Spring's Earliest Child

“With rushing winds and gloomy skies, The dark and stubborn Winter dies: 

Far-off, unseen, Spring faintly cries, Bidding her earliest child arise; March!”

Bayard Taylor

I've come to realize in the past 24 hours that there is an enormous difference between February 28th and March 1st. And this epiphany is kind of blowing my mind.  Those of you who have been following along know everything we've been through to move from Three Schneiders to Four.  And there's just something deeply symbolic about it being March now that feels magical and perfectly-timed now that it's here.  

No fan of winter, I get absolutely giddy with the first signs of spring every year.  This weekend we had a spring preview and spent most of the day Sunday in the yard. We planned our garden, started clearing space in the backyard for the swingset for our little girls, kicked soccer balls through the "peace tree", drew on the sidewalks, blew bubbles and made all kinds of plans for the spring and summer as a family of four.  On more than one occasion, I just paused and took a deep breath and thought "Wow. I am SO lucky."  

It feels like we are turning a corner. Finally.  And I think that Roly waiting until March to join us represents that.  We can leave the winter behind and start focusing on things like the daffodils and tulips poking up through the dirt in the front yard and all the birds that are already back in town. I've always been a huge optimist, but lost a little of that part of myself over the past couple of years. I feel it coming back...and it feels great!

Here are some pictures from Sunday in the sunshine.  The promise of spring. The sweetest little smiles.

And SO much gratitude!