Beauty on the Backroads

Stories of grace for life's unexpected turns

Mother's Day

Return to Longwood Gardens

In the afterbirth of spring, when the world was gray, wet and gloomy but full of hope, this pop of color was a welcome sight — refreshing to the soul. We were on our second visit to Longwood Gardens, on a March day that was cooler than we’d hoped but still offered a pleasant indoor/outdoor garden experience.

This Friday, we’ll return to Longwood Gardens for our third visit, this time free, thanks to National Public Gardens Day and Better Homes and Gardens. (Click here to check if a garden near you is participating and print your FREE admission voucher.)

Since our first visit in August, I’ve wanted to return to Longwood Gardens. Our second visit didn’t disappoint in its uniqueness from the first. For one, our son is older and walking now, so he could participate in more of the children’s activities.

This is my favorite picture of our two kids in the children’s garden area:

Corban loves water, so to be able to “chase” water as it leaps along a winding path, was pure heaven for him. What fun to watch the two of them enjoy the plants. One of our best memories from this visit was Corban’s talent for falling and/or throwing himself into flower displays, causing dirt to fly. We were sure we’d be blacklisted from the gardens. But it’s a kid-friendly place, so not to worry.

In March, not much of the outdoor gardens were colorful or blooming, so we’re looking forward to seeing what spring has to offer.

But, the indoor plants made the visit worth our while. These were a few of my favorites:

My husband’s in the midst of writing final papers for the semester. My birthday and Mother’s Day are coming up. Taking a break to visit our favorite flowering sanctuary will be a treat this week.

I hope the fountains are running. The royal wedding earlier this week already put me in the England frame of mind. If I see the Italian Water Garden again, I might book a flight to my study abroad alma mater Harlaxton the next day.

If you’ve got nothing going this Friday and the weather looks favorable, I’d encourage you to participate in this generous event and experience a local garden for yourself. And if you find a good one in your area, I’d love to hear all about it!

And stay tuned for pictures and stories from our Friday visit at Longwood!

Happy spring!

Moms who do it all shouldn’t have to

Day 14. One more week to go. Am I a wuss to be missing my husband and wanting this separation to end? I feel like I should buck up and relish the chance to do this parenting thing all by myself. After all, millions of parents lead their families by themselves year after year. Three weeks? No big deal, right?

Honestly, I don’t know how single parents do it day in, day out. Even though I have my parents and grandparents, and my in-laws, not to mention the kids’ aunts and uncles on occasion, to help, I still feel the burden of responsibility for my children — a burden I’m used to sharing.

I don’t know if the kids recognize a difference with my husband gone, but I know they are missing out on a whole different aspect of parenting. I’m not comfortable tossing my son in the air, but I don’t mind if my husband does. I’m not as good at wrestling with my daughter as he is, either. I usually jokingly say that he’s the fun one, I’m the serious one. I’m missing the fun side, and I’m a poor substitute.

With Mother’s Day tomorrow, we celebrate all that mothers do for their children, and that would be a much longer blog if I tried to list what I, or any other mom, do for their kids. And there’s a sense of pride in knowing we “do it all” for our families, but I wonder how often we ask for help.

I like the feeling of accomplishment I have when I’ve completed a challenging task, but I don’t want to be the kind of wife who doesn’t need my husband for anything. I don’t want to be Supermom or Mrs. Incredible. Too much pressure. I’m content to do what I can and let others step in when I’m in over my head.

I know that being a single parent isn’t always a choice a person gets to make. Sometimes it’s chosen for her, and I in no way judge or condemn the single parent. I admire her. She’s an amazing woman (and the majority of single parents are women, thus the gender choice), and getting just a taste of what her life must be like makes me want to do all I can to help her.

What do single moms need most? How can the church offer their hands and lives to those who are raising kids by themselves?

Happy Mother’s Day!