Mom Reflections

My husband loves to grow roses and is truly successful at doing so. He grew up on a farm and has absorbed the green thumb of knowing how much fertilizer, when to prune, how often to water. I am keenly aware lately of how marriage can be viewed much like a rose; going through seasons of growth, seasons of dormancy, sometimes needing extra encouragement and attention, sometimes flourishing with very little focus. We have grown up together, since I was 15, and he 16. We are now nearing 40. Our eyes and hearts were absorbed with each other, having very few responsibilities or distractions. As time has passed, the joys and frustrations of raising children; dealing with finances; learning to share the burden of added responsibilities have caused us to hurt one another, question, fail to appreciate. There have been moments of wanting to give up, years even of failing to communicate well. But, through it all, there are several truths that have held us fast, kept us strong, nurtured us in our