On The Verge

This winter has passed by very quickly.

It must be that we live in a climate where we have not been buried in snow since November, or the fact that people here plant potatoes in February.  True, we are 10 days from the first official day of spring.  Yet spring is here, if not just in my mind.  

It seems that the Minnesota winters of my lifetime have poured over in to the spring months and it wasn't until May of each year that I could really wrap my head around the pleasantries of flowers and gardens and walking around without boots.   It isn't like that now on our little hobby farm in Kansas.  I like calling it a hobby farm.  It makes me feel a little giddy. 

We are on the verge of an explosion of events around these parts.  That may be a bit dramatic.  I hope nothing will explode.  But these next weeks and months will be marked by new babies (not from my uterus-thankfully), several significant outdoor house and land projects, not to mention our first attempt at a large vegetable garden.  All of these things could take a great deal of time and should have involved some planning over the winter months.  However, winter didn't really feel like winter.  Where was the down time that was supposed to happen in January and February?  I can't count how many times we could be heard last fall saying, "We can do that over the winter months".   There is a very long list of things that haven't happened.

I need a full-time nanny.  And a housekeeper.  And a chef.  And for Jason to be a stay-at-home dad.  

I really don't need any of those things.  We would have no money and likely gain a ton of weight if we had all those things.  And without money we couldn't do any projects.

All of the things that occur this spring will happen, if truly necessary, in His perfect time.  The feeling of being on the verge of something major happening is exciting and stressful.  There are very few days that I ever feel as if we are just coasting - despite our very relaxed life in the country.  I am thankful for the anticipation of events on the horizon, as long as I can keep an eternal perspective of what is really important - which is one of my greatest challenges. 

If I'm not around for one of the births on the farm, then so be it.  If we don't get the garden to really take off this year, then maybe we will next year.  If Sam skips a nap because of his new found ability to leap out of his crib, he is still really cute.  If we don't cover all the math concepts for home education that I thought we would, my children will still be great kids.   But if I can't get my computer to upload photos from my camera, well, then..... I will be just fine, I know.   

Even if we can't post photos, we will certainly keep you updated on our spring adventures.  We are on the verge of making fun memories - and hopefully I won't need to put my arm inside our birthing goat.  That would really make for an interesting spring.