Tell me about a perfect moment from your life :)

[CheerfulYank]

I just had one, all snuggled up in bed with DS (6) and DD (8 months). We're so warm and cuddled up while it's freezing outside. They're both sleeping on their stomachs in their cozy pajamas and I love the sound of their sleepy even breathing. :) DS doesn't have school tomorrow (President's Day) so no morning rush ahead of me. It just struck me as a wonderful moment I should try to remember...DS looking so little while he sleeps, DD's chubby baby hands on my pillow.

It got me remembering a night I spent once when I was 21, lying in a field and drunkenly talking to a boy. It was the most gorgeous summer night, with a breeze and a huge moon and the smell of grass everywhere, and it really seemed like I would be 21 forever.

Just little moments like that, that you keep and remember, times when you wouldn't trade your life for anything. :) What are some of yours?

Last summer I took my girls camping and we all woke really early and went for a walk in the forest. It was so quiet and still. We saw deer and a fox and it was a bit misty and we ate blackberries for breakfast. Walking back to the campsite I could really feel their little hands in mine and I will always remember that feeling.

Another is seeing my gran for the very last time. She was very ill in hospital and we were leaving the ward and I was last out and I turned back and we smiled at each other and it felt like she was saying off you go girl and live life to the full.

Another one is when my best friend was back home (lives overseas now) and we all ended up eating pizza and drinking beer in my garden letting the kids stay up late and just all being together and feeling so happy.

Orkney Islands, sitting on a little stone bench tucked out of the wind with my own little spot of sunshine watching the wind make patterns on the fields of long grass. Perfect.

Just 2 weeks into our relationship DH took me to Scotland because he knew it was somewhere I wanted to go. It was August bank holiday 2000.

We'd left at 5 in the morning to make the most of our time there. As we arrived in the beautiful town of Inverary and parked the car by the loch side, the sun was shining and I could hear bagpipes playing in the distance. It was perfect and I was so overwhelmed that a man could do this for me just because of an off the cuff remark.

That weekend was full of lovely moments. Carving our initials into the bridge on the grounds of Inverary castle, eating the best steak in a cosy corner of a restaurant, and deciding that we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together.

I was made redundant 5 years ago in May, DS was 4 and my DH was away with the MOD for 3 months.

On a spur of the moment I booked a trip to the Maldives for DS and me. Three weeks away. Just the two of us.

On one of the last nights we wandered down to the beach and DS sat between my knees with a torch. We sat in the breeze watching a Hermit crab dig his little sand home for ages. DS holding the torch on the crab and giggling every time he emerged to fling a bit of sand.

I just remember feeling so free of stress after a hideous few months, blissfully happy, burying my nose into his soft (slightly unruly) golden hair, listening to him chatter away about the crab under the stars with the water breaking on the pure white sand and no one else around.

Perfect evening.

Two such moments in one night:

• seeing DH cuddle and talk to DS just after he was born, while I was still delivering placentas and being stiched up.
• staring at his tiny plastic cot a couple of hours later, in the early hours of the morning, in the antenatal ward after everybody, including DH had gone

This thread's making me well up!

I have lots, but most of the biggies feature husband and daughter which makes me realise how he's made my life 'come alive' so to speak?

Most of my honeymoon was absolutely perfect, one big perfect moment! The daughter-looking-into-the-eyes-while-breastfeeding thing was very special too!

Oh this thread is just beautiful. I'm sat here, cheeks covered in happy tears.

So many lovely, touching experiences here.

Its made me think of so many great times in my life.

Heady, ridiculous teenage love.

The last summer of university, roadtripping to Wales with my best friends, just an amazing time that also felt so bittersweet as I knew real life was around the corner.

My time sleeping in a travellers stage in Nimbin, seeing a platypus in the wild and waking up to wallabies, wild turkeys and that beautiful cool air that preempted another beautiful clear day, evenings spent in my back garden with a cold beer watching the rainbow lorikeets whilst I lived in Australia.

