I was tagged...

(The problem with finishing this late at night, is that I forgot to reset the date on it, so it got posted to a spot three days ago - sorry!) Here it is! 

 I was tagged, and flattered, by my new blog friend Karlie. She did a really cool job with hers; lots of pictures, inventive wording, creativity. So.... I am trying to be creative too. It's not really competition, per se. Just making me get off my lazy, stuck in the mud, usual way of doing things, hiney. The topic is, Five Things I Love. 

 If you have ever read my blog before, and actually, even if you haven't read my blog, and have only read my profile, you know that I love Jesus,

 my amazing, wonderful, beautiful family, 

       

and the good ole, US of A.

       

So, what else do I love, besides the obvious?

1. I love jewelry.  

 When I was younger, I loved jewelry. A lot. Middle school, Highschool, even college, I loved earrings, and bracelets and funky beads. Then, I had babies. Babies love to reach out and pull. When they are nursing, they like to grab. Plus, I was tired, and my outfits were really lucky to have both a shirt and pants and shoes, forget worrying if they matched. So, bit by bit, I quit wearing jewelry, until I was down to just my wedding rings and very small, very basic earrings. 

 But my sisters kept on collecting, (and I have raided their "leftovers") and my wonderful husband still bought me the occasional piece, and now, five years later I have suddenly realized that I have the time to pick out jewelry in the mornings again. And what a joy that is! Dangling earrings with their splashes of color on the ends. Bangles that clink and clash and make music as I move to the rhythm of life. My (few) elegant gemstones that catch the sun, and reflect the glorious artistry of nature. Jewelry makes me feel beautiful. And it is so much easier to be cheerful and shiny when you are wearing something cheerful and shiny! I love jewelry. 

2. I love Target.

 Yes, the store. They have such wonderful clearance! Markdowns are truly marked d o w n ..... there, and I LOVE it! Sometime, just go and walk around the "outside loop" and see what you can find. It is like a treasure hunt! Body wash, 2 pack with a "poof", $3.00 (and this is where coupons come in really handy too!) Organic, whole grain granola bars, .24 cents! The "old version" of the Mach 4 razor blade - half price. When you have a military husband, this is a priceless find! I bought 8 packs! Yeah, it was a lot of money at one time, but in the long run, it was worth it! And don't even get me started on clothes... just take, for instance, this "dress" (which I wear as a shirt) I purchased for $5.74 and the belt to go with it, less than $4.00! 

 I asked Andy to take my picture for this posting, and he encouraged an entire modeling show. After I stopped laughing my head off, he insisted that I post at least one of the silly ones. Zion "helped" too. 

3. I love Words. 

 All kinds of words really, but especially the written kind. The flowing descriptiveness of Poetry. The slightly naughty, silly times of romantic fiction, like Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Philips. The heartbreaking pain of love and loss that I both hate and yet love, like Nicholas Sparks and James Patterson. The challenging inspiration of famous biographies. History- things that really happened. Science fiction- pure imagination, and mostly things that I hope will never happen! Francine Rivers, Gilbert Morris, Jane Austen, Stephenie Meyer, C. S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, Julia Quinn, Elizabeth Aston, any of the Bronte sisters - the list goes on and on.

 The wonderful, fun books that I read to my children - Clifford, Curious George, Dr. Seuss, The Berensteins, Little Critter, Thomas. 

 Most importantly, and imperatively, the words that give life. As the DC Talk song says, "the words written in red". I love words. 

4. I love these hands.

 They work hard, every single day. They turn a wrench, and get covered in grease, then open a book and write a term paper. They make really delicious, creative, never before tried food, then, if needed, wash the dishes too. They can turn raw clay into a decorative pot, or random recyclables into works of art (he was an art major when I married him after all), or change the oil in my car, or plant a tree in our backyard.

 After more than seven years of marriage, just the thought of those gifted hands can still send shivers of anticipation up my spine. Yet those hands can just as easily turn the pages of Seuss, and tuck youngins into their beds, then fold in bedtime prayer with our boys.  

 And those hands belong to me forever. That permanent band of ink around the finger of his left hand state that loud and clear, even when he is at work where rings are a safety hazard. I love these hands (and the man whom they belong to!)

(here is a very silly picture - what can I say - he is a silly guy, who really didn't want to pose for pictures)

 

5. I love being green. 

 I can't help it. It is just important to me. It's not like I came out of the womb saying, "recyle, reduce, reuse" or anything. But when I was in college, someone came up with the nickname "Captain Planet" for me, and it stuck. I organized the recycling drive, first for my dorm, then for the library, then for the entire campus. 

 I love finding new ways to be kind to this earth that my creator commanded me to care for. I firmly believe that we are called to watch over the earth. It is our job, as humans, created in God's image. 

   I love recycling. I love trying to grow some of my own food. I love eating organic and local as often as I can possibly afford it. I love driving my tiny little fuel efficient vehicle. I love turning the air up to 78, even though Andy would rather it be set at 72. I survive leaving the heat set at 68, even though I think my toes are going to fall off, because it is better for this beautiful, amazing earth. I love encouraging other to try to do any and all of the above mentioned things. I love being green. 

Now, my turn to tag five more people. I tag Carrie,  Mary, Lindsay, Kathryn, and Emilee, (who has to tag Abby for me, since I ran out of turns)