Wandering the Boston Public Garden (and it's free)

This past weekend, my beloved and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary. We had the pleasure of spending Saturday in Boston with my niece Ava and her husband Jeremy.  The four of us have limited funds, as both my beloved and Jeremy are unemployed at the moment. We have found that there are many pleasures in life that are free. The Boston Public Garden is one such pleasure. Located in the heart of Boston, lies this 24 acre, rectangular shaped park. It once was a salt marsh and now is a beautiful park with paths, flower beds, fountains, statues and trees, and a girder bridge (once the world's shortest suspension bridge) right in the middle. There are weeping willows, horse chestnuts, dawn redwoods, European beeches, ginkgo trees, European and American elms, and one California redwood tree. One can purchase a ride on the paddle swan boat. These Swan boats have been drifting on the four acre lake since 1877. Usually, a college student, sitting at the back of the boat, does all the paddling work. Do you notice the two swans nesting near the small lake? They are mute and named "Romeo and Juliet". The person naming them didn't realize they are two females. This one glided across the water in search of food and would dip it's head down into the water. It was a wonderful experience having this swan so close. There are many bronze statues in the Park. This one is a favorite and is based on Robert McCloskey's book, Make Way For Ducklings. It is a charming, children's book about a Mother and Father duck in search of a good place to raise their ducklings. They end up selecting the Boston Public Garden as their nesting place.  We purchased a print of the ducklings from this gentleman artist. We will frame it and hang it in a special place in our home.

We have lived here, in Massachusetts, for 8 years and always enjoy our time in this Public Garden. It has been a National Historic Landmark since 1987. It is well worth the visit.

Every day holds the possibility of a miracle.

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  Sometimes we don't know what path to take next. We are in this situation right now. My husband's company restructured last July and he was let go (along with many other employees). We have been unemployed since July. We own our home, we have four children, one dog, and three cats.

Sometimes I feel like the Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She is on the yellow brick road and asks, "Now which way do I go?"  The Scarecrow replies, "Now,  some folks say that-a-way,  but that's a nice way too." What has been amazing about this journey is the people who have helped us along the way. We have experienced true generosity from unexpected places. We have a strong faith in God and our Lord Jesus. We know that He has a plan for our lives. He knows our future and what it holds. He knows where we will land and what it looks like. Since we believe He loves us and cares for us, this helps us have a sweet peace about the whole situation. We have become creative in how we spend our time. The children love having Daddy at home. I do too. He is my beloved, my best friend. I cherish the times I have with him. We are in the midst of a remarkable time. My beloved asked the children if the glass was half full or half empty. They all replied that the glass was half full. I feel that my glass is overflowing. I have my moments where I feel panic. What if we lose our home?! What will we do if we can't pay our bills?!

Most of the time I have experienced a supernatural sense of peace. Our needs have been met. We are still in our home, our children are happy and healthy. We are hopeful for the future. We pray each day for a job. My beloved has been amazing in his search for a job. He is very talented and the company who lands him will be blessed. There are days when we feel discouraged.
There are days when we feel perplexed.
Today we feel hopeful and blessed. Every day holds the possibility of a miracle.