Wednesday, February 25, 2009

things I love about my family

Today, day 30 of our 40 days, Tammy and I are listing 40 things we love about our family. This one should be fun. :-)

I love:

1. that Bryan is a frequent vacuumer :-)
2. the way Sam wakes up so happy and cheerful in the morning
3. Alex's new penchant for drawing little stick people on sticky notes and leaving them around the house
4. Bryan's way with the kids - he is firm with his discipline, but also very nurturing and playful
5. the way Alex is learning to guide and help Sam, defend him, and play with him
6. that every day Sam says, "First John, four, eight. God...is...WUV!" (I admit, he says it to get candy, but it's very cute)
7. the imagination of Alex as she names her animals (latest one is her dog, "Pull")
8. Bryan's helpfulness in getting up to get the kids ready early every Tuesday morning. That is true selfless love, directed towards me, as he is not a morning person.
9. Alex's sharp eyes and ears. She does not miss one thing!
10. the conversations Sam has with his toys. Recently overheard, a "dialogue" between two trucks: "OK. Wuv you!" followed by, "Wuv you TOO!"
11. My dad's undiminished thirst for adventure as at age 70-plus, he is traveling the world and having new experiences and learning new things
12. My mom's dedication to shop year-round so that she is always ready with a box of wrapped presents (birthday, Christmas, Valentine's, Easter...) for each child, daughter- or son-in-law, and grandchild. Impressive! and thoughtful!
13. Buzz's sense of humor, and willingness to wear bizarre Korean t-shirts (Kim Jong Il:"Do you fear me now?")
14. Cameo's cooking skills, blogging skills, photo skills, and overall mommy skills - I don't know if she knows how much I've learned from her!
15. Mary's art of phone conversations. We can talk for hours and have such a good time, until our ears are too sore to continue!
16. Tim and Tammy's enthusiasm for games, Skype, and fun. Funny, I love the way both of them laugh!
17. Laura's crooked smile which you can trace all the way back to her baby pictures
18. memories of Dan on our trip to Glacier Park when I was nine; he carried my pack for me, practiced his "trumpet" with just the mouthpiece in the tent, and stood nose-to-nose with a huge bighorn sheep while Dad yelled, "Get away from that thing!"
19. that Peter always has silly jokes for me, and collects jokes to tell his patients in the OR
20. Chip's fearlessness (as a kid) in biking, skiing, skateboarding - I was always in awe and amazed at how brave he was when he wiped out!
21. Suzie's willingness to give me a ride to school on the moped in high school, even though she wasn't supposed to
22. Rosie's creative brilliance, and the fact that we are both "sinister" (lefties! - the only 2 out of 12!)
23. Jenny's fearlessness regarding her own hair: not only did she dye it many colors (I liked the blue!) but she even buzzed it in high school - now that is brave!
24. Robin's flair for home decoration and general style sense - something I lack completely.
25. the way Bryan always likes me to cook, and eats whatever I cook even when it's a new recipe that isn't great
26. the way Bryan never "expects" me to cook and doesn't care if we eat peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese for dinner
27. that Bryan always remembers to take out the trash on Tuesdays
28. that Bryan is always willing to change a diaper
29. that Bryan's mom (Nana) is so good with little kids and so willing to come and help out with them every year. What a great grandma she is.
30. that my grandma, mom's mom, was a gifted poet
31. the way Sam and Alex cuddle on my lap (actually they fight over it) for "story time"
32. Sam's abundant, good-natured energy - who needs caffeine when you have Sam?
33. the way Alex makes up songs and sings her way around the house
34. Sam's love of dressing up as a princess with the girls
35. how Alex loves to make cards "for people in jail" or people who are poor, and offers to give her toys to "the poor kids"
36. that Sam will put his stuffed dog in time out when the doggie "hits people"
37. the way both kids have such a joyful time in the bathtub
38. Bryan's perceptiveness with people. He notices things that go right over my head
39. the sound of Alex's belly laugh
40. Sam's face when he cries - it sounds mean to say I love that, but he has the most adorable scrunched up nose...

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