New Beginnings

New Beginnings, just saying the words seems to breathe hope into my heart. I have the ability to begin anew. Every Day!! March has been such a joyous journey of new beginnings. Exciting, hopeful, freeing, and above all NEW! I do not know if it has been with the warmer weather or the fact that I can work outside and get my hands dirty in the ground but there is a stirring within me to begin anew. My whole life I have been told that in true pursuit of God/living a right life, one must pour yourself out in servanthood. Your feelings and above all desires are selfish and must take back burner, if not snuffed out completely. Reflecting back all I was  really doing was belittling who I am.
So I have consciously been taking more heed to me. Not that in any manner is my life lived for myself, the pile of laundry on my bed can attest to that, but I have started living more internally. I don't know why it has taken me this long, to honor the desire of my being to live a quiet life.
The kids had last week off of school and we have had such a relaxing, fun, renewing and above all an internally invested week. Ian took a four day weekend and just being together with no external agenda or demands was the purest of water to our roots. We drank long and deep, realizing with each intake of appreciation just how dry we had become. We have to do this, we have to make sure that our roots are getting enough water and in turn I am finding that my many branches in this world are not going to become brittle and break as they try and support my many little peeps.
Ok enough of that rambling and onto the peeps.
We had our very first Sedar. I am so proud of us and my heart is beaming with such a new found pride. It is a pride of my ancestors and of my Safta as she gazed at me from her picture frame next to the table and as her presence was with me throughout. It was a pride that my children are learning about their heritage and that we have the privilege to join in. It went great and we even had lamb shanks which were amazingly good.

And then Easter. :) I can't help but smile. We went internal and had such an amazing day. Just us. It struck me the day before, as we all took a walk to a plant sale, Tela and I bringing up the rear and four beautiful souls before me. An overwhelming sense of pride for my family. This was our unit, this was our tribe, this was our family. We are together and we don't get to really sit and absorb the beauty of our unity very often. And oh how I was ready and excited to soak in the beauty of being together. After a breakfast of cinnamon rolls Ian and i went to fill the eggs and hide them. 14 each with 6 random and a toy for each. The egg hunt was so much fun as Tela found one of Sam's, and Emma recounting how many was in her basket every few min to make sure that she still needs to hunt. Tela picking up so fast how things are going and then proceeding to place her eggs in her basket as long as she had something in her mouth, usually wrapper included. Leah scouring all over with a smile and determination. Ian and I enjoying and drinking deep their smiles and laughter. 

 Tela helping herself to Emma's basket. 

                                    

 Ian doing what he loves

My beautiful Leah who is turning into such an amazing lady!!

 And the rest of the day melted into more smiles and enjoyment with amazing food and so many sweets to count. We had the easter olympics which included, eggs racing, egg eating contest, egg coloring, chalkboard showdown, egg bowling and finally ended with a card game of war. Cookie decorating and an amazing dinner of lamb leg, chicken, a ribs, oh and some sides. Stories and a tall glass of wine for myself and the memories, made this day, settling into the crevices of my heart, warming the core of my being.

 

 And of course since the next day was April 1 I had to play a little joke on the kids.