beautiful afternoon!