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Pregnancy has made me think about a lot of things.
Yes, the obvious things like "Will my baby girl be irresistibly chubby?" or "Will this little babe have a loud laugh like her Daddy?"
But also the less expected things.
What can't I live without? What sorts of experiences, mindsets, moments do I want to give my baby girl? What really matters to me? Is it having lots of money? Surely not. Turns out you can live a very happy life, even if you're using WIC vouchers once a month.
Which mothers do I admire? What are the qualities I'd like to learn for myself?
What in the world am I going to do at home all day long?
No assigned readings. No argumentative essays. No pronounced schedule, really.
And these questions (along with this post) got me thinking: What do I like? What do I really like?
Let me tell you.
Moleskine notebooks, unlined pages, bound with brown paper.
Pilot ink pens: Precise V5 Rolling Ball in extra fine.
Stunning photographs.
Handwritten letters, received in the real mail, stamp and envelope and all.
My handwriting. The handwriting of others and what it says about them.
Chad.
Laughing with Chad, creating with Chad, Saturday errands with Chad, eating out with Chad.
My first name. My middle name. My maiden name. My married name.
New friends.
Oil paintings.
Bright-colored flowers.
Valentine's Day.
Sometimes I even like painted fingernails.
REI. Tang. Chaco sandals. Any gear.
Mountains. Lakes. Rivers. Forests. Fresh air.
Snowboarding through fresh powder. Waterskiing until my legs give out.
Reusable grocery bags. Recycling. Burlap.
Wearing an apron.
Candles with lovely scents.
Oatmeal with berries and brown sugar. Malt-o-Meal with applesauce and cinnamon.
Evergreen trees, especially when it's twilight and all you see are tree-shadows against a deep blue sky.
Yoga. Moving my body. Having moved my body.
I know I love the idea of backpacking and camping. But I never sleep well on hard ground.
Early mornings, though if I have the choice, I sleep in.
Long talks with my mom. Text messages from my sister. Letters from my dad.
Asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts. Roasted with lemon.
Grapefruit, halved and with the sections loosened by a sharp knife.
Painted dishes.
Spring colors. Spring blossoms. Spring green grass. Spring sunshine.
Things I'm scared of...after I've conquered them for the day.
Faith. Hope. Charity. These are all you need, really.
A tidy house. A made bed. A sink clear of dishes.
Storms of thunder or rain or hail or snow. Storms of all of the above.
Blogs.
Non-fiction. Books about real life. Sometimes fiction.
Fresh scents like citrus and yuzu mint.
Daydreaming about my baby.
The ideas of minimalism, wabi-sabi, and Zen.
Baby bubble bath.
Peanut butter toast with sliced bananas and a mug of hot chocolate.
Checklists.
My own desk.
Personalized stationery. Happy stamps.
Scripture study. Having read my scriptures.
Relief Society. Singing hymns.
Homemade granola. Dried fruit. Greek yogurt. Cucumbers.
Basically, I like lots of things. Who doesn't?
Here's to letting our favorite things play bigger roles in our lives.
Here's to making time for what makes us happy.
Here's to living joyful lives.
What do you really like?