It was a gorgeous, crisp, end of summer morning here in Minnesota. I was enjoying it to it's fullest sitting outside, soaking up the peace and beauty around me in the early hours of the morning before the children woke up. So as not to startle them, I left the sliding door open with the screen so they could see that I was outside when they woke up and to let in the beautiful breeze. Sure enough, Chloe was the first to wake and came outside to greet me. She inhaled deeply and said, "Mom, as soon as I woke up I smelled a hint of fresh air and knew the screen door must be open. So I came out here to find you." I'm so glad that 'hint of fresh air' was the lure that brought her to me. We both were able to bask in the beauty of the morning together with our cups of hot tea. It just doesn't get much better than that in my book. I'm surprised that out of all three kiddos, she's my most 'outdoorsy' one. She loves being outside. She appreciates the smells, animals and sounds associated with nature. Often, when we're out back together she comments, "Mom, it's like we're camping but we're not. It's always so pretty out here." I have to agree, that's what I love about our backyard as well.
We were out at Aunt Lou's farm again recently and Chloe got some hay stuck in her hair. When she came over to me, I reached out to try to take the hay out. She quickly stopped me and exclaimed, "Mom, don't. I like that hay there. It makes me look like a real farm girl."
