Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?

Well, we did it. Jim has been dreaming of planting a garden in our back yard for over a year. School was a huge deterrent and since it's no longer an excuse, a little 10'x15' corner of our back yard is now fertile ground for soon-to-be-eaten yummi-licious-ness. In 60-90 days, we'll be enjoying carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and turnips (although I wouldn't know whether or not to boil, deep-fry, bake or freeze a turnip. Any suggestions?).
Saturday was the ground-breaking. I'm actually really excited that Katherine gets to witness this first hand; it's a great built-in math, science and life lesson in our own back yard. Nathan was more interested in torturing earthworms. This particular worm is now fertilizing our crop, thanks to little Ivan the terrible.
We've (Katherine and I) been designated the official weed-removers. I'd like to think we might be at an advantage with this endeavor, since Daddy does work for the University's Plant Science Unit and that's what he does all day, but we have the same insects, fungi and lack of water issues as everybody else. So we'll see.


While I was back there enjoying the sights and sounds, I noticed once again how pretty our hydrangeas were. I will say this, thanks to my mother-in-law and my husband for cultivating and keeping these beauties alive. I absolutely LOVE my hydrangeas. I LOVE that they're a medium, country blue. I LOVE that they're so big and beautiful. I LOVE that they're in my back yard and I can cut some and have fresh flowers. And I LOVE that my mother-in-law took the additional potted hydrangeas from our wedding, grafted them to make more, planted some in her yard and gave us some also. These are actually descendants of hydrangeas from our wedding. That's pretty cool to me.

Earlier that day, Katherine and I participated in the Walk for Life which is a major fundraiser for the Women's Pregnancy Center involving a 2-mile walk. With God's blessings, my goal of raising $175 was almost doubled to raise $300. Thank-you all who donated. As a mother who is thankful every day for her two young children (even when times are really rough), it breaks my heart to know that there are women out there contemplating the idea of terminating their child's life.

I think God might have worked through this little video I attached to an email I sent out soliciting donations...

Translation: "Can you sponsor me to help save the babies."