A Rough Start to a Springish Day

Yesterday was the kids' first day back to school after Spring Break. Some took that news better than others. Sydney, who loves school, was eager to get up, get ready and get going. Of course, spending the better part of her Spring Break sick on the couch could have easily been her motivator.


Andrew, on the other hand, was not a happy camper. He was upset that he had to wake up early and even more upset when he found out we would be dropping him off at the local day care provider for his ride to school. He stomped his way out to the car dragging his backpack behind him and then stomped his way into the babysitters house. He made it very clear he was not happy with us.


When I picked him up from school he had a good deal of skin missing from the left side of his face and the makings of a really nice shiner. While stomping out to the babysitters car he tripped over his backpack and well, it appears the driveway won.

It was a chilly, windy day so we avoided going outside until we had too. Sydney had soccer practice at one of my favorite spots in Normal. The grounds of the former Illinois Soldiers and Sailors Children's Home. The orphanage has long since closed but all the buildings are still there and are now being rented by a variety of small businesses. I just love the architecture, the history and the idea that many moons ago hundreds of orphaned children used the very fields Sydney kicks her soccer ball on for various recreational activities.

So a rough start to the end of Andrew's Spring Break and, what seems like, a never ending winter. But just as we were about to leave I caught a glimmer of yellow in my peripheral vision and could not believe my eyes. Amongst the dead rose bushes, nestled underneath a bush still in hibernation was this beauty:

A clear indication that better days are to come.