The Azaleas are blooming...

...and my son will be born in a week!
So, this isn't exactly a Friday (Scrapping) Favorite, but it's still a Friday Favorite...think of it as my Friday Flower Favorite!
I LOVE azaleas!! There is something about Maryland's mid-atlantic climate that just nurtures these babies. It's been one of my favorite things ever since I moved to Maryland. You can drive through the neighborhoods at this time of year and just see them everywhere...riotous explosions of color peeking out from places expected and unexpected. Here are some from my backyard:
Usually, they wouldn't be blooming this early. Their normal bloom time starts at the beginning May and is often in full swing by Mother's Day. This year though, we had two different bouts of very warm weather (we're talking upper 80s and into the 90s!) so they all popped out early. More from my backyard:
Alas, I'm sure they will be done by Mother's Day, but it is a very special thing for me to have them blooming for the birth of my son.
Ever since I can remember, I've heard from my mom, "the forsythia were all blooming when you were born"; "everything was cheerful and yellow when we brought you home from the hospital". It's often said on my birthday, in my cards, around my birthday...whenever the forsythia are blooming she thinks of it. It's clear that forsythia reminds her of me and my birth and it's so sweet and touching to hear those comments from her over and over again...still, more than 30 years later.
Because of this, I know that the blooming of the azaleas will now not only be something I love for itself, but I will also love and look forward to it because it will remind me forever of the birth of my second son. Such a precious, precious thing!

Look at these blooms...aren't they just luscious?!?! They look good enough to eat...like ice cream or sorbet!
We even planted some new ones this year. We lost several bushes in the front due to the extended cold and tons of snow we got this past winter. So, this past weekend we went out and chose some new ones. They are now happily ensconced in our front bed, aren't they pretty?
New azaleas in, new baby coming, what could be better?

P.S. My petite iris (from my mom's garden - actually she gave them to me when I was pregnant with my first son! just realized that) are finally fully established and blooming beautifully: