Planting a garden and growing a friendship

   Operation get Kim’s garden planted

Last Spring my family had the wonderful opportunity to help my girlfriend Kim plant her families first backyard garden. I was so excited! When I helped plant our school garden last fall it was one of the best experiences that I have ever had. There is something about digging in the dirt that just makes everything else melt away. The never-ending list of things to do ,the needy kids pulling at your shirt tail or the  unanswered emails ,texts,and voicemail that  seem to continue to pile up faster than any human could attend to in a timely manner. For a brief time my mind magically cleared its slate and allowed me to really enjoy the moment of just being with nature.

   This is our little team of garden helpers

The kids quickly decided that the best way they could help us would be to just play in the yard and also eat up lots of the delicious organic apples and fruit that had been set out to enjoy while we were planting the garden.

   Bianca on the Litt’s great tree swing!

   Enjoying our beautiful snacks in the sunshine!

   Our little babies

Kim and I quickly got busy plotting and planning where each plant would go in the garden.

   laying out the garden design

   Kim looking oh so cute with her future salad!

We came up with a game plan and stared immediately cutting the holes in the garden blanket that we were using. Kim grabbed the pocket knife and immediately cut right into the hose…oops! That was the perfect excuse for Josh and Charlie to go get a starbucks…and some duck tape.

We continued cutting each hole in the garden blanket  and then we would take turns digging the holes while the other carefully transplanted our babies into their new home.

   baby corn

   Macy and Bella stopping by the garden for a little fun

As Kim and I worked together hand in hand planting the most beautiful little garden, something even more magnificent was beginning to blossom. Our friendship. We shared thoughts and ideas that we had never really talked about before. We made plans for our family summer together in Del Mar. We talked about how wonderful it would be for our families to grow up together as our children climbed through school faster than we could blink an eye. we also talked about the loss of my late husband and how that had effected me and my girls and the incredible gift that had been given to us when Josh came into our life. Kim listened so thoughtfully as only the most caring heart would do. I had already fallen in love with my girlfriend early on in our friendship but this afternoon had sealed the deal. Our friendship had grown to a new level.

   watering our garden and nurturing our friendship

   Watering our little babies

The guys finally made it back with the Starbucks and duck tape. Nothing like a delicious soy Tea in the afternoon!The men really did end up being very useful….they were the best cheerleaders a person could ask for! “Hey girls…you are doing such a great job.