On our trip back from Florida, the kids and I listened to the first three books of my favorite book series – The Mitford Series by Jan Karon. It was fun to share my favorite characters with them, and the revisiting of “old friends” warmed my heart.  One of the things I had forgotten was how one of the characters, Cynthia Cavanaugh, is often asked by her husband, Father Tim, “What do you love?”.  Cynthia seems to always have a triple answer roll right off of her tongue.  I have always been enamored with her ability to find 3 things that she adores in the blink of an eye, and I have decided to follow in her footsteps by creating a new category for this blog.  It will be known as Monday – Fun Day where I will post things that make me smile.  This will be a hodge-podge of items; so, don’t expect a routine response (My fictional model never says the same three things in her responses either.)

So here goes on our maiden voyage:

1.  Unexpected visitors – Midweek, we saw a vehicle slow down and stop in our driveway.  Because of a crazy numbering system for our neighborhood, we seldom get too excited about a vehicle stopping by.  Because we both have house numbers of  206 on a weekly basis, we get our neighbors’ items which include things like mail, furniture, pizza, visitors, and flowers.  That last one really stunk because once I was having a bad day, and POOF! here came a dozen roses delivered to my door.  I opened the card to read, “I love you, Caroline.”  Bummer, dude!  But I digress . . . because this time it was an unexpected visit from friends who were between appointments in town.  It was wonderful!  We had a whole hour to visit, catch-up, and have some time together that we would have never had otherwise.  I am so thankful that one of her sons made the suggestion to stop by, because it made my day to see them.  I am so thankful that God has blessed me with such wonderful friends to share this journey, and that will always make me smile!

Not my actual garden

2.  If you follow my Kan-Do group on Facebook, you know that yesterday, I waxed poetically about zucchini and our harvest so far this year.  We have been enjoying zucchini in just about every fashion you can.  Since it is my favorite squash, I am trying all kinds of new recipes as well.  Think zucchini and smoked sausage saute as well as eggplant-zucchini bolognese.  Y-U-M-M-Y!  Every minute spent weeding and watering has been worth every every single bite!  My love of zucchini (and a good laugh) will carry into tomorrow’s blog. I think my love of gardening stems from the times spent with my parents and grandparents digging in the dirt, planting, tending, and finally harvesting.  Despite the dry and hot weather we have been experiencing, every new blossom in my garden reminds me that God still has a plan even in my small patch of ground, and that makes me smile.

3.  I am always amazed when someone thinks I have a good, creative project or idea, because truthfully, I read a lot.  I mean A LOT.  So many times, I have seen something in a book, blog, or magazine, and then I tweak it to fit my needs or desires.  I enjoy having eclectic tastes and striving to find something that stands out even if it is a small detail.  So when I ran across this blog entry, I knew that I would have to try it myself. http://cupcakesandcashmere.com/?s=mermaid+nails Even though I don’t believe I will become a mermaid anytime soon, I can at least pretend with some really fun nails.

Mermaid nails (Photo from Cupakes & Cashmere blog)

My first run at this style was for Erin and her friend, and they were adorable.  If you read the blog, you can certainly see how the sky (or the sea) would be the limit for the creative ways you could change this style.  After my trip to Florida, I realized how the Gulf of Mexico is etched deeply in my heart.  When I stand next to her, I realize how small I really am.  And yet, in my smallness, I know that God loves me B-I-G, and that too will always make me smile! I wish for you to find the the things that make you smile – on a daily basis.