Alanya Flower

When you buy a new home, there is a year or so of discovery as you learn things about the new place you live. The furnace might make a weird clicking noise. The ceiling fans may wobble on high. The refrigerator may sweat when it’s over a certain temperature. New discoveries are made every day, and the same goes for your yard. What color will those leaves turn? That area of the driveway gets covered in ice because of bad drainage. Is that a weed or a flower? Should we pull it or hope for the best?

Seven years ago was our first year in this house and I was also pregnant. It was a learning process as we discovered what each flower bed had to offer from the previous owners. Out near the mailbox we had a number of things coming up, and one plant was taking a longer time than normal to show itself. It was nearly August and still no flowers, although it was bursting with buds. What would it be?

In the wee hours of August first we left for the hospital. That morning we called my mom and the boys at home to tell them about the new little girl in our family. Much to our delight, my mom told us that the mystery flower had burst open over night, and it turned out to be spectacular pink and white stargazer lilies. A celebration of pink and perfume for our little girl we had waited so long for.

We call them “Alanya Flowers” and every summer she continually checks to see how they are growing. Finally, within days of her birthday they burst open just for her. I’ll never in my life be able to look at one of those pink blooms without thinking of my little girl.