Part II of IV

What have I l o v e d?

The ocean. Pine trees. Rain. Strawberry milkshakes (by the way, Strawberries are on sale here for 3.88 for four lbs). Junior mints. Clean sheets. The smell of bleach. Blooming tulips. Acoustic guitar + Christopher Carrabba = my heart M E L T I N G. Potato chips (all kinds). Uncle Dave’s eggs for breakfast. Uncle Dave’s Dutch oven cobbler. Uncle Dave’s Dutch oven chicken fajitas. My mother’s spice oatmeal cookies. Stacy Ann’s chili cheese chip dip. Grandma Buttars’ Marshmallow popcorn. Are you seeing a theme here? I love food.

I love old photographs, old diaries. All things vintage. I love red lipstick and red nail polish. I love the color red. I love vacuuming. Washing dishes. Folding Morgan’s clothes (I love the way they smell). I love camping there, at that special place, through that little town, across the bridge, over that river, down another mile, then down a dirt road. I love to take pictures and I love to scrapbook (though I don’t do it much now). I love to snuggle and hug and kiss, among other, better things (with Jared).

I love Morgan and his belly button, his cheeks, his eyes, his cowlick on the top of his head. I love his little butt-chin, just as much as I love his daddy’s. I love his toes, and his chunky thighs. His laughter, the way he smile. His two little teeth. I love that he can now reach for me, and prefers me over anyone (selfish, I know). I love my mother and my father. I love the date they were married for time and all eternity, in the Boise temple. I love that those promises they made there that day carried me through harder times, not so long ago, and brought me to that same sacred place years later, on December 17th, 2005, with my own eternal sweetheart. I love Stacy, and I love Corrie. And I love a boy named Jared. With all my heart. Forever and ever.

I love hot baths, being pregnant, and Coldstone Cake Batter ice cream. I love my midwives and have a special place in my heart for them, regardless of what happened. I love hunting. No, really, I do. I love looking at the stars, and making wishes, and going on drives with the windows down in the summertime, late, late at night.

I love remembering things, remembering happy times, happy memories. I love laying in bed at night, with Jared, and I love how sometimes we crack ourselves up so much we wake up Morgan (then, whatever was so funny, becomes very unfunny almost immediately). I love that Jared and I laugh at the same things.

I love that I am sentimental and that I am given all sorts of old, dusty, worn things from my grandparents. Things like my Grandpa Dixon’s diary from when he was a senior in high school, or my Grandma Dixon’s old glasses, or my Grandma Glenna’s white church gloves, and hankies, and yes, her beautiful wedding veil.


I love spring. And SUMMER. And autumn, with all its colors. And a few days out of the year, I even love winter.

Yes, I love my husband. And my son. And my (sometimes) good dog Bella. I love that she loves me no matter how loud I yell at her, and how, when no one is home to greet me, she’s always waiting at the backyard gate, tail wagging and all.

I love my Savior, and my Heavenly Father.

And I must say, I love-love this list, long as it may be. Yes, indeed, it makes me quite happy.