May Flowers

Zack and I have decided to make the VERY most of the time we have left in New York City! I mean its possible we could be staying here forever, but more than likely we'll be moving at the end of the month! We don't want to waste anytime and risk missing out on what New York has to offer!

We finally made it out to see the Cherry Blossoms. I was expecting Sakura park to be billowing with flowers, but apparently they are blooming late because of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad winter! Luckily there were 3 or 4 trees that were at their peak.

Sakura park got its name from the 2000 Japanese Cherry Blossom trees that were brought over from Japan in 1912. Sakura means Cherry Blossom in Japanese. The park is on the Upper West Side just a few blocks from campus so it was really convenient for Zack to take a quick break from his laborious studies.

There are a million pictures and they are in no particular order. I don't even know what to say about our afternoon in Sakura Park other than, WE HAD FUN!

 Gunner climbed his first tree!!

We smelled the flowers, which is a lot like kissing the flowers for Gunner. 

This may be my most favorite picture of us. 

Maybe this one. 

How dreamy is this lighting?? 

You just couldn't ask for a prettier backdrop. 

 Gunner is learning to give hugs. But only with a running start!

We kicked around a ball.

 My tiny little athlete

Its days like this that cause me to stop and reflect on how much fuller our life is with Gunner. Zack and I would have had a good time wandering through the park and admiring the trees alone; but to watch the wonder in Gunner's eyes as he touched, tasted, and smelled the flowers and trees and dirt. To hear the squeals and giggles as we chased him from tree to tree. To watch him steady his hand and focus so intently on reaching those tiny blooms. To him, everything is new and everything is worth getting excited about. I so admire that, and its something that I think we all lose as we grow up. 

Most of my brain power these days is focussed on my grown up responsibilities and stressing about our future.  How much happier would I be if I looked at every flower, every cloud, every handful of dirt, as if it were the coolest, best, most interesting thing I'd ever seen? How much happier would I be if I ran around in the grass with the enthusiasm of a one year old? How much happier would I be if I took a few quiet moments a day to breathe deep and smell the springtime in the air?

I know that God is good. I know that we live on this beautiful planet because God loves us. I know that He thought of me and my little family when he designed the cherry blossoms. He imagined us running through Sakura Park, and created something that would inspire us, and delight us. I know that He created beauty all around us to bring us peace, and to remind us of Him. Now if only we would take more moments to be present and still, to admire the treasures around us. 

How often are we really present? Like really in the moment? Not nearly enough. 

XOXO 

SD