Last Updated on 3/17/2010

Published on 5/8/2009

April is a great month

Well our taxes are done, we just celebrated our wedding anniversary and the tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are planted in the ground—or should I say in pots—but, no matter. Recapping this story gives me a good feeling. I realize maybe these are the reasons I love spring so much. We are ending one thing (the tax year) beginning another (planting season) and in our case, celebrating many years of love, marriage, family and a great future ahead. Plus the weather is perfect! Not too hot or too cold, with beauty all around us: gorgeous blooming azaleas, dogwoods and wisteria to color the landscape and if we’ll let them, color our lives. Another special event that just passed is Easter. With every year, I enjoy the church service more and more—the choir of angels, the timely sermon, the flower cross, beautiful hymns, and ladies wearing hats (it seems I saw lots more of them this year.)
So I’m feeling like a small reprieve is going on and yet I’m thinking, what’s next? Things seem peaceful and quiet; but I know better. Is this the calm before the storm? What else have I got to do, or maybe I should rephrase this: Am I forgetting anything? What’s next on the list? This column for one. And here you go—I’m typing as fast as I can. I don’t know about you, but I can hardly live without lists. They’re especially helpful at the grocery store. I try to always have one with me or else I’ll over-buy, when all I needed was say, four or five items. I’ve also heard that if you write things down, “commit it to memory” as they say, you won’t forget it. But I don’t know if that’s true because on the few occasions I do forget to bring the lengthy grocery list, I promise I can’t remember 20% of the necessary items. So lists are good.
Oh yeah, now I know what’s next: Our daughter, Kelly’s, birthday, which is today! Though it’s not on a list, it’s a milestone and a yearly occasion I always treasure. Especially now that we have grandchildren, (Madison is 7 and Carly is 3 and they’re Kelly’s kids). They absolutely love to celebrate birthdays—anybody’s birthday, friends, family or their own. I guess it’s the novelty of sugary cake and ice cream, excitement in singing the happy birthday song and the surprise of opening the gifts. But I have to tell you that I can hardly believe our “baby girl” is turning 39. Can you imagine how no one will believe her age with the number, 39? I think that’s partly because she doesn’t look it and partly because it is such an unbelievable age. I can just hear folks saying to her, “Yeah, sure, you’re 39. But you’re REALLY 40, right?” Hey, I’m glad she’s 39. As her mother, I know I’m going to feel OLD saying, “Our daughter is 40,” which will happen next year.
So, obviously, now I know the next things that are coming up, even though they’re not on a list: First, get Kelly’s birthday present wrapped. Much to my own surprise, I bought her gift several weeks ago. (I rarely run ahead of time.) It was an item I actually wanted for me, but I knew it would be too small. Kelly rarely likes the same clothes I like, but she’d commented on something similar in a store, so I thought this was a safe bet. Oh, and I have to order the cake.
 This part is a big surprise, so I hope she doesn’t read this column. A lady at our church makes these unbelievable masterpieces, truly decadent, that are quite reasonable. I hope the cake travels well since Kelly lives two hours away. Oops! Now I remember the other items on my list, which are no fun: Wash clothes, pack bags and fill up with gas—then we’ll have a whole weekend of fun with no lists to worry about. Yep, April is always a great month and I for one am enjoying it. Ann Ipock “Life Is Short, So Read This Fast!” www.annipock.com amipock@ec.rr.com