A backyard of memories

I spent some time outside in my backyard today. There's something about the weather when it changes from winter to spring that beckons us outside to enjoy the sights, the sounds, the smells. Though today is really the first day of truly warm-ish (and yes, it's a word) weather, I enjoyed the reminder of what is to come.

As I was outside enjoying time with our new puppy, I couldn't help but reflect on so many memories in that backyard. My mom still lives in the house that has been "home" since the day I was born. For that reason, as I took the time to actually look around the yard, I was reminded of all the life we have lived there. I've been feeling rather "grown up" these days, so it was good to be reminded of some things. Countless Easter egg hunts with cousins in TERRIBLE outfits. :) The above ground pool that we nearly wore the bottom out doing whirlpools. The swingsets where I learned to swing all by myself and thought, if only for a moment, that I could fly. The sandbox where many "battles" were fought between tiny cowboys and indians. The same sandbox where my brothers and I used to take hammers to old matchbox cars and bury them. A few trees have been cut down, but as I looked at the location they once stood, I remember. I remember the tree that was "home base" for our homerun derby and baseball games in the backyard. I remember the tree that was my favorite to climb and have picnics. The plot of land where we would set up a tent hoping to not be too scared to sleep outside.

As these memories flooded my brain, I found myself walking inside, wishing I wasn't so grown up. It's funny, but when I was a kid, I thought my backyard was HUGE. But now, as I have grown, I see it is smaller. Or is it just my imagination has gotten smaller? Some days, I wish I could climb a tree and have a picnic, or run through the sprinkler on a hot day...maybe even sleep outside the WHOLE night in a tent! Maybe I could play homerun derby barefoot with my brothers in the spring. (Maybe I'll even hit it over the fence this time.) Maybe find a swing where I can feel, just for a moment, like I can fly. Maybe...