Changes on the Horizon

This time of year...love it!  We've been taking advantage of the cooler temps and walking different parts of the town.  Forest Park is always a favorite, but we've been down by the river and yesterday was perfect for a short hike out at Shaw Nature Reserve.  There is just the slightest hint of color beginning to appear in the trees.  The prairie grasses were so pretty in the blowing wind. 

I'm feeling the winds of change in our life again...a new season may soon begin.  It's so hard taking that first step that can change the course of a lifetime.  But, sometimes, I think, we just have to jump in with both feet and see what God has in store.  Don't you wish that He would just write it in the sky, tell us what we should do.  Well, as we all know, it's not that easy.  I have to rely on the peace I feel when a decision has been made, that it was the right one. 

 

Along the Meramec River



 

Forest Park

 

 

Shaw Nature Preserve

 

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
⁶ in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6  (NIV)

March Going-Ons

March has kept me pretty busy.  Beki came home for Spring break and spent a week home.  We did all the fun girl stuff...chick flick, lunch, shopping.  The school year is quickly coming to an end and it won't be long before she's home for the summer.  It happened to be my birthday week, so I was really glad to have her home to share it with me.  We went to dinner on The Hill, Charlie Gitto's.  The food is incredible and I ordered one of my favorites, the lobster bisque.  Everyone really blessed me this year.  Mom sent me a bird feeder full of Easter candy!  I got a fun set of paper weights from my sister.  John bought me two new photography editing software programs.  Knowing my weakness for chocolate covered cherries, my sister-in-law sent a sweet little package. 

But I have to say, the thing that meant the most was the simple card from my daughter that said no matter what, she'll always need her mom.  Our children grow up, move out on their own, and sometimes, we are left not really knowing our place.  Not sure where we fit into their new, busy lives.  We go days sometimes weeks without hearing from them and we wonder if they even remember.  Do they realize how much they are missed?  How hard it is to fill that void where they once stood?  So, it really does mean the world, when they take the time to let us know we are still needed.  It's been a hard year of adjustments for me, but it's finally starting to get a little easier.  The quiet days are growing on me and I expect there's a reason for this reprieve, this time to just be still.  I have a feeling my life is going to change dramatically over the next couple of years. 

Been doing a little more decorating, finished up our family room and this week, I painted Beki's bedroom.  The house is slowly getting to where we want it.  Eventually, I'll get our bedroom painted and probably the main area of the house and then the basement.  There's plenty still for me to do.

We got a couple of nice days among all these cold March days, John and I took a little walk through the sculpture park, played with the cameras to see what we could come up with.  I tried a few in black and white.

And spent one afternoon at Forest Park.  It just felt really good to be out in the sunshine.

Balloon Race in Forest Park

I revisited some photos from this past summer's balloon race. It's an annual event in St. Louis.  If you get the chance, it's a must see.

Race Day

Saturday was the 40th annual Forest Park Balloon Race.  John and I spent most of the day over there watching them prep and photographing the race.  The weather was good, just wish we had blue skies.  It's a hare and hound race, so they release the energizer bunny first as the hare, then the rest of the balloons try to chase it down.  They throw beanbags from above to see who comes the closest to the hare!  Before the race, they had a show of skydivers.