Fake Spring. It's a Whole Thing in Cleveland.

Ahhh, Fake Spring. It comes every year.

And every year, even if you’ve lived in Cleveland your entire life, it’s easy to fall for its schemes. Again. Because Fake Spring can sense your longing for sunshine that actually feels warm on your skin, not the “fauxshine” that winter brings with only the illusion of heat, and it exploits that desire. You want to believe that spring is finally here, after what seems like an endless and bitterly cold winter. The winter of a week and a half's worth of snow days in a row.

So Fake Spring comes strolling in like a Trojan Horse in all it’s glory and splendor, and it gets your hopes up. Because it’s so beautiful and light, and your cold, tired soul is in need of some hope, a breath of new life. It spikes the temperature so high and so fast that lakes rise and rivers overflow and sewers can’t keep up with all the water. It creates a weather paradox in which snowball fights can occur with the few remaining snow piles, although the thermostat reads close to 70 degrees. Flinging some white while wearing capris.

And it entices you, making promises it won’t keep. Fake Spring tricks you into putting the winter gloves away, placing the boots back in storage. Hanging up the winter coats and pulling out the lighter ones from last year, if they still fit, that is. If not, who needs a coat anyways? It’s spring!

And so you get comfortable. The warm sun greets you each morning as you run out the door to school, the kids look forward to outdoor recess, and the dog can’t seem to do his business without tracking half the flower bed back inside with him. And after you’ve gotten used to this so-called “spring,” it happens.

One night, in the wee hours of the morning, Winter comes creeping out of the side of that Horse, leaving frost on the ground in it’s wake. By the time the alarm jots you from your slumber, the temperature has plummeted below freezing and the ground is a dusty white. The weather changes back just as suddenly as it did before, and you don’t even realize you’ve been snowed until the evidence is there all over the ground. You know, the white fluffy stuff that you thought had been left behind. And it just keeps coming.

Winter in Spring’s clothing. How could we have fallen for it, again? It happens every year, and yet, somehow we always think, maybe not this time…

But we are officially onto you now, Fake Spring, and you will not fool us next year. We will enjoy you, yes, even relish you, but we will not be deceived.

Solidarity, Clevelanders. We will overcome.

March 17: St. Patrick's Day, Then & Now

I make those brilliant green eggs with spinach. Clayton hates spinach, but he loooooves my green eggs. On the outside, I smile kindly and say, "Well, good, honey! I'm so glad!! Eat as many as you would like! On the inside reverberates an evil laugh… muahahahahah…. #i'llnevertell #motheroftheyear 

Heeeellllllooooo everyone! Long time no see, or post, as the case may be. I have missed being here, but time has been filled by other things and has prevented such an occasion. It's been a long time since I've done a Then & Now post, so I figured I'd start fresh with St. Patrick's Day and go from there.

In the meantime, you may wondering WHAT THE HECK I'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE PAST MONTH???? Well, here are a few things:

1. Trying to stay away from social media, especially Facebook. This has been so good on so many levels. I'm less anxious, waste far less time, and am present more. Clearly, I'm into the internet scene with blogging and all, and I usually enjoy my time spent there, but I've realized it's hard for me to draw the line on where to stop. When to shut it off.

Any addiction, much like a weed, creeps in slowly and over time. At first, it seems harmless. After all, it's just one measly little weed. But then, as the days pass and morning turns into night an then back to morning again, the roots grow deeper. Stronger. Thicker. And slowly, they begin to absorb the clean, fresh, life-giving water that was meant for you. For your roots. As the two become intertwined even further, they begin to steal your nutrients, and the source of your very life. The weed is now tall, broad, looming overhead, even unrecognizable from it's original form, as it towers over the withering frame of what was once you. Because any plant without Light, without the Son, will surely die.

I have found that some things, at least as far as I'm concerned, are best left untouched. At least for a time, as I get overshadowed quickly.

2. Not writing as much as I would like, but writing some and not publishing it. Hopefully that will happen soon!

3. Attempting to prepare for the Women's Retreat at our church in mid-April, along with several birthdays, Easter, and continue to raise small children, maintain a cleanliness at home that's a notch above slovenly, and help with homework and spelling words without losing it. Basically, I'm going insane here, people.

4. Exercising!! I haven't been able to say that since college, about a decade ago. I have wanted to, meant to, intended to, and thought it would be a good idea to many times over the years but didn't ever actually do it. That's the thing about desiring change--you can't just wish it or hope it or speak it into existence, as if you were God or something. You actually have to, you know, do it. Some of us are slow learners.

I've been following Blogilates on YouTube and doing her daily workout routines, and it's been hard (really, that's a misleading understatement. Most days I want to punch her in the face. Truly, and without a hint of remorse.), but good, the good mostly being afterwards. But I'm finally telling my body who's boss around here, so that's a start. And I admit that I feel stronger these days, too. Check her out and let me know what you think! We can suffer together…


But about St. Patrick's Day… Above is the Now, and here's the past couple years:

2014

2013

They've all gotten so big!

Thanks for stopping by, and I hope to see you back soon! I hope to see me back soon, for that matter. :)