Ten Loves

So, a fellow blogger and sweet friend tagged me on a recent blog entry and encouraged me to share ten things I love. So, here goes nothing...

1. I LOVE this man. Josh and I have been together for more than 11 years and married for seven. Most times I can't remember not having him in my life. He continually amazes me and never ceases to make me laugh. (And if he were to make a list I think making me laugh would be one of the things on his list.) He's my best friend. The one person I know I can ask anything of. He's a dilligent provider; yet strives to spend as much time as possible with his family. I'm thankful to God everyday that He saw fit to bless me with such a wonderful husband.

2. I also LOVE this little man. It's been more than two years since we welcomed Jack into our family, and what fun it has been. Most days I can't believe I've been untrusted with such a precious gift. I'm thankful that I get to spend so much time with such a fun little man. I know he is going to make an awesome big brother.

3. I LOVE my family and that we make time for one another. I'm thankful to have my parents and siblings within an hour's drive. Josh's family is not too much further away, and I'm blessed that they don't mind making the drive to see us every few weeks. Jack is certainly blessed to have such involved and caring grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.

4. I LOVE my friends and how dependable they are. Even though we don't see each other often, I love that I can call my best friend from middle school and we can pick up right where we left off. In addition to the friends that I've known since grade school, I've been fortunate enough to make some wonderful friends right here where we live. These precious friends have been a huge blessing to me and my family. They've embraced us and made us feel like we've known them forever.

5. I LOVE to write. Although I don't update my blog as much as I should, I actually enjoy writing. It's the reason I majored in public relations and got a degree in journalism. I wish I gave myself more time to do it.

6. Right along with #5, I LOVE correspondence. I love writing cards and letters and of course, love receiving them as well. It's almost a dying art form. For about two and half years of our dating, Josh & I lived in different cities. Thankfully, they were only about a 2 hour drive from one another. We got to see each other about every 2 weeks or so. During that 30 or so month stint I would guess I mailed him no fewer than 150 letters, postcards, etc. I aimed to send him something at least once a week. Sometimes during a visit, I would be with him when he checked his mailbox and found a sweet note among the bills and junk mail. I wish I made more time for correspondence as well.

7. I LOVE college football. I'm not really sure when this love began, but it certainly blossomed while I was a student at UGA. I can remember attending plenty of games as a kid and walking along the railroad tracks from the newspaper building (where dad worked) to the stadium and then back again afterwards. Gamedays were always exciting, and I guess I never realized how my excitement would intensify once I called the team mine. As UGA graduates, Josh & I both enjoy making the trek back to Athens on Saturdays during the fall. We're both looking forward to sharing the experience with our kids one day.

8. I LOVE reading my friends' blogs. Although so many of the blogs I read and follow are friends that I see pretty frequently, there is something about reading a funny story or seeing a friend bare her soul through her posts. I'm thankful that so many of my friends share these sneak peeks of their lives with me.

9. I LOVE taking and sharing pictures. Although I'm not very good at it (especially lately), I enjoy taking pictures of the ordinary things that take place around me. The project 365 was a wonderful way to document this last year, and maybe I'll get back to doing it again. But the joy doesn't just end with the taking, you have to share as well. The blog has allowed me to do that with so many folks...the most appreciative of this are usually grandparents.

10. I LOVE being a mom. Getting to watch Jack grow and learn over the last two years has been such a joy. It's crazy to believe we're starting over with a new baby in just a couple of days (or maybe sooner...who knows?) I'm sure this journey will be just as joyful and different in many ways. Although I know it won't be immediate and they won't always appear to be, I look forward to watching a pair of boys become friends.

Okay, so there are just ten things that I LOVE. I could probably go on, especially since I LOVE to write, but I'll stop here.