The simple pleasures of childhood

I missed my Monday post, and I can tell you why. I was outside, enjoying the rain from the comfort of my nice old umbrella. I kept thinking to myself, "How long has it been since I took just a few minutes from my busy schedule to do absolutely nothing but stand under a tree in a drizzle and soak up the sights and sounds and earthy scents?" I had so many memories come back, of times when as a child I would build an "umbrella fort" on my front porch during a rainstorm and sit underneath. (It probably didn't hurt that my fort was covered completely by the porch overhang.) I loved the smell of rain and the soothing sounds it makes. I also loved the sounds of the thunderstorm that passed through before I was standing outside yesterday. Taking those few minutes to smile in the rain (as my mother puts it) was a nice change of pace for my busy, crowded life.

Later that evening, I found myself once again outside at a time when I don't usually take the time to be outside--sunset. By that time I've usually had a full day of being out in the sun, and the last thing I want to do is put off eating a well-earned dinner and "waste time" watching a sunset. This time, I got to see part of the sunset and take pleasure in the cool, comfortable temperature of a early spring evening in Texas. I guess as a child I got to enjoy the evenings as my mother made the dinner and my older siblings did the dishes afterwards.

Of course, the original reason I was standing outside in the rain was that I was waiting for a ride to the car dealership where my little Corolla was being repaired. Due to a miscommunication, I was able to enjoy that rain for almost an hour. And the real reason I was outside at sunset was because I had to go in to work for two hours, where I could hardly avoid being outside at the time. It's the simple pleasures of life that fall by the wayside until we are forced to take the time to enjoy them. Like the smell of sausage cooking first thing in the morning...because I need it for the dinner I have to take in as I work late tonight for the fourth day in a row...Ah well. Well, when life gives you lemons...

Here's the outside of our house as of Sunday. It's coming along!



Oh, I forgot to ever post pictures of the Valentine's Day gifts we had in our house this year! Adam told me the only thing he wanted was flowers, so I got him some--lavender tulips! They were beautiful. The bamboo plant is my gift for his desk at work, a low-maintenance plant he will have a hard time killing. The heart-shaped cookies are the cookie bouquets we bought from the Young Women in our ward from their girls' camp fundraiser, and they were mighty tasty!

I've really got to stop taking pictures at night. But that's usually the time I remember that I need pictures of something before it's gone.







Last, but certainly not least, this is the picture that Adam bought for me for Valentine's Day. I've been wanting it for a while, and he remembered! It was so sweet of him. It's called "Journey to Bethlehem," by the artist Joseph Brickey.



I love this painting. I always have. Thank you, honey bunches of oats! I love you!