Hello, June!

June, I love you. As I sit in my living room, writing this post at 8:42pm, it is just getting dark outside. I love light and the longer days and the warmer weather. We have the Blackhawks game on in the kitchen on mute. That is our tradition. Right now they are down 4-3 in the 3rd period. I better go in the kitchen and watch for a minute. They usually score when I do that. I don't want to be one of those bandwagon fans, but I kinda am.
Another good thing about June is peonies. I really love this shrub with the fragrant pink flowers. Four years ago, one of my students gave me a small peony shrub for an end of the school year gift. I didn't think I could ever make it grow, at least not the way my mom cultivated hers. I wasn't even sure I was going to plant it. We were having our giant evergreens trimmed by a guy named Jimmy and he noticed the shrub sitting there. He asked if I wanted him to plant it and suggested a place for it. I was thrilled, but never thought it would actually come back the next year. It did! It only had one bloom, but it was awesome. It has had a few buds and blossoms each year.

This year, it started shooting up through the soil in early May. I checked on it every day, watching it grow almost before my eyes. It ended up having about 15 buds this year, but as of Wednesday night, none of them had opened at all. I saw all of the other peonies in town in full bloom as I took my daily walks and I was disappointed that it just wasn't my year for blooming.
Then as I came home Thursday night, after a long and stressful day, there they were....buds that were opening, revealing their inner beauty. It was such a miracle to me!

May 8th

May 11

May 27

June 6!!! love love love

God does such great work. Especially in my life. I am ever thankful for His mercies.