Farewell April

One sunny April when I was a little girl, our family got the most adorable, lively new beagle puppy, and we named her April Sunshine. We just called her "April", but when she got in trouble, which amounted to probably 85% of the time, she was "April Sunshine". My siblings and I loved April, but she was a naughty girl, and my parents did not enjoy her nearly as much as we did. Her worst antics involved escaping our household and running away, every time the opportunity presented itself. Quite honestly, I am sure that April drove my mom insane, as I heard her mutter "dumb dog" on numerous occasions. April was part of the family long enough to become a fat & chubby soul, and eventually she was given the blessing of moving to some ranch somewhere on the outskirts of town with lots of other beagles where she could roam free and not risk getting smashed by an oncoming car as she nonchalantly trotted down the middle of the road. (now that I think of it - isn't this the story that most parents tell their children when the family dog has to "go away"? I think it is, but I am quite certain that was April's good fortune.)

Just like I loved April Sunshine, I usually enjoy much of the month of April (at least after the 15th). But, just as April Sunshine ended up NOT being all that my family expected her to be, this month has NOT lived up to it's reputation of being basically pleasant. I'll just say it - this year, April has been a complete bust! So I am happy to bid April 2008 farewell. I'm so glad it's over. Nothing earth-shatteringly horrible happened this month, I have just not been my usual jovial self. I have been more contemplative, more introspective, and in a way, more soul-searching this month, and it's been hard. Add in stomach flu for Ben, Katie, and I along with annoying sniffles for Ben, Katie, and I, then mix that with a ruined dance recital costume (for a recital yet to occur) along with the strains of running another school book fair to top off my brooding behavior and you get a bummer month. Good things come from such character-building times, I know, it's just getting through it that is aggravating.

I have been able to draw an analogy between my daily walks & my soul-searching, which gives me strength. Every day I face a couple of really tough hills to walk up, while pushing a 20+ pound kid in a stroller. Every day I expect the walk up the hill to get a little easier, but it never seems to happen. Going up the hills is a lot of work, a lot of effort, and not very much fun. By the time I reach the top of the hill, I am tired, sometimes out of breath, and my muscles complain. But you know what, when I get to the top of the hill, I also feel strong, triumphant and victorious at once again conquering those hills. As I go through times in my life that are difficult in one way or another, I need to think of those times as trudging up a long hill, that eventually will peak and I will have conquered that particular hill. Each hill in life is difficult, and with each hill, comes the eventual feeling of strength and triumph. I know that I will be a better, stronger, and happier person as I conquer each hill.

So - my April demeanor is reflected in the lack of blog entries - 5 to be exact! I have been subscribing to the "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all" theory when it has come to my blogging. So many times during the month I have thought, I want to update my blog, but then nothing would come to me, and it was as if I had nothing to say. But - now it is on to a new month! I am definitely looking forward to the merry month of May! I am also hoping to get back into a regular blogging habit.

Just for the record, there were, good times mingled in with the difficult ones this past month. I have had some epiphanies that have opened my eyes and helped me realize some important things I need to do as well as soothing tender mercies that have lifted me up and pushed me as I am climbing up this "hill". One of the highlights of the month for me was going to our school's Earth Day celebration last Friday. Each classroom is responsible for different earth-friendly activities that the children can choose to do. After they have all had an opportunity to experience some of the activities, every classroom in the school comes together on the field for a small ceremony. They are invited to remove their shoes & socks to feel the earth beneath their feet. Our director leads the ceremony and asks the children to think about the earth and about all the wonderful blessings that are ours because of this amazing place - from the mountains and oceans to the animals and trees. Then she has them close their eyes and to think of the things of the earth that make them happy and to make a wish for the earth.




At the end of the ceremony, the kids sing our adopted school song - which makes me cry almost every time I hear them sing it. The song is "Listen" by Red Grammar - and I want to share it with you. When the children sing it, they also do the sign language motions to accompany their singing. (the picture above shows some children signing the song). It truly is a beautiful sound and sight. I made a video of most of the pictures my family took in April (which is not many) to go along with the song, so that you can hear it. I hope you enjoy it!

Happy May! :)