And I Hope These Things You'll Love

February is here, and in only 15 days, you will be nineteen months old. I can't even fathom the possibility of this - time is going by so quickly - everything seems to be in both fast forward and slow motion simultaneously, and even though that's a bit disconcerting, I am grateful that your life is here.

As you get ready to enter your nineteenth month of life, here are 19 things I love that I hope someday you'll love, too.

1) Rain on windows - the way the waterdrops tap dance against the glass, a soothing song that you may find to be the perfect backdrop for reading, writing or praying.

2) Sushi - which you're going to have to love when you're big enough to eat it, because we already take you with us all the time. :)

3) Hawaii - the mountain mist, the perfect snow cone, ultimate contentment in flip flops.

4) Good worship music. Really good worship music - the way your heart fills up to bursting at the excitement over what you're hearing is only a preview of how Heaven will sound.

5) A great exploring spot - for me and your Aunt Becky, it was the creek behind our elementary school, down the street from Grandma's house. For you it may be your backyard when it's finished, or the field behind the church. Wherever you choose where you can be a pirate or a cowboy, a great adventurer or a quiet ponderer.

6) Swimming pools - the splash of summer, diving under into a green-blue haze where the world is muffled but the sun above still feels brilliant and free of responsibility.

7) Christmas afternoon - the presents are all opened, dinner is cooking, and all is sweet and quiet.

8) Anywhere but here - the tremendous gift of travel. The ability to discover first hand how different we are, and yet we're all the same. The fun of new foods, a different smell in the air, seeing life from a new (and better) perspective.

9) Disneyland - fireworks and Mickey Mouse, root beer floats and wide eyes at parades. I've already gotten to experience this with you <3>

10) The first sign of spring - a flower, a gentle breeze, a blue sky, the first time you run outside to play and forget about your jacket.

11) Stories - I love reading to you, and you seem to love being read to. So far, so good. I can't wait for this to be a bedtime ritual in our house.

12) Honesty - I hope you will cherish the truth, and that others around you will honor you with such.

13) A friend you can tell anything to - You will find this to be of huge value sometimes, even on the days it feels as if no one is listening.

14) The ocean - You are growing up in California. Take advantage of it. Allow it to let you feel small, so you can experience how big God is.

15) Cheesecake.

16) Forgiveness. And the blessed ability to fully forgive others.

17) Your Nonna's recipes - I am paying close attention to her in the kitchen, because I know someday I'm going to have to try my best to capture the essence of them and hope to cook them for your kids someday, too.

18) Your job. - Whatever you end up doing, whoever you end up being - I pray that you will be happy. Your daddy and I cheated fate - we are both doing pretty much exactly what we hoped to do "when we grew up", and I wish the same for you.

19) Yourself. - Always love and be proud of who you are. Because you, my little boy, are a handsome and remarkable little creature.