Late Winter

Redeeming God,

Be with us as we begin this Lenten journey to resurrection.

Open our hearts that we might truly listen to your call to deeper communion with you and all of our brothers and sisters.

Give us a fuller understanding of discipleship and service that we may eagerly live the Gospel.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

(opening prayer in "Open Our Hearts - A small group guide for an active lent" )

It has been a late winter full of excitement here at Pine Needle Garden!

I am blessed to live in a country where the smallest of things are on people's minds...namely the very tiny bone in the middle ear named the Stapes or stirrup. This very tiny bone did not function in my right ear due to a condition known as Otosclerosis and a few weeks ago I had surgery to remove the stapes and replace it with a prosthetic. I can hear! I didn't know the breadth of sound in so many things I can't name them all. I am grateful. It hasn't been a simple recovery, which is why the long silence in blogging. Like many homes this time of year ours was passing around a virus. With my low threshold for fighting infection while I heal I caught the virus with it's full force and today had my first day sitting in the glorious sun feeling human again. It will take a while for my body to get used to a 'moving' stapes again but my Dr put it accurately when he asked "So can you hear the grass growing now?" at my last appointment!

I so look forward to Spring!

During my absence from mothering my nineteen year old darling daughter stepped in and mothered...me. She checked on me, brought me tea, picked up her little brother from school, and cleaned (that last one is a big deal for a 19 year old). I am one proud Mama. Emily is also a wonderful baker. She has 'the gift'...not from me, from her Grandmother. She enjoys the show Cake Boss and one day decided to make a cake with a fondant. I just used my phone camera so the pics aren't so great but I tried to tell her that people would pay her good money for her talents.

and it tasted delicious!

Isaac spent a day at Holcomb Farm for "Winter Wildness". A great little program they run during school break. He went snowshoe hiking, made vegetable soup and bread, and learned all about the animals. And this is how I know it's a fabulous program - He couldn't wait to tell me all about it!

Our Lent is here. Ash Wednesday has come and gone...Isaac is still bothered by having ashes put on his forehead. He's decided not to give anything up for Lent. I am giving up sugar. I'm not sure about the rest of the household. I meant it when I said I was just starting to get back into things :-)

I am part of a couple Lenten Study Groups...one formally lead by our Deacon, and a casual one with a few of my Monday Study Group friends.

Blessing to all!

Happy Daylight Savings