Leaf by Elizabeth

I had the rare opportunity to go for a walk by myself today. The snowbanks which once were so pristine are starting to melt and showing their age. Usually I just see them and think, "yuck!" But today I discovered that they are creating beauty in their melting (must be a spiritual metaphor in there somewhere, but I'm too tired to find it). I love looking for beauty. When I do, I feel like I'm partnering with God- he created the beauty, and I'm seeing it and framing it. And there is so much beauty to find. Snowbank icicles and ice sculptures. The dark outline of trees against the late afternoon sky. A sunset over a snow-covered field. As a little bonus, here's a George MacDonald quote that I came across today- I really like it. "You are ready to be miserable over trifles, and do not believe God good enough to care for your care: I would reason with you to help you rid of your troubles, for they hide from you the thoughts of your God."

Farewell, Christmas color week. This has been a blast! Thank you again to Annie for the wonderful idea.

Fortuitously enough for today's theme, there was a tiny bit of snow on the car this morning. :)

This day was especially fun- I love the vibrancy of red.

This is so fun. I'm loving the combination of seeking beauty and color.

A friend of mine is hosting a color week, where you post pictures each day with a different color theme. Here's the list: Monday- green; Tuesday- gold/yellow; Wednesday- red; Thursday- silver/white; Friday- plaid/stripes. I love this idea. Here are my contributions.

Just a month and a half (or so) until we meet our new little one. I thought I'd share this poem that I came across again recently; a friend had sent it to us before our first daughter was born. I especially love the ending. Upon Seeing an Ultrasound Photo of an Unborn Child by Thomas Lux Tadpole, it's not time yet to nag you about college (though I have some thoughts on that), baseball (ditto), or abstract principles. Enjoy your delicious, soupy womb-warmth, do some rolls and saults (it'll be too crowded soon), delight in your early dreams -- which no one will attempt to analyze. For now: may your toes blossom, your fingers lengthen, your sexual organs grow (too soon to tell which yet) sensitive, your teeth form their buds in their forming jawbone, your already booming heart expand (literally now, metaphorically later); O your spine, eyebrows, nape, knees, fibulae, lungs, lips... But your soul, dear child: I don't see it here, when does that come in, whence? Perhaps God...