37 Things

I had my 37th birthday a couple of weeks ago. Following Katie and Bo's example, I've decided to list my 37 favourite things as of this moment (in no particular order).

1. September (sadly it's passed for another year) It's the beginning of Autumn, my favourite season and it's also the month that gave me Colin Blackett, but that's a story for another number.
2. Colin Blackett - my best friend, my son's amazing father and a wonderful husband (also born in September).
3. London, England - it's hard to describe, but it's probably my true home, my heart's home.
4. Jude Lewis Blackett - my joy, my challenge, my greatest achievement though I feel I've had little to do with how wonderful he is. He's funny, he's clever, he's a great teacher.
5. Water - in all its many wonderful forms - oceans, rivers, lakes, rain, snow, ice, in a tall cold glass, dew...
6. Science Fiction - love it, it's taken me places that my feet can never go.
7. Jim Stephens - my Dad. Amazingly wise, incredibly up to date on just about everything, well-read, the best teacher ever, a wonderful writer and open-minded. I hope I grow up to be like him.
8. Jean Stephens - my Mom. Incredibly faithful, brave, badger-like loyalty (you don't want to mess with her family!), wise, an amazing teacher, and, of course, the best Grandma ever. I hope I grow up to be like her.
9. Magazines - I love magazines, I'm taking a year or so off of new subscriptions, but I do love them. Fashion magazines - In Style and Vogue are favs, Real Simple, Parenting Mags, Paste Music, Relevant, Layers...read on.
10. Stephanie Smith - my sister, my best friend. We're shared so much over the years including all the usually sibling fights, but we're still friends. She is so incredibly generous, sensitive, strong, creative, talented and she's also a great wife and mom. I hope I grow up to be like her. She's also got a super husband, Philip and a wonderful son, Jesse.
11. New Zealand. I love NZ first and foremost because it brought me Colin. However, it's also breathtakingly beautiful, rugged, fun, friendly. They didn't have to do much to make it look like Middle Earth and Narnia, I think heaven will look a lot like New Zealand.
12. Books - nuf said.
13. Wood floors.
14. Art galleries.
15. Purses. I love them in all their shapes and sizes, but unfortunately I don't last too long without a big bag. I am, however, on a seemingly never-ending search for the perfect handbag.
16. Guinness.
17. English cider.
18. English pubs.
19. Youth with a Mission. It certainly has its faults, but it's good at it's heart and I love it and am thankful for it.
20. Our small group - also known as the Game and Fun group.
21. PBS Kids.
22. The library.
23. Bob Ross
24. Sign Language for kids.
25. God. Faithful. I'm often not faithful, but He always is.
26. Netflix.
27. Thanksgiving Dinner - I love traditional Thanksgiving Dinner, but our family always mixes it up by choosing a different international flavor for each year.
28. Digital cameras.
29. The internet.
30. Spark People. It's helping me get healthy again.
31. My garden.
32. Faraway friends. I don't love that they are faraway, but I love them.
33. Hope. I'd be lost without it.
34. Shoes.
35. Facebook.
36. Reading to Jude.
37. Listening to Colin play with Jude.