Thursday, June 23
I love lists. I'm a bit of an organizational freak. I love nothing more than crisp, empty planner pages just waiting for me to fill them with plans and possibilities. I've made a bunch of lists today, ranging from planning how we're going to save enough to ever send these kids to college to how I'll be able to afford to slipcover the funky but cushy sofa to books I'd like to read this summer. In doing all of this, I came across a list I made a few months ago on my 35th birthday. I liked it so much that I thought I'd post it again today - as a reminder to me of how good things are, despite difficult things that are ongoing. So here's my list with a few minor seasonal changes...
35 Things I Love About My Life - Some in particular, some in random order. Some pretty important, some pretty superficial.
1. That God is endlessly generous and gracious. That He loved me enough to sacrifice His only child. Wow.
2. Mike. May I get to grow very, very old with him.
3. Griffin. The perfect little boy for me.
4. Eliza. Our surprise daughter who was just what our family needed.
5. Cold, cold air conditioning on days when the temp tops 96.
6. My brother, John.
7. My oldest and dearest friend, LeeAnn.
8. Our families.
9. Mika and Tara, friends from college who love me enough to choose to stay in touch (enough even to plan a weekend trip with me this summer!).
10. Aleece and her endless need to believe that we can each be creative and impact the world.
11. Bernie - the sweetest dog ever, even if she is old and cranky now
12. Working for a woman who would prefer I introduce her as my friend than as my boss.
13. We have this lovely, old, creaky, tiny house that feels like love to me.
14. The sounds of laughter in that old house.
15. Books.
16. Magazines.
17. Television.
18. Living two doors down from Mandy & Josh.
19. Slow summer days without school or homework which leads to slower summer evenings full of laughter and fun.
20. A better self-image, for me and for the sake of my daughter.
21. Mike. Maybe I mentioned him before.
22. Good pizza.
23. Diet Coke.
24. Chocolate. M&Ms and chocolate chips, especially.
25. Snuggling with the kids after wrestling on the bed.
26. Hot bubble baths.
27. Cute shoes.
28. The challenge of being the kind of person I want my kids to believe I am.
29. Knowing that I am loved.
30. Having the opportunity to rear these children into the kinds of people God wants them to be.
31. Lying awake in bed at night wigging out about this or that, feeling Mike's warm hand on my tummy, reminding me that things are usually less bad than I think they are late at night.
32. Dr. A, who saved my life and Eliza's. There are no words for my gratitude.
33. The doctors who have helped us so much with both of our children... those who identified and help us control Griff's dangerous food allergies... those who treated our Eliza for the first weeks of her life and who still monitor her development.
34. Strong relationships.
35. Mike. Griff. Eliza. How blessed am I?
[ posted by Chel on Thursday, June 23, 2005 ]
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