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But this made me SO happy.

I am “in love” with a lot of things in life, from sunshine to coffee to the ocean to whatever song I’ve got on constant repeat right now.

In fact, I use the word “love” all the time. Right here on this blog, even.

Some people might say that devalues love or makes it less of a big deal than it should be, but I’m not terribly concerned.

I know that when it comes to “real” love — the love you feel for the important people in your life, the love you put into the world — I’m pretty good at getting my point across with or without words.

But today? Words are exactly what I want to use.

Today’s Love List is dedicated to all the things I love in and about the people in my life.

Not naming names, mind you, but just celebrating ALL the things — silly, small, medium, big and HUGE — ALL of you bring to my world that humble me and fill me and turn my heart into pure squoosh.

I don’t feel worthy of all the blessings, but you don’t seem to care. You just pour it out, and for that?

Thank you.

(Feel free to write your own list in the comments, or pop one up on your blog, and send us the link!)

THINGS I LOVE ABOUT Y’ALL

You encourage without hesitation.
You know the exact moment to say the exact best dry, witty thing… and you bring the house down.
You tell people you love them every single day.
You take delight in recording the world with your camera — and I adore the details you capture.
You expect the best, but forgive the misfires.
And you forgive them completely.
Your eyes shine when you tell stories.
You make kids feel safe.
You choose words with care.
The sound of you playing guitar is home for me.
You talk with your hands to the point where you might catch some air.
You remember people’s names.
The stuff in the back of your car is like a collage of your week… and it makes me laugh every time.
You get knocked down, but you don’t stay there.
Your hair could take over the planet.
Your faith is quiet but huge.
You enjoy yelling from the stands, too.
You are the MacGyver of an empty fridge.
You speak into situations, and actual change happens as a result.
I love the way you blush when people say kind things to you.
Your dimples are perfect.
Your energy lights up the room.
The way you believe in your kids is an example to every other parent around you.
Your wisdom is much greater than your years.
You got up and danced anyway.
You never make fun of me for snoring.
I love how you send me random texts that make me laugh at the wrong and best times.
Your brain wraps around ideas and won’t let go. I love your tenacity.
You own your mistakes.
The talents you have that completely astound me — how do you DO that?
Your ability to sing harmony to anything makes road trips fun.
You get my jokes. No matter how stupid they are.
I love your giant dreams and your inability to downsize them.
You listen better than anyone else I know.
You twirl when you try things on.
Your hands are a map of hard work.
You go out of your way to make others feel at ease.
You remember events in my life, and ask me about them later.
Your insane, unhinged laugh is the highlight of ANY night.
You aren’t afraid to say you don’t know.
You got better, against all the odds.
You used to bring me iced tea when I was working the windsurfing dock so I wouldn’t get dehydrated. That’s typical of who you are.
The way you look at your wife inspires me to hold out for a good guy.
You don’t mind if I get emo — and you know how to joke me back out of it.
You can fix absolutely anything. Handiest guy ever.
You laugh until you cry every time.
You have patience that Job couldn’t touch.
You loved me first, and still love me best.

And here are some songs to tell the rest of the story:

I come from a road trippin’ family.

I consider this a HUGE gift in my life.

I remember slurping soda through a straw, searching for new treats in the seat-back pockets my mom designed and sewed for such occasions, and singing my heart out to songs I knew and songs I didn’t.

I remember thousands of jokes no one but us would ever get.

I remember the fuzzy top of our dog’s head in my footwell, the only place she would ever ride.

I remember getting dizzy reading and having to stare straight ahead for an hour and chew Stimorol not to feel queasy.

I remember white shirts with rubbery sparkle letters and pink shorts and yellow flip flops, kicked off as soon as I sat down.

I remember doing road sign math, and trying to figure out what a kilometre really looked like.

I remember my mom’s head on her pillow against the window, and my dad smiling at me in the rearview mirror every time she would snore and I would laugh.

I remember bees in the back window, and my brother’s valiant efforts to save me from their blackyellow fuzzy doom.

I remember marveling at waterfalls on mountain sides and suddenly needing to pee.

I remember rocks dinging the windshield and my dad’s deep sigh.

I remember my brother and I lying foot-to-head across the backseat, covered in a blanket, ordered to sleep for a bit in the dead of night.

I remember how quickly my brother could fall asleep.

I remember flipping through Archie comics by the light of an LCD calculator lit up with 8888888 until my dad told me I needed to sleep, too.

I remember a sky full of stars that I’d finally see when the car was dark, and like nothing was ever so big before.

I remember feeling safe, no matter what.

I hope I find me a road-trippin’ man.

You there!

Enough of that lolling about on your couch or playing at the park or going to see shows or grilling in your backyard or visiting with friends!

You know all those things aren’t NEARLY as awesome as GOING BACK TO WORK! Putting on your BUSINESS CASUAL DUDS! Drinking coffee while WAITING FOR OUTLOOK TO CRASH! Eating a PRE-WRAPPED SANDWICH at your DESK!

YES!

WOO!

Is it working?

Sigh.

I should leave room, of course, for the possibility that you love your job and you have a super awesome latte and you are absolutely BONKERS with joy over the possibilities of the day ahead.

That might well be. And if it is, well, wow. We salute you. And your employer. And assorted flags.

Regardless of how you’re feeling this Monday, however, there’s one great way to make ANY day even BETTER. No matter how GOOD or BAD it already IS!

And it’s not TYPING IN CAPS.

No… it’s ANSWERING QUESTIONS AT MY BLOG!

1. How are you this fine Monday?
2. What’s the weather like where you are?
3. What are you wearing? (Heh.)
4. If you could be doing absolutely anything, absolutely anywhere, what would you be doing?
5. Do you love your job, and if so, why? And if not… what do you wish you were doing?
6. If there was a theme song for your day today, what would it be?