What is growing?

The garden beds got a little cleaner yesterday. The old leaves caught in the old dry branches of last year's mums, and the wilted shoots of the iris bulbs were cleared away to make room for new growth. I moved the fire pit that had been pushed into the flower bed at the end of the season and found hollyhock starting to wake up green after the cold of winter. I moved some black tarp we used to fight off weeds last year and found what looked like a sleeping Red Wing Blackbird. It wasn't sleeping.

I played through songs I'm singing for an upcoming wedding. I played through a song to be sung for Good Friday. I made a pie, bought some potting soil, and ordered a solar system mobile.

Sammy started track practice yesterday. Jesse and Joey took 25 minutes to walk the four block from school back home. I asked what took so long. They said they were talking. They came home for apples and graham crackers and then went to shoot some hoops in the front yard. 

Jon came back from teaching his Theology class and told me how he was trying to offer love and life advice to a student. How do you gently tell a gentle soul, "Hey man, I think she just wants to break up with you."  ? College life can be hard. I remember.

We've had a little girl from school stay with us for the past couple of days. She's real sweet and funny and we've had fun enjoying our "part time sister" as the boys called her.  

What is growing? The boys, the lawn, the days when the sunlight hangs around a little longer. I've had a little time to think and reflect and consider the coming alive of spring. In the midst of all of it, I like to think that I am growing too.