somebody once said "if falling in love is like learning to spell, I don't want to do it--it takes too long."

I might be inclined to think that were true if I wasn't falling in and out of love with different things every day...

anyway, on valentines day Miss Townley and I asked our kiddos what things they loved...we asked more specifically what 14 things they loved...considering this is almost a month late, some of the things could have changed by now, but i think that most things are still the same. [and I think for the most part, it didn't take that long for us to fall in love with some of these things]

/God/friends/family/ teachers/ police/superheros/ earth/ sun/ shade/ stars/ moon/ movies/stuffed animals/ clothes/ toys/Jesus/ holidays/ school/ food/ t.v./ games/ birthdays/cartoons/books/ chocolate/playing/ drawing/ talking/ gymnastics/my body/ parents/ the holy spirit/ the world/universe/ love/grace/ sharpie pens/ students/ dogs/ singing /reading good books/ cute shoes/ cereal/ good hair days/ alberts yogurt/ bed/ sunshine/shelter / traveling/ nature/ animals/ school/ books/ candy/ valentines day/ Heavenly Father Jesus/money/furniture/ gravity/ joints/ love/ water/ 3^rd grade/night/sleep/ snow/ korea/air/ India/2/3 graders/friends in prague and Tennessee/ felt tip pens/ max the cat/ lists/music /macbook/ teaching/ the color red.

and then thinking about things that we love always makes me think about Christ and His love for me. and you. and how crazy, wonderful, unfathomable, simple, complex unchanging, never-ending and scandalous it is. and beautiful. if nothing else His love for us is beautiful. and perfect.

//But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ//