toothless on my shoulder · his heart beat · his eyes and scales
playing king of the raft with layni and suzanna
when dad plays “i loved her first” and makes me cry because it’s true
the dinner that suzanna made for me: sparkling water, taco soup, tortilla chips, and a mozzarella stick with a plastic spoon and two napkins
meeting emily’s mom
working with kendra
lying on a picnic blanket in the park listening to live music and staring at the aeroplanes and trees and birds and bees and clouds · watching the clouds dissipate as they move
pour over bullet proof coffee
suzanna writing “… one breath at a time” on my left foot with a green dry erase marker
catching pastor bill’s attention when he is looking for us · when he gives me a hug · men who are safe · how much he loves me
when the power is out at keegan’s workplace because of storms, so he works from the dining room table at home · when he wears jeans and a switchfoot sweatshirt and converse
when mom talks to kelly · when i can hear kelly’s voice through the phone · thinking about how phones work, that kelly is somewhere in her house but her voice is coming through the rectangular box that mom is holding up to her ear
making a smoothie
drinking the last of the coffee from the percolator
when keegan is not at home, but his friends still come over and hang out
when all three boys comment on my outfit:
“your outfit looks so comfortable”
“i’m pretty sure i came over last week and you were wearing that”
cue convo about me wearing the same shirt for twelve days
someone says something about me being naughty
“but she’s wearing elephant pants”
cue conversation about little girls on airplane with elephant blankets
hanging out with caleb, jenna, and jillian and making hot and iced pour overs based on the weight of the water and the coffee grounds · the vibe and peace of their house · all of their coffee mugs · caleb looking for his tax forms · jillian’s scones · playing five kings · that jillian and jenna purchased a bearded dragon named bill after i left and brought him to the library so that i could meet him · seeing two bearded dragons in five days
when God brings us to the absolute, uttermost end of ourself
and that He is there
walking at night with suzanna and talking about how Jesus is our tether when we feel that we are floating in space
feeling exposed · not being able to hide in a corner
how many men wear short sleeved navy blue button down shirts
men who think that their wives are wise · men who want to be like their wives when they grow up
when people say “i love you” with their eyes
“he pulls me close with nail-scarred hands / into his everlasting arms”
yellow and orange colored pencils and sharpies
cheese pies
keegan: “you’re going to have a great day. listen to fading west in the morning. will you do that for me?”
suzanna: “tomorrow is going to be a good day”
sleeping with the weightiness of six blankets
psalm 3:3, “but you, o Lord, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head.”
reading in the afternoon with widge snuggled up next to me on the couch while she colors with pencil
late night conversations with daniel, jim, keegan, and suzanna after everyone else has left or gone to bed
the starbucks on ford road in dearborn · muslim head coverings and outfits · groups of girls of varying ages · sisters · the rare friendly starbucks employee · iced mocha
the deharts’ house · the windows in their living room · rain · tiny bathrooms hidden away in laundry rooms with small windows looking out on cornfields
matching yellow shirts with tiphanie
matching button down shirts with lorraine · sitting cross-legged talking with lorraine in the window seat · button down shirts in general
keegan changing his headlight
when my four youngest siblings sing switchfoot lyrics at the top of their lungs
the scent of henna
addressing 100 envelopes
2 S Sixth St Ste 12
Velella 