The Shameless Gardener

The other night, the coolest thing happened. I was making dinner and said to my self, "We need some fruit or veggies with this dinner." So, I didn't go looking in the pantry for canned green beans, or go to the freezer where there is usually something to defrost, or head to the store to get something (good thing cuz it's like 30 minutes away)...what I did was walk straight out my back door to my GARDEN! I cut us some fresh brocolli, picked some sum-warmed strawberries and even pulled off some sugar snap peas from my very own garden. It was sooooo rewarding!

I think I say to Paul at least once a day, "I LOVE having a GARDEN!"

My closest friends and family know that this garden did not come easy, as last year It was not until my third attempt at planting and re-planting that things finally started to grow. Lots of sweat and even some tears went into her, but she is worth it (yeah, I guess my garden's a girl :)

So all that to say, I am still celebrating LIFE, and the things big and small that God has given me.

And to say,

if you don't have one, I think you should :)

If you live in California I think strawberries and tomatoes are by far the easiest.

Hope you're having a good day!

Liyah's Tree

I have been wanting to do this for a long time. To plant a tree.

The night we found out that we had lost Liyah, someone gave me the suggestion to plant a tree in honor of her LIFE. I really wanted to do that, but we were grieving so badly that we could not muster up the strength and the mental capacity to even make the smallest decisons, let alone what type of tree to buy, and where to put it. So we just never did it. But as June 9th was coming closer, I knew that if we were going to do it, now should be the time. We looked around briefly at different trees, and I knew that I wanted one that would flower, and of course I wanted one that was pretty. I kept noticing this purple leaved Plum Tree. I liked that it was different, and that it stood out among all the other evergreens. So we went into town and decided that this was the tree we were going to buy.

We used the money that had been set aside to buy Liyah's crib, to buy her a tree instead.

We invited our sweet friends Clint and Carla over to be part of this special evening with us. They were a true blessing, and really understood the meaning of what we were doing.

 Where there used to be death, and nothing but an old stump...

we planted LIFE instead.

This is our Flowering Plum Tree. This is Liyah's Tree.

Due Date.

Today was supposed to be our due date. But it is not.
I have thinking about this day for a while now. Out of no where this thought would pop into my head... June 9th is coming. I anticipated this day to be such a sad day in my heart. To feel so incredibly deeply the loss of our little girl who is now in heaven with Jesus. I have already cried about this day and prayed about this day. This day was supposed to be the day that we might have possibly brought Liyah home from the hospital and put her in her nursery. And had our home filled with life and joy and laughter. But that is not happening today.
But there are other things happening today. Good things, all around me. I went on a walk this morning and God reminded me of all these good things...

I have an incredibly sweet husband who loves me and who is healthy and full of LIFE. And I get to share my LIFE with him.

I have two arms and two legs and a pumping heart. I am able to go on walks, and create things, and I am healthy and God had sustained my LIFE.

I have two big  families who I adore and who bring joy to my heart and comfort to my soul and everyone of their LIFE's I love.

I have neices and nephews who represent LIFE to me every day. They make me happy when I spend time with them. They are precious little LIFE's to me.

I have friends who remind me that LIFE is good. They listen and they care and they love me.

I have a safe home and little garden that grows and brings LIFE and nourishment to my body.

Our church family is full of LIFE and people that I love. People that I get to walk alongside and do LIFE with.

I have a Heavenly Father who has granted me LIFE, 29 (...almost 30) years ago. He saw fit to grant my mom with a little LIFE called, Merced because He has a good plans for my LIFE (Rom. 8:28) and He has good works prepared in advance for me to do (Eph.2:10).
And only He could be so kind to grant me such a new perspective on this day.

So life...as I think about our precious little LIFE that was in me for 21 weeks, named Liyah Mercy Wright. I am a sad that she is gone, and I will forever miss her. And today I will be sad off and on all day. But at the same time...
today, I am going to choose to celebrate LIFE.

Join me.

Liyah Mercy- we love you.