Nature Boy.

You know what I love? People who can appreciate the little things in life. To see beauty in the mundane. Grasp God's glory in the ladybug landing on overgrown grass, yellow wildflowers lining the freeway. As adults, I think this takes practice...we have to look for it, slow down long enough to notice what is right in front of us. But kids, how they so readily delight in the simplest of things! From playing in the dirt all day, to obsessing over animals, our Ezekiel's love of nature runs deep. He notices and appreciates beauty -- and is quick to recognize it as God's creation -- in way that can stop me in my tracks and beckon me to join him.

• Last week he invited me to climb the hill in my parents' backyard (and check out his secret hideout!). When we got to the top (which overlooks the neighborhood), he took in the view and softly said, "Isn't it so peaceful and quiet up here, mom? Don't you just love this town?"
• This morning I was commenting on how much I love the sun streaming through our french doors in the morning. A few minutes later, I glanced outside, and Ezekiel was sitting in the backyard crosslegged, leaning back on his hands, face tilted toward the sky, basking in that stream of sunshine.
• We pruned our rosebushes way back at the end of January, and it looks so doubtful there for a while that anything good will ever come of that. I explained the process of pruning to the kids, and they checked back in on those rose bushes from time to time to look for new growth. The other day, Ezekiel came running into the house exclaiming, "Mom! I have a surprise for you! Come quick!" He led me outside by the hand and told me to close my eyes. When I opened them, my son was beaming and pointing to a single rose bud...our first bloom of the season. 
• Just today I overheard him talking to a slug he found under a brick in our yard. "Hey slug," he said, "Aren't you so excited to find a shell and make it your home? I saw some good ones at my grandma's house. You should go there." 

I hope you always talk to animals, son...and always bask in the sunshine.