3 simple joys: tree classrooms, wildflower bouquets, and baby friends.

"Rejoicing is the motivation of the Christian life.  If there is no gratitude there will be no change and no transformation."
~ Jerram Barrs (quote originally found on Flourish Online Magazine)

These 3 Simple Joys posts have transformed my days.  Here are my most recent ones...

Tree classrooms.

Wordsworth said, "Let nature be your teacher."  Have you ever seen a tree classroom?  Today, I did!  On a return visit to the Trinity River Audubon Center, we explored more, through the wooded trails.  We came upon this enormous, old pecan tree that created a canopy and carved out a little classroom in the middle of the forest.  There were even little makeshift benches made from tree trunks scattered around.

A pathway was flanked by two tall trees that looked like vaulting poles.  The trees there were towering and lovely, completely preserved, never to be cut down.

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Wildflower bouquets.

The other morning, my husband woke me up and then handed me this wildflower bouquet that he had just picked from our backyard garden and arranged himself.  The stems were even tied carefully with twine so they would stand up correctly in the turquoise cup.  Tell me, what husband does that?  Mine.  Yup, I'm a lucky girl.

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Baby friends.

What would we do without our friends Bre & John Taylor and their little boy Jack who live just 2 streets over?  {And don't forget little Liv in Bre's tummy!}  Jack and Luci Belle are less than 3 weeks apart and already best friends.  And it's a Godsend to have another mother nearby who is in the same stage in life...for not just sanity but encouragement!

3 simple joys: old hymns, peas, and great-grandmas.

After posting my 3 simple joys recently, I decided to make it an ongoing thing. Fun!  Here are my most recent simple joys...

New doorway decoration.

The hymn prayer garland was a sweet Mother's Day gift from my sister-in-law Michelle and brother-in-law Cody who are currently serving in the Middle East with Preemptive Love Coalition.  Michelle, who Steven and I affectionately call "Big Sis" even though she's younger than both of us, always selects the most perfect, thoughtful gifts!  You can read it from either side as you're passing from the living to dining room, and I love having such beautiful, old worlds about Christ adorning an important doorway in our home.

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Harvesting fresh food from our own backyard for dinner.

We grew peas!  And luscious, juicy heirloom tomatoes.  They were perfect garnished with a simple drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper.  There's nothin' like eating fresh food that you grew with your own hands and harvested just minutes before.

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Visit with an older generation of family.

Luci Belle got to meet her only great-grandparent recently, Steven's "Gran" from North Carolina!  It was such a sweet time as we got to share lunch, and then Gran read to her great-granddaughter from Moo, Baa, La La La. 

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Won't you join in, and share 3 simple joys you've experienced lately?

3 simple joys.

More to come soon from my recent Nashville trip, but until then...I was inspired by one of my favorite blogs, Walk Slowly, Live Wildly, to share 3 simple joys I've experienced lately.  Won't you join in?

A luscious green smoothie first thing in the morning.

I've been craving these lately...first, I juice apples, oranges, carrots, pineapple, lemon/lime, broccoli, peaches, or whatever fruits & veggies I have in the fridge.  Pour the fresh juice into the blender, and add a few handfuls of fresh spinach leaves on top.  Give it a good whazz {as Jamie Oliver would say} until the mixture is grass-green and frothy!  I feel so energized after gulping this down.

The perfect table setting for a country lunch.

A simple Mason jar filled with dainty flowers greeted us as we sat down for lunch at Joe Natural's in the tiny hamlet of Leiper's Fork, TN. The lunch was out of this world!  They grow many of the ingredients at their own farm down the street and use other local vendors as well.  My friend Angela and I split the Miss Mary Bobo {all-natural roasted turkey sandwich with roasted fig, garlic chutney, and grilled onions} and the Organic Veggie Bowl with Grilled Chicken {avocados, quinoa, olives, fresh seasonal veggies, hummus, grilled chicken, and sprouts, drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette}.  Can you say YUM?

The luxury of our own row on the plane.

Traveling alone with a wiggly 10-month-old is what I would call "challenging"; holding her on my lap for the entire plane ride is nearly impossible.  Thankfully, we found a row all to ourselves where little Luci Belle could have her own seat, look out the window, climb on everything in sight, and play with the emergency instructions booklet to her heart's content.

What are  3 simple joys you've experienced lately?