Current Top Ten

Life has seasons...there is a season for everything. A time to break down, and a time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance. So it's a given that your Top Ten list in life will change in these seasons. My life is so full to the brim with joy most days that I catch myself becoming emotional when I think of all I have in life. I'm a little young to carry a handkerchief...but I do. I never know when life's joys or sorrows will hit me like a ton of bricks. But I am always prepared for it! Light on the makeup, heavy on the smiles.

So I thought I would create a Top Ten list for my life right now. Some items on the list come with photos, some don't. I am also attaching my favorite praise song video right now. Jake stares wide-eyed at me when I sing it at the top of my lungs.....I tell you what, this kid LOVES music.  :)  Also, these are in no particular order...just as I think of them.

1. My family.  ALL. Those I live with, and those I don't. My husband's family who is now mine too. My past family...those I haven't even met...just researched. ALL family is important to me.

Missing my brother, but here's my original immediate family.

My precious long-awaited son.

My young men...

Sis-in-love Callie

Four generations of Stewardson...Grumpdaddy, Meemaw, Daddy and Me

 2. Sunrise, Sunset, Dawn and Dusk.  There is nothing prettier than the beginning of a new day, or the closing of one. It makes me feel like a part of something wonderful. An observer of something special...

3. Friends.  As a flaming extrovert, I thrive on relationships. And not just superficial ones. If you dare to be my friend, expect deep relationship. I love to sit and have deep heart-to-hearts, intellectual conversations, and share laughter and humor. God has blessed me with so many amazing friends.

Childhood friends I can't live without

My partner in math crime...Lilly Bean

My sunshine...Courtney

4. Food.  Seriously?? I love food. I miss Crockpot Mondays at Christie Elementary. I love to plan our family's menu and prepare meals. Food brings good time with friends and family.

5. Weddings.   Watching two people commit their lives to each other is beautiful. I get emotional at almost all weddings. Today I attended a wedding of a family friend, and watching her dance with her daddy took me back to my wedding...which was almost 10 years ago! A whole decade with my best friend. Wow.

6. Music.  There is something in the way the brain works that music triggers memories. I wish I knew more about how that worked. When Jake is upset, all I have to do is start singing to him and he calms down immediately. Seeing my grandmother at the piano, who has stage 3 Alzheimer's, but can remember every hymn by heart amazes me. I can't escape the inner peace that comes when I hear piano music. It could be the ten years of lessons I had growing up...who knows.

Meemaw playing her hymns with Amy, Evie and Me

7. Adoption.  Adoption has been around since the beginning of time. Adoption is God's heart. He has adopted us. It brings me such RADIANT joy to know that it was his plan for our family. We have the best agency on earth, the best birth mother ever, and our son is a perfect match to our family. We have such joy in loving this boy!

8. Books.  Reading is my all time favorite activity. If you are looking for me and can't find me, check the library.

9. Art.  Creating art is therapeutic. Even if it doesn't always turn out to be a beautiful finished product, if it brought you healing to create it, then by all means...CREATE! I love it when I can whip out my paints or pastels and dig in and get dirty. The process of creating our family adoption book healed so much of my emotional grief over infertility. The finished product was great! But the healing was even better.

10. My Faith.  I have been through some very dark times. There were times when I was too angry at God to be in love with him. But it never failed...someone or some words would find me, reach out to me, and change my heart. I hope to be that light to others when they are hurting. This life is too AMAZING to live it without faith...God is so good...all the time. He is the weaver of a beautiful tapestry which we only glimpse the underside of. It looks jumbled and mottled to us...but his big picture top view is far more beautiful and intricate than we will ever know. I cling to that.

I leave you with my current favorite praise song...enjoy!

~Peace~