MAY - the CRAZIEST month of the year!

May is busier than December
From field trips, to end of the year parties, to sporting events and recitals.
There is so much that goes on the month that school gets out.
Haleigh with her best friend Kelsey on the bus
during their 3 day 8th grade trip to Savannah.

Ammon's field day at Daves Creek Elementary

Caleb's spring football training.

Haleigh, Caleb, Ms. Lydia Culpepper (their teacher) and Ammon
after their piano recital.

Ammon at his gymnastics demonstration.

It will be nice to have things slow down a bit now that school is out.
But then again, SUMMER brings
Scout camps, Girls Camp, EFY, Family vaction and trips,
Football conditioning, Basketball clinics, Volleyball camps,
Maybe LIFE just doesn't slow down.

Planting for Mother's Day!

What a better way to spend the week before Mother's Day!
I had been wanting to plant flowers in my flower beds and planters
for weeks. After busy weeks of Girl's Camp planning and trying to
keep up with the long list of things to do, I made time on
Tuesday, May 5 to do my flower planting.
Little did I know this would be my therapy for a very difficult weekend,
my first Mother's Day since the death of my Mom.

I went to Lowe's garden department. I always go straight to the back
of the nursery where they sell the distressed plants.
I find a thrill in the bargain prices and the ability to nurse something
back to health, a trait I got from my mom.
(I think they are all doing QUITE WELL!)

I enjoyed walking through the rows of blooming plants while
brainstorming about what flowers I would put where
and how they would look together.
I had been wondering what I could do for my mom for Mother's Day.
I spotted an area with bright pink Gerber Daisies.
They were so bright,cheery, and BEAUTIFUL!
When I saw they were planted in a pink,
breast cancer awareness pot I knew
THIS was my Mother's Day answer.
I carefully selected a plant with 6 blooms, one to
represent each of my Mom's children, my siblings, of course.
I planted it with a variety of pink and white flowers and have enjoyed
having it right outside my kitchen door.

The daisy blooms have gone for now, but there are more on their way!
Happy Mother's Day MOM! I love you!

May Mantel

BLOOM Where You're Planted
Side note: I really love having the kids do the
lettering on the smaller signs.
They do such a good job and we get 4 different "fonts"!
Sun- Ammon
Air - Me
Water - Caleb
Soil - Haleigh

In any situation we may be in we will grow.
HOW we grow is the true lesson.
Hopefully we will not only grow but BLOOM in the process.
For a plant to grow and thrive it needs four elements.
-Sun - Air - Soil - Water-
We can apply these four elements to what we in our own lives
in a myriad of ways.

It has been invaluable for me to realize that there is a difference
between things artificial.
and things real.

Artificial blooms can be beautiful.
They require little to no maintenance and
do not require water, air, soil or sun to continue
in their 'beautiful' state.
BUT they do not grow!

Real plants and blooms require constant maintenance.
They require planting, supervision, watering and pruning.
The plant grows, blooms and is beautiful.
Through time the blooms fade and need to be cut off
so fresh, new blooms can grow.
Real things are constantly changing because of growth.

I have learned to be patient with my everyday life
when it is not always "blooming".
I try to remember that my life is a living thing,
requiring constant maintenance, nurturing care
and even a bit of pruning.
Opportunities will come, bloom and then be gone.

In each of life's opportunities I tell myself.
"Bloom where you're planted,
through just doing the best that you can and
taking the time to nurture what you have been given."