The joys of spring!

Spring has made its way to central Missouri! Now, since we have lived in Texas the past few years, I had forgotten how this kind of spring looks and feels. Texas does have its own beauty in the spring (well, when it rains it does) with the wildflowers everywhere, and that is so awesome, but it is a very different kind of beauty, and a different process than what we have been seeing here the past few weeks.
First, the creeping colors start...it's really hard to describe exactly, but the branches start looking green, or yellow, or pink, or purple. There aren't leaves or flowers yet, but the actual wood starts looking the color of that which is to come. Then, a few days later, you can see buds. They aren't open into flowers yet, but you can see the shape of the bud, and the color is stronger. Then...beauty bursts forth. Bright yellow forsythia burst into flame....white Bradford pear trees (we had these in TX too, but here they are EVERYWHERE) and dogwood trees reach their pure puffiness to the sky...fuschia tulip trees and redbuds daintily scatter flower petals onto the breeze. The light, soft green of spring begins to fill in the gaps and soften the bare branches of winter. Birds are everywhere. And I get a gardening itch! I think we are not going to do a big garden this year...I'm not sure it's smart to commit to that with all the other changes that are happening in the next few months, but I will probably want to get a few herbs and veggies at least!
Oh, and the air smells really awesome. Very lightly sweet...not rich sweetness, like perfume, but just...fresh, with a light hint of fragrance. I'm not sure if I just smell this because I'm pregnant, but it is really awesome!
Hooray for spring, and renewal, and beauty...and the baby who is kicking, punching, and pushing away inside of me! He likes to poke his head into my belly button...which feels interesting, to say the least! I'd love to upload pictures, but I mostly see these things when I'm driving, sadly...maybe if we end up going for a walk this weekend (there are miles and miles of packed gravel trails around here) and see something...