The tulips are once again blooming in Washington. No, I'm not there, but I've been jealously eyeing my friends photos for the past couple of weeks. I think this is the first time I've found myself really missing Washington. The beauty of miles and miles of rainbow covered flowers is beyond words...
Wildflowers are blooming across Texas too, but it just isn't the same. I guess you could say I've been a bit of a bluebonnet snob lately. I see them, I think to myself, "sure, they're pretty" ,but secretly my heart says, "Nothing can compare to the land of Oz"...

But suddenly the bluebonnets have begun growing on me. I see the fields blooming a beautiful shade of "Liberty Blue" (the Pantone Color I found most closely matched) and I begin to think maybe, just maybe there is something to this whole bluebonnet thing...

So Sunday afternoon we were in need of a little outing. Chicks in tow I went out in search of some flowers worthy of a photo. I was a little leery of hanging out on the side of the highway with my little munchkins so we found something off the beaten path. My goal was to take some photos of the girls with the flowers, not the flowers with the girls...

Carter was feeling enthusiastic about having her picture made...

What a difference a cheerful heart makes...

I'm not sure I'll ever attempt photos of her when she's not "in the mood" again...

It made for a delightful afternoon...

One where little fingers eagerly picked flowers for Mama...

Carter is bringing me little bouquets more and more often these days, no garden is safe...

It makes my heart happy to receive her little expression of love (photo by Carter)...

She teaches me so much about life, about breathing in the moment...

About sitting and enjoying the sunshine...

These girls are my true definition of happiness...

Of Joy...

Emerson was quite content under a canopy of bluebonnets...

It was one of those afternoons I'll really remember...

Just the three of us...

Making a memory...

And being reminded that God's beauty is all around us...

Just waiting for us to acknowledge and take it all in...

So, for the beauty that is all around me...

I say out loud...

I am truly grateful.