8 Things

8 Things I'm looking forward to right now.....
1. The Derby Parade- this is one of my favorite traditions, carried into my adult life from my teen years. I love that my mother started this, that she thought nothing of taking us out of school so that we could stake out our spot early, and that the waiting was as fun as the parade. I get so so sad on the occasional year when the weather is just intolerable. And it has to be pretty bad to be intolerable. Since we moved downtown, I like to sit on my porch during the early afternoon and watch as all of the marching band buses line up on our street.
2. Shameka's prom. She wasn't going. Then she was. Then she wasn't. And now she is, and I've suggested that this be her final answer. She's going with a big group of kids and I think she will have a really nice time. Now to find a dress and shoes and figure out all of the logistics!
3. Doing something/anything in my yard, maybe even tomorrow. And it's not that I'm looking forward to the work so much, but that I'm looking forward to breaking through the wall that I've been banging against the last couple of years, always feeling defeated when it comes to keeping up with anything in or around my house. My goal for this year is to either get back into gardening or to give myself the grace to say it's just not something I'm enjoying and set it aside rather than spend the entire summer feeling guilty and embarrassed about it.
4. My mother is going to Hawaii in June with my sister and her family. I can hardly wait for her to go, and would give a million dollars to see her reaction to all that she sees. She's very excited and I am over the moon happy that she's getting to do something she has dreamed of for years.
5. Shameka's graduation. Don't' get me wrong- I'm not loving the fast track we seem to be on now toward college and moving her into the dorm. But she has been ready for college life for years. She has become one of my best friends over this past year, and I miss her already, but I also know that she loves home and her family. She tells me all of the time that she is going to stay close to us and I believe she will.
6. Deacons retreat in May. We are going back again this year to a pretty little farm in Waddy where the owners have made this wonderful hospitality house from an old barn. Last year I got to go in one of the bedrooms and have complete silence for an hour and I read and prayed and rediscovered the sound of my own still small voice and I loved it so so much. Can't wait to go there again!
7. School getting out. It's nice to get a break from structure and routine. By August, we will welcome structure back into our lives, but we love the fluid time of summer break.
8. May 12- the opening date this year for the Phoenix Hill Farmer's Market! Yay! Welcome back farmer friends! Welcome back to the extravagant amazing meals prepared from our purchases on Tuesday nights!