Spring-spiration!

There is a sign in my family room that says, "Winter - A calming white renewal."  This winter did not feel like a calming white renewal.  It felt like an anxious awaiting.  I thought we were waiting for snow, but none came.  Each week I anticipated the weather forecast for a sign that all was well with with world, that there would be snow.  After all it snows in winter.  I really needed to see that snow, to see that beauty.

This winter was out of the ordinary, not extraordinary in the awesome sense, just out of the ordinary, and honestly it left us all feeling a little out of the ordinary. Everyone in our house got some sort of sickness, which was unusual. No healing days of school cancellations came to calm us and renew us. It was like the groundhog woke up day after day and said, no winter, no spring.   Snow makes us pause, catch our breaths, and look.  Not having that opportunity made it feel... rushed.  We never got to slow down.  So I'm taking a 3-minute meditation on my computer right now to just look at pictures of snow.  Maybe it will suffice...
That's better.  Accepting that there will be no true winter, no snow, though, now I am ready for spring.  And after being out of the loop for a few weeks, I am looking for inspiration!
We travelled to Washington, D.C., this weekend and I did find some inspiration for spring.  The White House garden was visible on the South Lawn.  I have to find a way to grow some vegetables in our yard this summer.  I'll look for inspiration for that!

We went to a Christening on Sunday. The monogrammed napkins were beautiful!  I have to get ready for a first communion this May, so I'll be looking for inspiration for that!

Monogrammed napkins from the Stationery Store.  More great ideas here at P is for Party blog, including personalized wreath and cupcake treats.
Walking around the neighborhood I see bulbs and crocuses popping up everywhere.  My little bulbs are barely there, but are coming... I can't wait for that!  New wreaths on the doors, new flags hung out, new flowers planted. 

I'm liking the pink and green, but will have to do blue for the first communion.
There is so much inspiration out there.
I missed winter, but won't miss this spring!