Show and Tell Tuesday: Yards!

OK, so this is the post I didn't think would happen. When I saw that Andrea's Show and Tell Tuesday topic was "yards" I died inside. Not what I'm most proud of...

But then I started to think about it. For our first 5 years, we didn't have a yard. We had a large patio with a tiny blip of garden space, but no yard. Fast forward to two years ago when we bought our current house - yard! I figured we would have the most epic yard ever, considering that we had 3 kids under five at the time. Reality said: ain't no way. So the garden has overgrown and the trees need pruning, and maybe (okay, REALLY) the pressure washer should visit the back a little more often, but then it hit me...there is SO much life happening in our yard, that it's beautiful to ME. 

I remember dreaming about our one-day-home and praying for a kitchen window that overlooked the back yard. 

CHECK!

I prayed for friends and neighbors actively barbecuing and swingset playing in my one-day-home.

CHECK!

I hoped for coffee talk and praying with friends in my yard.

CHECK!

Sometimes God's version of beauty is much better than mine. For that I am thankful. Here's a little peek from this week into our not-so-pretty but yet so so beautiful back yard. 

This is what my babies will remember. Not the dirt. Not the weeds. But the life that happened on their home turf. 

The cannonballs...

And the popsicles...

And the open door policy...

Their time with their Daddy...

Their handstand contests...

And the smell of the grill while they played...

That Mommy and Daddy always had time for one more round of flashlight tag...

No idea was too silly to try...

And that no boo-boo went unnoticed...

And when my kids are grown, and I finally have time to make my backyard pristine...

I'll remember that I had the best morning view...

I'll remember the feeling of being greeted on the porch swing after a run...

I'll remember that flowers were the best way of saying "I'm sorry that I pushed my brother into the pool."

and I'll remember that life just happened way too fast to worry about the weeds...