I Love a Lot of Things....These Are Just a Few

I love how my husband treats me like I'm fragile, even though I'm not dainty or petite. He does so in spite of the fact that most days I'm a tomboy and tougher than I need to be. He's one of the only people who knows me well enough to notice when I'm too pale (the number one sign that I'm exhausted or unwell) and he then tries to lighten my load so I don't overdo it.

I love hitting that deep level of relaxation in sleep- that point when you wake up and your body feels like it's disconnected from you and just totally limp.

I love being able to smell things, and I appreciate smells that a lot of other people don't... like the eucalyptus oil my friend accidentally used too much of during a baptismal service. It was funny watching other people's reactions. I also love how certain smells can trigger memories of places, people, and events. Sometimes all it takes is a whiff to lead you down memory lane.

I love the talents that people are endowed with, and that they share them. I love listening to beautiful music and singing, looking at works of art (even those I don't really "get") and reading what others have written in books and articles. I also appreciate the less obvious talents of kindness, concern for others, hospitality, conversation, leadership, and many others.

I love having such an incredible variety of food available to me. We are prosperous enough to not have to worry about where our next meal will come from. Instead, we are blessed to have grocery stores in close vicinity that offer thousands and thousands of products, even if a lot of it is junk food that I won't buy on a regular basis! I'm often amazed by the variety of fruits and vegetables that God has provided for each area of the world...and what is considered edible or inedible based solely on what is acceptable or "normal" by the culture you were raised in.

I love having good books to read, and having time to read them. There's nothing better than sitting down and getting into a story that transports you to another time and/or place. I love stories about people and personalities, especially ones that show someone overcoming obstacles in their life. I also love books that I learn from- whether it's politics, poverty, diet, biographies, the natural world, or a host of other subjects, I appreciate that I am able to continue learning even though I'm not in school.

I love air conditioning. If we have to have global warming (or even if it's just a cyclical warming of the planet) it's nice to have something that keeps our house comfortable when it's so dang hot outside. I wouldn't want to experience 90+ degrees with humidity without it. Call me a wimp or whatever, but that's pretty unpleasant.

I love having full use of my body... to be able to walk, ride a bike, clean my house, give a hug, drive a car, pick a flower, hear the birds singing, see my husband's face, touch a prickly caterpillar....so many things we take for granted every day!

I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love how they have watched over me, guided me, helped me, and healed me. I love how they know me, and love me anyways. I love that they are always there and that they are all-knowing and all-powerful. I love that I have had enough experiences to know that they are real.