Today I am Loving {248b}

When you have a quiet new years eve-ning, with mom and snacks and Finding Dory.

Today I am Loving {248a}

When it's new years eve, (and steroids, you discover, make Marlo quite chatty) and so you have a little celebration.

Today I am Loving {248}

When He told you "I am holding all of this together," and you can see it. 

Today I am Loving {247}

When the Dr. is here, telling you the things you've been wanting/not-wanting to hear, and your mom touches your leg, and your dad takes your eye in his, and you wink at him, and he winks right back.

Today I am Loving {246b}

When the tradition is to show each other the gifts, so that is what you do.

Today I am Loving {246a}

When it turns out you needed fried food.

Today I am Loving {246}

 When it's just the simple things,

with quiet conversing.

Today I am Loving {245b}

Today I am Loving {245a}

When you have been trying to play a game since Christmas Eve, but then a phone call changed a lot, and finally,  a quiet moment.

Today I am Loving {245}

When you weren't quite ready to say it because

A) you just really loved your sweet baby car, 

and B) it hurt you before it even belonged to you, 

 and C) it has a remarkably at-your-eyebrow-level tailgate,

but here you are, grateful as you drive back and forth from hospital to home each day, ready to announce:

You wanted a pretty car,

and you got one.

Today I am Loving {244a}

When you can be here. 

Today I am Loving {244}

When there is leftover coffee from the day before,

and a microwave.

Today I am Loving {243}

When He wakes you with what He already gave you;

 when there are sweet breaks with this little nugget of joy;

 when family travels far, 

bringing you sandwiches of Christmas turkey;

when there are stolen moments, 

in which He speaks His Strength.

Today I am Loving {242a}

 When surgery is delayed,

 so you can have more moments like these,

 and then you have the long wait, and your mother's siblings come to visit, and you listen to the three of them laughing and interrupting each other in their particular family way, 

and then you have a bit of shady Chinese Christmas dinner, 

soon to be more fully aware of how you need each other.

Today I am Loving {242}

When the song wakes you, to come and see what God has done, and you and your mother have a bit of quiet teary Christmas.

Today I am Loving {241c}

When one by the one the family trails to bed but you are not near ready, you prepare the breakfast, you keep the vigil. 

Today I am Loving {241b}

When Christmas Eve looks a little bit different than you planned for, 

but you still get to share some moments 

to share your love together,

and you leave your patriarch where he needs to be, grateful for the clear care of the Lord in the developments of the day,

and return to find you were not the only ones thrown by the day (Asher: "Digby was naughty!")

and you get the little one into the bed, 

get out the essentials,

and have a little (weirdly coordinated) Christmas.

Today I am Loving {241a}

When there's Christmas,

at mom's. 

Today I am Loving {241}

When you discover after all of these years that your mother has the perfect prayer chair corner, and so you clean off all of the things, and cozy there.

Today I am Loving {240}

When He reminds you to declare: 

"If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there, You are there." (Psalm 139)

Today I am Loving {239a}

When it is a night to curl up, with wassail and whisky.

Today I am Loving {239}

When the faithful friend who is dear to us comes near to us, to Waffle Shop once more.

Today I am Loving {238}

When you and your sweet baby car have traveled well through many long and significant years, and today is the day you will part, you spend most of the afternoon weeping at every thought of it, and the poor sweet salesman sits with you in your tears, and then takes the awkward picture.

Today I am Loving {237}

When you get quality time with one 

of the few friends you have left in town...

and, tacos.

Today I am Loving {236}

When you weren't thinking "piano party this year" but the babies insisted,

so you set out the snacks

and pack out the cottage,

and end up quite moved--so grateful for these clever loving kids, so amazed by the maturity of their playing and so blessed by all this musical being, together.

Today I am Loving {235}

When dear ones come to have some Christmas time, 

and in more-than-one-course,

you share the gifts and talk in the life stuff and deep,

and, later, you head to the singing.