Monday, March 19, 2012

March Madness (1000 Gifts)

It's March Madness, haven't you heard?  I'm having trouble figuring out if it's a reference to college basketball or the unreal weather we've been having.  Early last week I saw a friend post pictures on her blog of redbud trees in bloom and I figured it did seem early, but she lives in a state to the south of us.  But then a couple of days later all the pear trees in our area burst into bloom.  Our weeping cherry tree, magnolia tree, and peach tree came next.  Our area is full of wild red buds (just not in our yard) and those just bloomed today.  It is glorious out there!  Sadly, the pear trees are already starting to turn green -- the blooms will be gone before we know it.  So we're trying savor every moment.

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As far as basketball goes, it's been an exciting week too.  Our Baylor Bears have advanced to the Sweet Sixteen!!!  But it definitely wasn't a walk in the park.  If you could have seen us as we watched Saturday night's game, you'd get such a chuckle.


We have very basic cable, which means any time there's a sporting event we want to see, it's not on a channel we get.  I was all excited though to find out that for four dollars we can watch all the games online.  So we signed up and brought the game up on my laptop, setting it on the kitchen table.  


Marc's and my television habits have changed a lot over the years.  Before we became parents we watched TV quite a bit.  Once the kids were born we just didn't have as much time, but we'd still find a little screen time.  Then the series LOST ended and that was the end of us watching TV as a couple.  So sitting in front of my laptop like it was a TV was something neither of us were accustomed to anymore.  


From the beginning the game was tense, and we were fidgety.  My initial instinct was to spend some time online, but it was my computer we were using to watch the game.  So I grabbed the bag of green beans I planned to use for our Sunday dinner.  I started snapping off the ends.  Grace quickly asked if she could help, because she loves doing that sort of thing.  Marc must have noticed the therapeutic effect bean snapping was having on me, because he quickly said, "Let me have some beans."  With three people snapping two and a half pounds of beans, the work did not last long.  But Baylor was giving us all heart attacks, so we then occupied ourselves by shooting three-pointers with the green bean ends into the compost bucket at the other end of the table.  I'd like to think that somehow we were telepathically helping Brady Heslip score his 27 points, but the truth is that Heslip is a tad more talented than us. ; )


When that was done, I made a bowl of popcorn to keep my hands busy.  I started thinking this must be why Charlotte Mason encouraged training her students in handicrafts.  Knitting sounded really appealing at that moment.  Too bad I don't know the first thing about knitting.  But as the second half progressed, Baylor went on a run and I didn't need popcorn or knitting, because Marc and I were too busy giving each other high-fives and pounding the table in glee.


March Madness indeed.  We have high hopes for our Bears who will next play Xavier, but we also know the reality of college basketball.  Most of our church family is in mourning for a team that didn't fare so well.  Baylor's success could last as long as the blooms on the pear trees.


So we will continue to savor the moment and count God's gifts, which unlike March Madness, never end.

175.  Snapping beans with two of my favorite people.

176.  High-fives with my husband.

177.  Watching television with my family.  No, I'm not advocating wasting hours on end watching junk, but something must be said for sitting together sharing in something fun.

178.  An amazing year for Baylor athletics (sorry if that seems like boasting, but over the years we've had so many lows that most of us alums are pinching ourselves in disbelief).

179.  Spring trees in bloom.

180.  My favorite snack -- popcorn.

181.   Still going strong --my hot air popper that was a high school graduation gift.

182.  Which reminds me of my faithful alarm clock that's even older than the popper.

183.  Spring Break!  Anna had last week off from school, so we took a break from homeschooling too.

184.  A short get-a-way to Great Wolf Lodge -- a Christmas gift to our family from my dad.

185.  Having kids that are old enough to navigate GWL on their own. Marc and I actually made a couple of visits to the adult only hot tub.  I was able to relax at our table with a book a few times. 

186.  Water slides and lazy rivers.  Adult time was very nice, but we still had lots of fun playing with the kids.

187.  Spring break weather that seems like early summer.

188.  Getting my toes painted by my oldest daughter.  Bright turquoise. : )

189.  Watching Anna swim in her last meet, and being so proud of her.

190.  Being able to work on a project for Anna's school with a dear friend I haven't spent much time with lately.

191.  Having an impromptu lunch with that friend plus another friend I've spent even less time with lately.  We used to all be Bible study leaders together, so I've missed praying and bonding with these two ladies. 

192.  Finishing a really good book and having my husband snap it up almost immediately.  It's rare that we have the same reading tastes, so it's fun to talk about a book together.

193.   Play dates.  Ryne and Grace had friends over on Saturday.  So nice to have a weekend where the schedule makes that possible.

194.  Nursery duty at church.  We had a baby drought at our small church for a few years, but God has answered my prayers, and last night Anna and I played with two darling baby boys.  





3 comments:

  1. I agree about the tv watching. We rarely have time at home when all of us are together. When we are, though, it's so much fun to watch shows like Top Gear on the History Channel or shows on Food Network (and basketball when MU is winning, lol...congrats on the Bears making it to the sweet sixteen!).

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  2. Hey, way to go Bears! I am one of those people in mourning over my Tigers.

    Gorgeous pictures!

    Don't get too excited, but we are planning a vacay that might bring us your way. There are many details to work out, but maybe, just maybe!

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  3. Mel,

    I'm going to have to google Top Gear. I haven't heard of it, but now I'm curious. : )

    Dawn,
    Too late -- I'm already planning where you will all sleep! It would be WONDERFUL if it worked out for you to visit. : )

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