tg(SPR)i(NG)t

“February showers bring March flowers”, I chanted to an unamused 4 year old during a particularly fierce downpour the other day.  “Why did you say that?”, was her scathing reply.  I deigned not to give her a lengthy response, because I myself was unamused with the ‘tude.  However, if she had been in the twinkly fairy mood that she adopts when she is free of sass, and had we not been in the car, my response might have resembled something to this effect:

A jig, coupled with a few moves I learned from my *NSYNC lovin’ days all to the tune of Spring breezes whispering through wind chimes keeping perfect time with the newly hatched bird songs.  

Spring Jig.  Mr. Potato Pants included.

In other words, we have officially entered into the sweet, sweet month in which the battle of good vs. evil (aka Spring vs. Winter) is finally called off.  Because no one wants to fight when the flowers are waking up from their long winter’s nap.  

In Texas, this is the time when creation begins to yawn and stretch and blink her lovely starlit eyes into the new world of sunshine and scented mountain laurels.  

Texas Spring

Oh how I miss my little home street and the perfume of those otherworldly purply clusters of God’s Love.  I don’t know if Virginia has mountain laurel, and it wouldn’t be as good as Texas’ if it did, so I’ll be content with the cherry blossoms that I have heard nothing but resounding praise for since I moved here.  

February and I are pals for many reasons.  A)  She kicks January’s hind quarters out of my life for another year  2) She colors my world with pinks, reds, whites, purples and it is the only month I feel my hunger for heart shaped things is sufficiently satisfied

D) She almost always welcomes Lent and thus begins my countdown to Easter (37 more days in case you were curious) and last, but never least, she is the rainbow trail to the glorious month of March.  

I walked out of the house today to be greeted by the warmest morning I have had here since summer bid us a fond farewell months ago. As I walked the sidewalk quite literally to the tune of a rejoicing chorus of birdsong, there was a man holding a cup o' morning cheer (coffee) on the same walk coming my way, and it was one of those moments that I desperately wished I lived in a musical. If I did, we would have been walking in rhythm to the Spring chorus and both of us would have had our hands up ready for the high five that I so wanted to give him. Alas, 'tis not so, and I lament it. At least the birds were voicing what I was feeling.

Spring tulip in pastels by Elisa Dehan
on sale now

This month will forevermore be tinged with the glow of Spring Breaks of my youth, colored by adventurous road trips to California, riding top down with my friends basking in the golden state’s famous sunshine, dancing on the top deck at the lake in Texas’ even better sunshine

ski trips with my family where it was not freeze-your-toes-off kind of skiing, and you get your fix of warmth in a hot tub with a mountain view that almost makes it okay that you still have to wear winter clothes.

All hail the conquering month of Spring.

My Momma was born in March.  She was made for the sunshine and flowers just as I was, and it’s why we were born in the Spring.

I used to think I was a summer baby, but I have since learned that May is still Spring for another month, and I am so taking that and running with it (kite in hand, of course).   

How many times can I write the word Spring in one post? We may find out today.  

And yes, I am well aware that it won’t be officially Spring until March 20th.  I am also well aware that I don’t care.  It’s like when December 1st hits.  We all know that Christmas is 23 days away, but the Christmas cheer is already lighting a fire in our hearts and we know that the joy of Christ’s birth is quite near.  We can prepare ourselves for the celebration with the awareness behind it all that it won’t be long before we are singing glory to the Newborn King and eating figgy pudding.  Thus we prepare accordingly with warm batches of gingerbread men and I prepare by making it a point to incorporate red and green into almost every outfit.  

Spring follows this rule with gusto.  March 1st hits and it’s all over but one of my most favorite rituals of the year: the  packing away of winter clothes.  I think I may have to throw a party whenever that one fine day arrives in Falls Church, Virginia.  I am getting giddy about the thought of this right now.

this may or may not be a page in a j.crew magazine

In place of gingerbread men, I make the first banana bread loaf of Spring.  For whatever reason, I almost never make banana bread save for the Spring.  It’s like pumpkin bread in my mind-it must stay with the season it belongs in.  I don’t know why I would consider banana bread a spring thing other than the fact that bananas are yellow, and yellow belongs to Spring.

I also belong to Spring, and Ella and I have been screaming with joy every time we see a tree putting on her finest for this ethereal season’s grand entrance.  Look out, because the posts from here on out are going to be exploding with Spring joy. 

If you thought I liked Texas and talking about it and how great it is, you ain’t seen nothing yet.  And if I am in Texas during Spring.  It will be all over but the frolicking in streets paved with sunshine and my hair blowing in the wind created by a thousand fluttering butterflies.  

TGIT, baby.  TGIT and Spring and weekends were made for each other.  And without further ado, what I know you have all been awaiting with bated breath for, my pick for photo of the month.  

photo of the month: February 2012

I chose this photo because it captures a moment of utter joy. My friend Maria had, only a couple of hours before this shot was taken, been asked to spend the rest of her life with the man she loves very much. Nothing but happiness ensued after her acceptance of such a proposal, and I was blessed enough to be at the celebration to capture a few flecks of golden happiness radiating from her whole person. I love how she kept the hand that held the physical symbol of her new life to come so close to her heart as she described to us the magic of her proposal. February, the month that is full of hearts and love, ended perfectly with this celebration of beautiful love anticipating union through the holy Sacrament of Marriage. Cheers, Maria and Steven!

On one more celebratory note, the first of March is not only the bees knees because it hails the arrival of Spring. It also hails the anniversary of the arrival of one of my nearest and dearest friends in this life: Patricia Maria Nelson. 

Otherwise known as Truby Caritas, or Trishey. Today is her 24th year of life on this earth, and I heartily celebrate and give glory to God for creating so beautiful a human being.

She also belongs with the Spring. She is light and dancy and matches the flowers and sunshine.

I'd like to stay and chat, but I have some seriously high fiving to do. I know Ella will oblige. Plus, I get to go flip my calendar page from February to March. So much love. Must be TGIT or something. Go chase your shadow with a yellow lollipop in tow. Or something like that. Happy March! Happy Spring Month! Happy TGIT! Happy LIFE!!!!