In high school, I spent my summers working on a Summer Missions Team at a Christian camp in Tustin, Michigan. For some crazy reason, my mom let me go away for eight weeks every summer to serve at the camp. Each week we would help out in a different area of the camp’s ministry. Some weeks I was a Jr. Counselor and others I helped out in the Kitchen or on Maintenance. Whereas I loved working in the cabins, I have to admit, I also loved Maintenance, because it meant that I got to mow the lawn on the camp’s big ride-on mower while listening to music. Granted, I probably should have been listening to something more wholesome, but my absolute favorite songs that summer were from a borrowed Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers cassette tape.
It’s probably where I first fell in love with the song “Wildflowers.” And so you can imagine what was on loop through my head the other evening when Ellee and I walked over to the Tuttle’s Flower Field to cut some beautiful bouquets.
I don’t know what could be better in that moment, than the summer’s fading light on our sweet daughter in a field full of beautiful wildflowers.
Of course in honor of full disclosure, in that gorgeous field, there were also gnats and mosquitos and grasshoppers that could startle you if you weren’t paying attention. But who wants to focus on those?
She instead delighted in the flowers and getting to wear her Mommy’s silver heels (crazy enough, we are the same shoe size) and in twirling around in her beautiful dress. Because that’s the choice, you know. You always get to choose what to see no matter where life brings you.
You can focus on the bugs or you can focus on the butterflies (they love the wildflowers as much as we do).
After a few pictures, she got to work.
She’s become a bit of a pro this summer. She always looks for the biggest and most beautiful flowers.
She plans as we go for who we can bring our bouquets to. I love that she considers others and I do my best to nurture that character quality whenever I can.
I am so, so thankful for these summer nights and these summer memories. Our children are growing up so fast and so I do my best to capture these moments when I can.
What more can I say? She belongs among the wildflowers and I’m so thankful for the opportunity we had to cut and savor this beautiful part of summer. A huge thanks to our friend Jonathan Tuttle for letting us go and hang out in his beautiful flower field! I’m so glad that we can soak up these summer blessings…
Laura Herr Photography 