Coloring In The Lines

When I was a little girl, I loved coloring books. I rarely got one, though, except on special occasions like Christmas or my birthday. And sometimes my Aunt Jane would slip one in with gift of white nylon socks or a head scarf.

When I was lucky enough to own a coloring book, it took me a long time to finally put a crayon to its blank pages. It was so crisp and neat and new. For awhile I simply imagined all the spaces filled in with the precision of an artist.

However, it never ended up that way. 

In the beginning I was careful. Staying in the lines, keeping my crayons sharp,highlighting shadows and giving princesses multi- colored hair. I was so happy when I was picking out colors and filling in the lines. 

Then, on bad days, I was reckless and lazy. Princesses had generic yellow hair, the sky was always one shade of blue and I scribbled horribly just to finish what I had started.

Sometimes I feel like my new home is the same way. I waited so long and we planned forever before we started making changes here. It was pure and uncluttered. 

Until we put up a big red barn, two satellite dishes, a giant garden area, cut down several trees, changed the driveway, parked lawn mowers and a tractor and a four wheeler and a flat bed trailer full of stuff in the yard...

There are days I look back and think it is sloppy and unneeded.

But then I realize this is life.

Just like my coloring books. If I had left them empty, there would have been no joy. If I waited for the perfect time, they would have stayed un-colored, hidden in an old drawer with head scarves and white socks.

In the end, my coloring books were full. Dog eared and dirty and well loved. Soft, sweet and complete.

This place is my story. 

I may not always be neat and tidy. I go outside the lines. I get lazy and tired. But when all is said and done, I will have colorful memories here that will never fade. And I can paint them any way I choose.

My new home will always be a coloring book. One that never gets full, but keeps blessing me with new pages every day....

And I like that.