Finding Joy in April

Spring is finally here, and calendars fill up quickly this time of year. Life picks up again after the midwinter season of rest. Spring is one of my favorite times to really watch nature closely. Every day there is a new flower blooming. The animals are active again and little baby animals are born. You wake up one day, and the trees are full of green leaves. Days become consistently warm. April is when the world really wakes up again here in Georgia.

Over the past year, I've become so intentional about studying nature. And at this time of year, if you're not intentional, you will miss so much beauty! Since I began observing nature daily, I've noticed that I'm more content in each season, yet always ready for the next just in time. I love how God has given us each season at just the right time. I remember by end of summer last year, I was so tired of yard work and mosquitos just as autumn appeared. And the restful midwinter season after the holidays was a much needed recharge. I honestly dreaded the work of spring for a while, but felt a sense of renewed energy right before the world turned green again. As life becomes busy again, I encourage you to step outside in the mornings and look around for a bit. Get some warm morning sun in your eyes and see what's new blooming around you. There is so much excitement in the air! Some seasonal favorites for me are the vibrant azaleas, snowball bushes, bluebells, and dogwood trees.

April is a special month for me. My husband and I will celebrate our two year anniversary on the 8th. Not only did we get married in April, but we actually had our first date in April ten years ago. Ever since then, I always get nostalgic this time of year as the world turns green and April showers arrive. It takes me back to my senior year in high school when our relationship began. I remember how nervous I was on our first date. I rode on the back of a dirt bike for the first time. We fished together. He introduced me to his mom's sweet, old horse. And yep, we even had our first kiss that day while watching the spring sunset. It's crazy how life has come full circle, and ten years later I get to look out my back windows at where our first date happened. April will always hold a special place in my heart.