Tiptoe Through the Tulips...Gina Waite

Again with the pictures of beautiful yellow flowers and my kids!  This beautiful place resides in the Pacific Northwest, smack dab in the middle of Skagit Valley nestled near the beautiful Mount Vernon and is home to the most amazing Tulip Festival your eyes have EVER beheld!  Second only to Holland, this breathtaking beacon is home to millions of tulips, and tulip-loving tourists!  In 1999 (insert the song "1999" by Prince) I happened to be one of said tourists!  Accompanied with the BEST entourage and Navigator Extraordinaire...thanks going out to my cousins Terri and Tim, my sister Angie (a compass encompassed in a body) and my darling niece, Savahnna...we set out to find this little spot of Heaven and thanks to Angie, we were completely successful!

My only sadness in showing you this picture is that it does not show the rows AND rows AND rows of tulips that alternate colors about every 20-30 feet!  I chose to upload this picture because my son was almost submerged in my favorite color of tulip AND for a two-year old, so completely focused on the flowers.  The careful attention he was giving to each of the flowers he touched and where he stepped...only stepping within the trench between the rows of tulips so as to not disturb the perfect order of the flowers.  I remember taking in the beauty all around me and wanting to be there for hours!

Why I'm reflecting on this picture as of late: the tulip festival is truly a breathtaking sight and more recently is calling my name;  but I'm also longing to go back to a time in my life that felt a little more simple.   Perhaps I was more focused on the details that were important and cared a little less about everything else!  I'm not saying that life with little children is not overwhelming at times but the day-to-day involvement in extra-curricular activities and goal driven expectations were not as much a driving force for my family, then! All I know is life seems too full of expectations, appointments and aspirations and not enough quiet time to observe nature, spend time with loved ones,and reflect on the important things of life...I love looking at the little boy in this picture and he's SIXTEEN now!

So for those of you who need some time away,  a little family vaca or just wanting to take in some of God's green earth...I'm including the link to the information regarding the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival ...it's so worth your while and if you go...I'll be the one waving at you amongst the yellow tulips!