A couple of years ago I wrote about how much spring reminds me of ‘tweens’. And, at the time, I had only experienced tween-dom with my son. But now, here I am again, right smack dab in the thick of the tween years with my daughter. Only this time around we have a teenager too.
Lord have mercy.
But, truly, with all of it’s ups and downs, sunshine one minute, rain the next, doesn’t Spring seem like it’s getting ridiculous surges of hormones? It’s so moody and unpredictable.
And yet, there’s something pretty amazing happening within all of that unpredictability.
There’s growth.
And it’s in that growth where the magic really happens. Spring is the season of transition. There is this constant tension between the last remnants of winter and the first sweet glimpse of summer.
And so it is in this season of tweens and teens.
They’re experiencing the tension of this season where the comfort and security of childhood is still very real and yet they feel this tugging towards the future. Towards freedom and independence.
And while this stage of parenting definitely isn’t for the faint of heart, we’ve tried to embrace it in all of it’s craziness.
Just as we embrace the ups and downs of spring.
Because we know that even when those dark clouds roll in and the rain starts to pour, there is sunshine just around the corner.
And we know that the next season will be upon us before we know it so we won’t waste time wishing away the hard stuff that comes with Spring and the hard stuff that comes with adolescence.
Because the blossoms need the sunshine AND the rain in order to fully bloom.
And we are just so grateful for the privilege of bearing witness to the beauty that is found in all aspects of this season.
Thank you for meeting me here at the fence today dear friends,
I feel very blessed to bear witness of the beauty of every season. Each unique aspect brings with it the reminder of who remains in control. I just purchased your beautiful book which is proving to be another blessing. Thank you for your willingness to share your insight and creativity. Your home is beautiful, and your blog is too.
Vanessa, I always enjoy meeting you “at the fence”! I enjoy your posts so much! I love Spring! It is so amazing to see the new growth of everything after the harsh winter! We still have several feet of snow up here and we are supposed to get another snow storm on Monday — hope that weather man is wrong! It is definitely time for our snow to go!
I pray that you will be blessed with wonderful Spring days! Blessings!