God speaks to me through nature, that is for sure. I think that's why it grieves me to spend summer indoors where I currently live. It breathed such life into my soul to enjoy summer outside in New Jersey, spending morning through evening with toes in the grass, swinging with my husband, spending time with my parents who work so hard to cultivate beauty on their piece of land, watching our little girl so contentedly fall in love with nature, too.

She could have played all day with all of Mimi's "critters" - squirrels, rabbits, turtles, birds. I walked to the very back of the yard and admired my favorite trees, ones with trunks so wide you cannot get your arms around them. Under those trees, we have buried beloved family cats, dogs, and even a pigeon named Rainbow. We had badminton tournaments. I made mudpies and sat on the grass playing my tennis racket guitar.

It's amazing to be in places that have held you all your life and then to be able to introduce a new little life to those sacred places.

Here are some of my favorite moments...