It’s barely Thursday anymore and here I am as the evening comes to a close, typing out the things that made my heart flutter this week.  I hope as you read them, your hearts flutter, too, because that’s what this blog is all about for me–connection, people, love, gratitude, feeling life deeply, truly and authentically.  So, as simple as they are, here are my loves:

1. I love being married to Gabe.  I love that although he hates mornings, he’s leading our family by waking us both up in the mornings to read in the Psalms and pray for our hearts and our littles and the people we love.
2. I love kissing my kids when they’re asleep.  My mom used to always do that.  I remember it waking me just enough to recall that it happened, but never all the way.  I hope Martell and Esmae remember late night love lavished on their most-kissable cheeks.
3. I love getting drawn into a really good book.  Loving “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson right now–I’m intrigued, disgusted, heartbroken and hopeful all at the same time.  Are you interested yet?
4. I love turning off social media for a little while to refocus myself on my family and my priorities.  It’s amazing how things like email, Facebook, Instagram and text messaging can suck away time and presence with the people you love.
5. I love when I have a playlist going that I feel caught up in–music can strum on the chords of my soul more quickly than most other things can.
6. I love friends who will just sit across the room from me as I type.  Truly, friends who are more like family.
7. I love weeks when I am consistent about making dinner for our family.  I love putting little Esmae in her Bumbo seat right on the table there with us.
8. I love having little “school” times with Martell in the mornings.  Today we talked about metamorphosis–the life cycle of a butterfly.  It’s been a super fun summer of exploring bugs.  He’s into it, and I love that.
9. I love when I actually listen for what it is God has to say to me.  He hears, sure, but He also directs us–I miss it sometimes in my fierce independence.
10. I love that although Martell is not our flesh and blood, he is our heart and soul.  He was made for this family.  He is cuddly and tender and giggly and light-hearted and compassionate and sensitive. I couldn’t possibly love him more.
11. I love the first wave of cool weather at the end of the summer–it’s so pregnant with the anticipation of holidays and family and warmth by the fire for me.
12. I love traditions and the idea of making them with our new little family unit.
13. Finally, I love when the dishes are done at the end of the night and I come down the stairs in the morning to a clean kitchen all ready to be used up for the day.

Happy Friday here in just a short hour and a half–can you believe it?!  Another week in the books!

Happy Weekending, friends.