Spring

I long for Spring. Is there anything more delicious than a pink-cheeked child swinging giddily in the breeze, a mass of muddy hands and grass-stained knees, face smeared with a combination of dirt and sticky snacks?

Spring is more than a preview for summer, when the unforgiving sun can sometimes make bare feet impossible and playing outdoors in the peak of the day can be almost unbearable.

Winter teases us with hints of Spring far too early this year. In between snowfalls, we peak our heads outside to discover 50, then 60 degree days. It’s 3 in the afternoon and we’ve bundled up to swing, slide, and simply run free, only to shed layers, until the hours sneak past and the sun sets, taking the warmth with it.

The kids love the flutter of snowfall and hot cocoa to warm their chilled fingers, but Christmas and Valentine’s Day are now passed, and we’ll all be happy to wish winter a Bon Voyage.

Come Spring, baby will be crawling, eager to walk, chasing his siblings in the cool crisp grass. Butterflies, bugs, and dandelions will be new discoveries, delighting his senses, introducing him to a brand new world.

Until Spring comes, we’ll make the best of our winter days, cuddling close, rushing out to enjoy white flakes on our tongues. We’ll enjoy today, knowing the sweet promise of Spring will soon be fulfilled.