bright bouquet of tgit comin' atcha

So, you know how I said winter and Spring aren’t fighting anymore? Well, I still stand by it.  They are, however, engaging in playful romps of mischief and tom-foolery.  In other words, Monday it snowed-but it was 43 degrees and there was some blue sky and sunshine defying such outward displays of winter affection. 

It was soft, delicate flakes and it lasted all of 5 minutes.  Winter still salutes us here.  She wants no one to forget that for 12 more days, it is officially calendar winter.  But winter, sometimes I do forget.  And, as the Backstreet boys once so eloquently put it, I want it that way.  

You know what makes me forget?  The trumpets that the dear Lord scattered about the planet to herald the arrival of Spring in all of her flowery, luminous array.

These glorious instruments, with their lemon hued heads, and happy petals circled about the mouth of their horn, using all of the power in their bright little faces to announce to all who gaze upon them “Hear ye, hear ye!  Spring is nigh!  Resurrection always comes! Our Creator is ever-Faithful!”.  

They are joined by tiny pink and red buds slowly awakening on the trees

and the rare, but coveted sight of a rhododendrum tree exploding with the purpliest purple I ever did see.  This is what purple was made to look like, people.  This is the form of purple.  

And this tree.  This tree made me squeal with delight.  Those unopened delicate pink blooms promise nothing but hope and happiness to come.  

Winter can have her last romp, but Spring is being proclaimed in creation every day. And daylight savings time this Sunday is going to knock it out of the park. I take the pro stance on later sunsets. It whispers of summer nights to come, and fireflies dancing on the wind. And yes, I am getting ahead of myself, but I can't help it. I am cuckoo for Spring and Summer and I don't care who knows it.

This week has felt funky. Maybe because it began with a sky covered in grumpy looking clouds on one side, and a blue cheery one on the other. Maybe because it snowed in 40 degree weather while the sun was a-shinin. Maybe because the desert is a strange and foreign place to be wandering, and I am feeling that in my spirit. Whatever the case may be, I'll keep following the Light in the darkness, because:
"In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me;he restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff comfort me" Psalm 23:2-4

And i'll also keep wearing flower headbands, and taking Ella on picnics and frolics, and loving on my little buggybear like it's what I was born to do.

It kind of definitely is what I was born to do, actually. Love is the universal vocation of humanity. I just happen to have the rootinest tootinest sweetest fairiest most preciously adorable niece upon whom to practice my vocation to love.

Plus, my "job" job is pretty much all about loving the two little souls I have in my charge during the day. God is very generous with me. 

i did absolutely no editing to this photo.  it was really truly this good.  actually, even better in person.

And the sunset I stumbled into tonight went above and beyond to prove He Loves me. While my mind was being blown by the sunset in front of me, I needed only turn around to get my socks fairly knocked off. Behold a full moonrise.  

This was happening at the exact same time the ethereal ever-changing rainbow sunset was showing off her most glorious plumage. 

It was agony (the kind that feels good) to decide which side of the sky to let sink into my soul. I settled for pulling a 180 every minute or so, to check out all the acts of this once in a lifetime show. The stops, they were a pulled out.

And the Beloved just threw in a perfect breeze/temperature to seal the deal. We are infinitely Loved. Sunsets, with all of their mesmerizing, never the same from minute to minute, hues and cloud placements, prove the Beauty, creativity, and goodness of God. He didn't have to make it beautiful. He just did, to remind us He is always with us and He wants that kind of Beauty for all of us only for eternity. This here was just a tiny sample of the Glory of eternity. The thing about me is, I love me some free samples of the real deal. I love 'em at froyo places, at grocery stores, and i REALLY REALLY love them being thrown at me from every angle in creation.

Thursday is supposed to be in the 70s here. THANK GOODNESS IT'S THURSDAY!!!!!!! Remember, there is Spring in the desert, too. Listen to those trumpets and get a little jiggy with their wild n' crazy tune.

TGIT, y'all. TGitUP!