An incomplete list of my favorites

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...

Whipped cream in coffee. Warm, fuzzy blankets. Hot morning baths. Running toward the sunrise. Summertime. 

Seeing Levi in dad mode. When Reid lays his head on my shoulder and snuggles in. Sleepy snuggles in a warm bed. 

Mashed potatoes, huge snowflakes that drift instead of fall, snapchats from my childhood best friends. The way Royce hugs me at school pickup and shouts “I love you!” at dropoff. Maggie’s bedhead. Rocking chairs, oversized chairs, and hard plastic chairs on the porch. 

A song I know all the words to. New notebooks. Pilot Precise V5 pens. Driving anywhere with Levi. The feeling I get when I stand on a mountain peak, and that first glimpse of the view. 

Royce learning to read, Maggie’s artwork, and the “vroom vroom” sound Reid started making this week. Peloton rides, the way strength feels, running in Coleman canyon. 

Watching the kids ride their horses, seeing their bond with my parents, and babysitters who can finally drive. Bonus grannies, Hazy IPAs, taco nights on the porch. Barbecuing in the pasture, laughing until my belly aches, and writing friends who understand the angst of crafting the perfect last sentence. 

College campuses, revisiting old haunts, nights away just Levi and I, and the fact that Levi still calls me on the phone just to chat. Book stores, lunch menus, Christmas shopping dates with the kids. 

A good afternoon nap. Airpods. White noise and the crackle of a freshly laid fire. Freshly mopped floors, biweekly cleaning service, the satisfaction of a job well done. 

Reid waving in the carseat mirror, Maggie’s giggle, and Royce’s toothless grin. Soft cozy fabrics, gray anything, and frasier fir candles that crackle. A windless Spring day, a rodeo national anthem, the remastered Judd’s album. 

A hike with friends, with the kids, or with Levi. Quiet. 

Being alone in my house, the feeling of missing my kids, and when Levi goes out of his way to care for me. Bookcases. Used books. When Levi is tender and soft. A good back rub, a freshly washed face, and Thrive Causemetics mascara. 

The smell of Vicks. My dishwasher. The convenience of garbage service. The view from our house. Sunrises. Sunsets. Trees that change color in the fall. 

Peppermint tea, farm fresh eggs and homegrown bacon, and biscuits and gravy from scratch. Third rows and captains chairs, birkenstocks, Zella workout leggings. New running shoes, feather pillows, freshly fluffed down comforters. Crisp mornings that precede warm days. 

The changing of seasons. When Levi takes the kids. 

The current state of our marriage, a summertime side-by-side ride, the tradition of taking family photos each year. Sweet Home Alabama, Hallmark Christmas movies, and the wisdom of Daniel Tiger. Branding season, calving season, and the day water shuts off. A well orchestrated system, organized closets, days with rhythm and routine. Armchair Expert, the Coffee + Crumbs team, The Popcast’s “Nos of” episodes. 

Walking with my parents, remembering forgotten memories, the daily chance to do better. The magic of Christmas with kids. The chance to say sorry. 

Losing myself in the storyline of a good book. Chubby baby cheeks. A day with nowhere to be. Coffee with friends, seeing other people love my kids, and receiving Christmas cards.

Babies in tupperware cabinets. My people. Green smoothies.

The grace and new mercies available to me each day.