Backyard Blessings

 I can't believe the miracle this yard has been already!  I am so grateful that we were able to put it in.  Let me take you on a tour . . .  and if you get bored by plants and yard stuff, you can skip to the pictures later on.

Keep in mind that this is a panoramic view--it makes the yard look gigantic!  Our landscaper found some incredible boulders, which the kids love to climb on, sit on and eat on, or pour rocks and water into (that would be Evie--one of the boulders has these cool craters on top).  On the left we have a nearly-completed flagstone pathway--it just needs to be sealed and it will be darker and Evie-proof.

We got a little plant-happy . . . "we" meaning Seth . . . and planted bushes & trees in every possible space.  But it's been so much fun!  We have 3 fruitless mulberries, 1 aristocrat pear (not doing too well . . .), 2 Fan-Tex ash, 2 chitalpa's, 2 hollyoak, 3 pine (Monterey?  I can't remember the name but they are cool with curvy needles), 1 weeping mulberry, 2 Wilson olives, 2 Raywood ash, 1 magnolia, and lots of bushes; abelia, pineapple guava, privet, euonymous (what a funny name!), Italian cypress, and a couple chaste bushes, or "butterfly bushes," as my kids call them. Out front we also have star jasmine (my favorite!), wild roses, hawthorne, lavendar, something bamboo, grape vines, and English ivy.  

 It's been so much fun to place and plant these plants!  They are like extra children to Seth--he walks around every day after work and checks on all of them, making sure they are getting enough water and drainage, etc.  A few of them have struggled, and I have new appreciation for the phrase in Jacob 5; "It grieveth me that I should lose this tree . . . " Seth is genuinely grieved if anything goes wrong with the trees.  They are beautiful, though! And so soothing and therapeutic--it is a blessing to look out at green instead of washed-out tan.

 This is the nearly-finished fire pit, which should be a lot of fun!  Seth put his dart board out there yesterday--I think he's excited to have some spare time now to enjoy this yard with the kids! (I just hope no one pokes an eye out . . .)

 That little corner in the middle is my favorite--my magnolia tree is doing splendidly!  I fell in love with magnolias in England, and Seth was sweet to let me pick one out, even though it was expensive . . . He has come home with new bushes about half a dozen times, so I didn't feel too bad! :)  Next to it is my favorite, star jasmine, and I am so excited about how well it's doing!

 Here is our orchard!  We have 7 peach trees, all different varieties, and 2 thriving figs (each with one little fig on them).  There are grape vines in the background and tomatoes in the pots.

 And to top it all off, I woke up to this for Mother's Day today--breakfast not in bed, but outside on my new patio furniture!

And this is why I love my backyard:

 The kids can eat outside . . .

 they are learning to take responsibility for their pets (mostly Eleni, who LOVES THEM TO DEATH!!) . . .

 (this is typically what happens now, but that doesn't stop her from trying to hold all of them all the time)

 (there--now she can't escape!)

 . . . and Evie has been happy as a lark.  Here she is playing in the boulder with craters.  She spends much of her time outside watering the plants with "wawa-juice," gathering rocks, painting with water on the cement, pushing her stroller across the path, jumping on the tramp, playing with the "guh-gacks" (chickens), and playing with the kids outside.  She's just like her daddy--she thrives in sunshine!

Another blessing for Evie has been that she moved in with Eleni.  She was sharing a room with Gabe, but we've moved the boys in together.  Evie adores Eleni, and Eleni was excited to have company!  The only downside is that Eleni's room gets all the morning sunshine, so Evie wakes her up at the crack of dawn . . . hopefully that will pass!

The first day they slept together, Eleni brought Evie down all dressed and with every bow and clip we own in her hair.  "She just kept saying, 'Bow! Bow!' so I had to put them all in!"

I am so grateful for this happy time in our lives.  I know trials will come, and we've already been through a few, but I am so grateful the Lord has allowed us this time to enjoy each other's company, to  have fun with Seth and no doctorate, and to prepare for our new little baby.  I was due on Friday, 2 days ago, so we are eager to welcome her into this home and beautiful new backyard.  We are so blessed!  Hopefully we'll soon have news for you of our little arrival!