So my list of favorite things is pretty extensive. The phrase “That’s my favorite!” Is something I may or may not overuse – slightly. I admit to nothing. My husband suspects that I do this and feel obligated to tell you about it. I mean I have favorites in every category: favorite colors, favorite rooms in my house, favorite vacations spots in the US, in Florida, internationally, favorite foods, desserts, main dishes, pizzas, cheeseburgers, favorite movies -which genre? I mean categories people!
Recently, I did settle down to think about a few of the things that really ARE my favorite things. And yes, I did play Julie Andrews on repeat while I muddled it over and over. It came down to this list – the one at the end is legit, you guys.
Jesus. Jesus is so many things to me: my faith, my Savior, my walk, my journey, my Creator, my Church, my Rock. If I continued this list, it would be the length of a novella at least. Maybe longer, but I might not have the patience to write a novel. It is because of Jesus that I have every other thing that I get to call my favorite.
My family. When I first scratched out this list, I had my husband written out and my kids too. Then my parents, and my friends when I realized they are all my family. Some I was born with and some I’ve chosen and have been chosen by. What a special blessing it is to be chosen by someone as family. I hope you have people like that in your life, and if you don’t – I pray you find them. My husband is the best man that I know. I am not even kidding. When I prayed for years and years about a husband, God not only heard my prayers but he brought his A-game with this one. He is more than I ever could have asked for and I am so thankful to feel that way about him! My kids – all 4 of them are such a treat -most of the time. Look, you know I’m keeping it real, here. They are my favorite little people. And even in my years of teaching, there were few kids I enjoyed more than I enjoy my own. My extended family are pretty awesome – and even when extended family aren’t your favorite people can we just agree that are still the people who made you – you. I learned all the good, the bad, and ugly from them. Friends – nothing is better than the family you choose. I’d love to tag every single one of them here in this post, if I could. But who needs that kind of sappiness, right?
Good food. I’m not a foodie, I have aspirations to be a restaurant reviewer, but I do not know anything (really) about food or cooking or chef-ing, really. But I think it would be so much fun to be that kind of person! I want to know those people. If you’re a foodie restaurant review let’s be friends and you can teach me your ways. OK? I love good food. If I eat it and love it, I will tell you all about it and insist you try it too. I have a list of favorite restaurants in every single city I’ve been too, every theme park, location, and vacation destination. I am my own version of Travel Advisor and Yelp. If you need recommendations – hit me up (I can’t believe I just said that. I didn’t even like that phrase when it was “in”.) . My favorite food is probably: cheeseburgers. I know that’s not fancy, but you can do cheeseburgers so many different ways and a cheeseburger will never let you down. Ever. My chosen “brother” always says, “Sex is like pizza, even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.” I sub in cheeseburger because it’s better than pizza. Have you had a cheeseburger pizza?
A good book. It has been a while! I used to read all the time, then the jobs and the kids and the responsibilities showed up, but you can bet your sweet bootie I still have a stack of books “to be read” on my desk that is 50 books high and an Amazon wish list that would make a librarian blush. I have a top 5 list of favorite books – in every genre of course, but I can almost narrow that down to 5 must reads for everyone too. I’m working on it. Can you do this? Narrow down your top 5 books of all time? I feel like it is impossible. They rotate, but currently that list would be: Breathe by Priscilla Shirer, Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom, and the Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling.
A great vacation. Maybe you already know that I am a vacation planner. If you didn’t – surprise! It’s my part time job and I have a lot of reasons why I love it, I’ve blogged a smidge about it before. Mostly, I have a huge love of travel. Nothing makes life better than a great vacation. I dare you to disagree. Get away, check out of life, enjoy your people, or just travel alone. Explore, make memories, try new things. It really doesn’t get better and I am getting more excited just writing this! Eek! My jam is Walt Disney World, it’s my Happy Place, but I will travel anywhere. I also love the cities of Chicago and San Diego – you might say, they’re my favorite. 😉 Vacations have saved my marriage, my sanity, and our family dynamic. They’ve helped me center my faith and they are FUN! I think some of my favorite memories are vacation memories even back to my childhood. My favorite vacation spots are Walt Disney World, any beach or lake but I especially love up North Michigan spots, San Diego, and Chicago. I aspire to travel more to Europe, as I’ve already enjoyed many Asian countries.
The occasional well-placed f*bomb. Just keeping it real so you know I’m a real person with a temper trying to work a job, raise a family, enjoy a marriage, and run a couple of small businesses. Sometimes the words slip out, I can’t help it. I don’t swear a lot and I don’t swear in front of my kids or in a professional setting, but I do have respect for words and language and sometimes you just need a good swear word like you need a good cry. Am I right?
These are just a few of my favorite things…What are some of yours?
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