Spring Back

I love a lazy morning. The sun coming through the curtains to rouse me to wake rather than the buzz of an alarm. A few slow moments resting still tucked in my sheets, watching the sun dust slowly fall in the mid-morning sun. It is finally spring, and yesterday was my first spring morning with a slow wake. And I'll tell you what- I feel revived. 

Spring Sarah has awoken. Like one of those sleepy head daisies from the animated Alice in Wonderland. Rubbing my crusty, tired eyes. Batting my petal lids at the sun. I've unfurled myself, readying for the sun to enliven me after a long long winter underground.

Every year, sometime around February, I dissolve a little. Don't get me wrong, I love winter. I seriously cry happy tears at the sight of the first snow! But after a couple months, I become stir crazy and pudgy from a sedentary snow lifestyle. And, like clockwork, the sadness comes. It's been this way since I was a teenager. 

And this year, since I had a husband to care for me and binge watch crappy television with, I didn't find respite in the creative outlet of my blog. In fact, I've abandoned it for a good long time. At one point, I considered giving it up for Lent since I'd already gone so long without it. (I know, I'm a cheater.)

When I'm sad, I know that making something, doing something creative WILL help me feel better. I know this, and yet it's so hard to just DO it. Isn't that the way it is for you? We know what's best for us, but it's starting a new habit that's the hardest. Or even re-starting, in the case of this neglected website.

So this morning, the sun shining in, It's the first step. The tiny push to get the ball rolling. And once that ball is rolling, the inertia should pick up. But baby steps to begin with.

First, I'll wake up before my alarm. And, then -still in my pjs til 10- I'll plant some pretty spring flowers. Get things growing again.

I'll water them daily. I'll clean my bike chain. A little hard work goes a long way.

In a month's time or less, we'll all be blossoming in summer.   

Won't that be beautiful!

Two Weeks Absent - A Recap

It has been a long hard couple weeks of lots of work work work and little play play play. I am looking forward to the weather getting warmer again and perhaps a wrist on the mend from overuse. As a result of the busy-ness I have been exhausted, and thusly really neglectful of this space. Here's a quick recap of recent creative outlets and life events:

Easter.  My church hosted an amazing Easter service at the UD arena in Dayton. 7,500 people were in the stadium and another 500+ in the children's tent hanging out with me. It was an amazing experience. I build three spacey costumes for myself and two friends to wear as we lead worship for the kiddos. Poly-tubing cover makes for some Jetson fashions, let me tell you. 

photo by emilee hermon

Overall, What an awesome day! I, like many others, may have had my doubts about holding the service at such a large arena. (Seating is up to 13,000!) But people showed up in droves, and it was a really fantastic morning filled with great community feelings and an overwhelming sense of hope for a city rejuvenating itself.

The event name was "Crazy Hope".The music was crazy huge, the volunteerism was crazy organized, the whole thing was crazy inspiring. And by the end I was crazy tired. Still am. Tomorrow is my first day off in forever. I am crazy excited.

photo by lindsay hefner

It was kind of weird how my parents (who also served at the event) and I were too tired for regular Easter-type festivities and ended up noshing at Smashburger instead of having family dinner time with ham and scalloped potatoes. Perhaps a new tradition has begun?

photo by guy r. clemons 

Gardening. I have been trying to grow some plants in my back patio area and have succeeded at starting some kale. My lettuce seed are fighting hard against the frosty mornings but seem to be losing the battle. Kale is awesome, though. I love to eat it and I'm happy it's hardy like me.

Online Pruning. I spent a couple hours reading through the content of my old livejournal (which I wrote in ca. 2003-2008) and collecting the content for posterity before deleting it from the blogosphere.

Reading those 293 PDF pages of pure mush made me realize that I spent a good deal of my early twenties being pretty unhappy. It was a hard realization to make, as when I look back on that time of my life (mainly, the college era) I conjure up positive memories. My journal tells me that I was often lonely, often grumpy, often feeling misplaced and depressed. Sometimes, right now, I do feel lonely and wish for a relationship. But holy moly, looking back on those times when I was in a serious, long term relationship (one that I thought was "the one", in fact!) I realize that I am much happier now than I was then. I love my life, my family, my friends. I see my calling in life much more clearly. I think I'm great. And I really do see the "glass huff full" most of the time. Life is good!

Nephew Turns 4. I totally scored when I found this awesome plane attachment for my nephew's bike. The face says it all, right? (Also - isn't he adorable?!) I cannot believe this munchkin is four. Where has time gone?

The coming week promises me more time for myself and some summery projects I have in mind. I also have some interesting prospects in other areas of my life. Spring has sprung. Here goes nothing.

Spring Crafting Comes Naturally

Recently, the seasons have taken a jarring turn for the better. Oh I am ready for spring. I was sick most of last week with an icky flu-like ailment. When I finally felt better I was greeted with the above sky and a gorgeous spring day. I said, hello spring and pulled out some crafts I'd had in the dockets.

With some guidance from my friend and neighbor, Madison (a peppy elementary teacher and scarf maker for a little boutique in Peoria, IL), I tackled a painting I had been wanting to do for a big, bland, blank spot on a wall in my office. I've never been much of a painter, but I had fun thinking outside of the box and making a little bit of a mess in my parking space on a Sunday afternoon. I think the final product 

will really brighten up the space.

Afterwards Madison and I spent some time making scarves in her homey little craft room. She taught me a couple tricks of her trade and I ended up with a repurposed fishy sarong. We'll see whether I can pull it off or not, but I really do like the fabric a lot more now that the sea life scenery has been deconstructed.

So far, spring is just great. This evening after work I got together with 4 friends and neighbors to toss around a frisbee. It's pretty great that I like my coworkers so much that I want to hang out with them after a whole day of seeing them in the office. Madison made a comment about how it felt a little like college. She was totally right. 

With the sun glaring just right off my glasses, I was transported back in time. The sounds of the neighborhood kiddos playing on the swings were the voices of my teenage friends in the quad my freshman year at Kenyon College. It seems like so long ago. Sometimes I even forget about that year of my life, having transferred to Beloit after only one year at the Ohio College. I have a lot of history in this state, and it feels good to be living here again after all the places I've hopped around from. Nothing like Spring to remind you how great the journey can be.