Love

Here is a list of the things I love.

1. When Henry gets excited and I can see it in his eyes.

2. When I pretend to be a zombie and Nora immediatly twirls around and rushes me, attempting to punch me in the stomach.  This is the remnant of when she was really little and would pretend to be the hulk....

3. Being up and outside early enough to be up before the birds, and walking in the silence before sunrise. 

4. Being with Jenny in the rare moments where she loses herself in what's happening around her. 

5. The smell of late fall when it gets really cold.

6. Christmas mornings.

7. Feeling my burdens roll off of me that first week of summer vacation.

8. Sitting in high backed chairs.

9. Sitting in high backed chairs in front of lit fireplaces. 

10. Getting past my nerves and feeling the power of the song I am playing.

11. The fact that my kids still sleep in the same room together.

12. The smell of melting snow in early spring.

13. When Henry spontaneously walks over, sits on my lap, and curls his head into me.

14. When Nora comes down stairs, shows me her "outfit" and purposefully waits for me to tell her how beautiful she is.

15. Being up when the rest of the house is asleep.

16. Pipe smoke

17. Winning over students that have been hurt by school...reengaging them and seeing them come back to life.

18. Ticonderoga pencils

19. Sweaters and scarves in the fall.

20. Soup in the winter

21. Haunting acoustic guitar.

22. When I first get into bed with newly washed new cotton sheets

23. The Homestead Trail on Prince Edward Island.

24. The sunlight filtering through summer leaves and that bright green that results.

25. Family on Thanksgiving

26. Being in the woods in the silence of the winter.

27. This audio recording I have of Henry when he was three and talking about swords and ske-le-tons.

28. Old wooden desks.

29. Mysterious boxes.

30. C. S. lewis'  The Magician's Nephew 

Love