When they placed my son on my chest after a horrible pregnancy I remember feeling in absolute awe that he was here, like I couldn't quite believe that we had done it it was just an emotion I had never felt before.

When I was 14, taking my horse up on to a hill top, all alone. irresponsibly taking my riding helmet off and throwing it on the ground, and galloping him across the hill with the wind in my hair. The sun was just beginning to set and the sky was on fire.

(See I do like horses)

So many with the dcs I can't even begin.

On holiday with my closest friend, feeling so hopeless and low because the career I had always dreamt of and worked so hard for, was turning sour (a group of bitches had decided to single me out for their special treatment, and it was bringing back too many memories of the school bully).

It was March and the day after we arrived it snowed heavily. We walked in among the beautiful backdrop of mountains, through a stream and small woodland.

Being keen on photography we were snapping the most incredible views - everywhere you looked there was sparkling ice, soft mounds of snow on pebbles in the water, broken gates looking perfect against the thick grey sky and peachy sunset, it was just magical.

And then suddenly we saw the fattest robin chirping loudly at us in the nearby branches. The little fella hoped from branch to branch, following us all the way through the woods until we came to a big lake. About halfway we stopped and offered him a biscuit which he took from our hands. We still have the photos of a chubby little robin sitting on our hat/shoulder/hand. It was like being in another world and for that moment in time nothing mattered. I felt untouchable.

By the way I went home and tackled the bullies formally, which made them run for the hills, and thankfully my work life settled down again about a year later.

Three spring to mind.
One was at a festival: my favourite band were playing, the sun was shining, and my boyfriend (now H) and best friends were all moshing like insane people teenagers. It was an 'all's right with the world' feeling.

Another happened when I was travelling with DH - we stopped at a fairly remote location and climbed to the top of a hill that overlooked a tiny village in a valley. As we were admiring the view, the call to prayer sounded and the sun came out from behind a cloud.

Coming back home from an illegal rave in my late teens, covered in mud, soaked to the skin and watching the sun rise over a field as the fires from the rave burned out. The colours in the sky were amazing.

Another solitary one. Several years ago, I was sitting outside at our rickety plastic patio table pricking out seedlings (a very meditative thing to be doing anyway). It was a warm afternoon, the birds were tweeting, the breeze was rustling the trees etc. Eventually I put down my pricking-out pencil and just sat there in a sort of trance. I had no idea of time passing - DH eventually came out to say "You've been sat there absolutely motionless for about 20 minutes, are you OK?" I have never before, or since, felt so at peace.

What a beautiful, sad, wonderful thread... well done OP.

I have two

Husband and I travelling, we got to a hostel at about midday after travelling for days, we were knackered. We had amazing, sleepy, kissy sex and fell asleep for a few hours. We got up to explore the local beach at about 4ish... he took a photo of me from behind, waves crashing, hair all over the place - it is a stunning photo. Anyway, a few weeks later in another town I realised I'd missed my period, we conceived on that day... it was happening as we walked down the beach and we got a beautiful photo.

The other moment was after being in labour with DD2 for days, a became completely and utterly aware of my body just at the moment I needed to push. It was euphoric. It's the only word I have. I was in awe of myself and my new daughter. It was amazing...

Mine was so simple and fleeting but I know I will remember it forever.

Was walking down a pleasant country lane to the supermarket with baby DS in his sling. He usually had his head turned to one side or the other, looking at the scenery. It was spring so there were daffs etc around, very pretty, soft sunshine. And he just all of a sudden looked up at me with this look of perfect contentment and love. He looked in my eyes and I knew exactly what he was feeling. It is hard to describe but it was utterly gorgeous and amazing.

Nearest I get to a perfect moment is that hazy time just before I fall asleep at night.

Oddly enough another one from Fraser Island!

Camping near lake McKenzie and was sitting by the embers of the camp fire when 3 brumbies came into the clearing, we stared at each other for 3-4 minutes and then they turned and left.

FuckYouChrisAndThatHorse

Oh wow - that WAS a great moment!

Have read as far as yours on page 2.

Lovely warming thread.

This time last year I instigated a split with DH and moved into a flat. We were in a rut at the time, as have been together 20 odd years. But by April we found it too hard to be apart ...

I remember this moment on our first drive out into the countryside after 3 months apart ..in his work van - not the car. Had made a flask and sandwiches. What I noticed was how the spring sun was so warming and seemed to sparkle and spangle all around - on the road, on fields and daffodils. We drove in silence - he kept squeezing my hand, and I remember this surge of relief and gratitude, and thinking to myself - thank you God!

Another one - my first year of working I was working full time (in a temp job) and studying in the evenings (I did that for two years and it was freaking AWFUL). Anyway, I was on a temp contract where I was paid by the hour, which meant I didn't get paid for holiday leave, so I hadn't taken any (and my previous "holiday" had been with ex, and he broke up with me a few days in so I had to spend a very awful week with him and his parents pretending everything was awesome. Not the best holiday). August bank holiday was coming up, and I knew I wouldn't be paid anyway, so I thought this was a chance to have a break before the term started again. I talked to one of my best friends (who lives in Tel aviv) and she said - DO IT. So, I booked the tickets. My manager (who was and continues to be beyond amazing) paid for my cab to the airport, and I arrived at one in the morning. When I arrived I had an answerphone message saying that I'd been offered my role as a permanent one (with the salary I asked for and a promotion). I went to sleep happy. The next morning, went out to meet friend - it was gorgeous and hot, and we met on the street. She took me to the marina to the boat she was living on at the time, sat me down, handed me an ice cold beer and said "your holiday has now started". It was amaaaaaaaaaaaazing.

By the way I went home and tackled the bullies formally, which made them run for the hills, and thankfully my work life settled down again about a year later.

Contemplates - glad you told us that bit! Was worried.

When my Grandad died he had been in pain and struggling with lung cancer. He had lost his voice some weeks earlier and on the beautiful, crisp and cold morning of the day he died, he looked past his family and smiled. He uttered one word. "Mama?" His Mum had died 45 years earlier. I know it's a sad one but in many ways a perfect end to a very tough time.

When dd was 3, on Christmas Day she paused at the table in front of everybody to make a Christmas wish. We all thought it was going to be 'I want a cake' or 'more presents' but she declared she wanted Grandma to get better. My Mum had recently been diagnosed with cancer. It was perfect in that my tiny 3yo dd had summed up what everybody wished for that Christmas. 17 days later, my Mum received surgery which was a 100% success and on the same morning, I found out I was expecting another baby. That was an important day.

On the day my waters broke with ds, I was so emotional. I knew I was likely to end up with another emcs and was saying goodbye to a now 4yo dd and leaving her with my Mum so I could go and give birth to her brother. I had all those feelings of will I love this baby as much as my beautiful firstborn, will my dd ever forgive me for ruining her life etc. DD had been out for a walk that morning and found a penny. She gave it to me. She said I must keep it with me the whole time I was in hospital and it would mean she was with me. She also made up a song about how much she loved me and her unborn brother and sang it to me. I can't type the words or I'll howl but I left her that morning with tears in my eyes. Next time I saw her, she came racing across the postnatal ward with flowers and a balloon, beaming. Seeing her hold her little brother for the first time was one of my most cherished memories. She started school 4 days later and I will always look back at the day her brother was born as the end of a beautiful era. She's nearly 7 now and when I talk to her about that day, she remembers bits of it with such clarity. While I was off labouring and subsequently in theatre having an emcs, it was a beautiful September day and she drove a tractor for the first time, went swimming in a lake and ran through woods with some friends playing hide and seek. Then her grandma shouted out to tell her it was time to come to the hospital to see her new brother. It really was a Shirley Hughes type day. I hope she remembers it always.

Oh and for sheer shmaltz, 2yo ds woke up this morning (in my bed, again, ), snuggled up to my side and whispered "mine belong RIGHT here" and he kissed my shoulder. Not perfect, it was 6africkingm, but it'll do.