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?

Oh I love waking up to a loving toddler every morning - she's cheerful and will say 'hi' and be all cuddly and kissy, it's lovely and I know it won't last forever!!

Seeing my children's faces for the first time (of course!) but also 2 amazing moments - when my 2nd daughter was born (new partner) and realising how fantastic it is to share the wonder of a new person with someone you love. We were lying on our bed just blissfully gazing at this little creature.

The second when my 3rd daughter was born after only 12 month gap - bfing both babies at once (bonkers) and them holding hands. So perfect.

Last summer, arriving at pitch black camping field and walking back to our tent. Sky packed with stars. One hand for each child, little voice of D's pipes up, "Mummy, I really really love you". 'Twas magic.

The most perfect moments ever in my life were giving birth to my 5 children and seeing their faces for the first time. I stared in awe for hours with each of them, amazed at the pureness of seeing a new life be born into this world, a new beginning, a new chapter, and I had created them inside of me

About 5 o'clock one Saturday morning my cat climbed into bed with me, which wasn't unusual in itself, it was a regular occurrence, but this time she only settled briefly before starting to fidget. She then span round completely, so I sat up and removed the duvet to see that she'd given birth in my bed. I scooped her up and put her under the bed together with the new kitten and sat and watched as she pushed out another three kittens.

my daughter not dying from pph. when they wheeled her back into the room, after hours in theatre, cosied up in a bear-hugger, seeing her smile (weakly) at me.

bfg daughter to 4yrs 3 months. being exceptionally close with the little one, co-sleeping, cuddling forever.

seeing her beautiful face when she was born, the black hair in backwards-6s curls and thinking 'oh, here i am again' because she was exactly as my mum has described me.

waking up next to my new born baby, day after day, and 'falling in love' with her again. every day. amazing.

being full of milk! so long ago...

granddaughter running to meet me at the door, inviting me in, wanting a grandma-cuddle. being a 'donkey' and a climbing frame for granddaughter.

when daughter went up to be confirmed and the family stood in support.

daughter walking herself down the aisle to be married. beautiful, gothic, capable.

every time i see daughter and son in law being happy together. we prayed for that boy and God sent hm.

in the monastery at gorton when the universe opened before me.

my nde.

seeing pulp at manchester apollo and having an out-of-body-one-with-the-universe experience.

a bit sour but - when unpleasant newly-ex raised his arm to hit me and i was able to say 'go on then, hit me, and i'll see you in court'.

every snuggly cuddle from my baby, now and always.

you just asked for one, didn't you? sorry. got carried away. cried a lot, too.

One of many: On honeymoon in Goa at a fish restaurant. A family of four singers stood next to our table singing the Carpenter's On Top of the World. I was so happy and so moved by their singing I could not stop crying and my new dh was so lovely about it.

Another: taking 10 day old ds home after his stay in SCUBU at and feeling that everything was just right even though dh hadn't tidied up or done any laundry the whole time - it didn't matter I was so chuffed to be home with ds.

Oh God Showy, that "Mama?" about did me in! Have actual tears.

LaQueen! it's been ages!

I'm so glad I started this thread! I almost didn't, I was finding it very hard to say what I meant in my OP. But it's really stayed with me the past few days...I've been more tuned in, more on the lookout for the next beautiful moment iyswim.

A few more from me, because why not :) Visiting my then fiancee (now DH) at grad school. He had a close circle of friends and they were all so excited about literature and philosophy and life in general, and I remember sitting in his apartment with him while he read, my bare feet with bright red toenail polish across his lap. I was thinking of everyone I'd met that day and their enthusiasm was so contagious and I just felt...on the brink of some great idea if that makes sense.

Floating in a lake in the dark when I was a kid...the stars were so bright, the water bathwater warm and like black silk.

My babies being born...my pregnancy with DS was a surprise and I think I was shocked the entire time, from the second I got a positive test to the second he was born, much more easily than I'd thought, and they held him up sort of upside down, like a catch from the sea. I kissed his hot, damp little head and he looked like one of my father's baby pictures come to life. I was never more surprised in my life than when I produced an actual baby in that hospital room!

Then DD, who was planned and expected, but who was much harder to actually give birth too. I knew she was a girl and was nervous about that too...it's hard being female in this society sometimes, and my mother and I have an often difficult relationship. But then she was finally. FINALLY out, a fat flushed little bear of a baby, with black curls all your very her head, and she gave me the most forthright look, right into my eyes, and I stopped worrying instantly and said "Oh THERE you are" like I knew her, like I'd been waiting.

*over her head. Honestly, autocorrect.

Me, my DS and DD cosied up in bed for a morning cuddle before the day starts, its the connection of love, support and knowing that whatever stuff happens that day, that it started with love

Summer 2012. Took the kids to a local beach/beauty spot. Practically deserted. Sunny. Warm. Paddling. Picnic.

I actually did that thing where I made myself take a mental "remember this moment".

What a lovely thread.

We were on holiday in Northumbria. Weather was shit. We walked up to Bamburgh castle and the sun appeared from nowhere. And it was HOT! So we went to the beach. Had no towels, no beach stuff. DS1 stripped off to his pants and DS2 to his nappy, we spent the whole afternoon larking about on the most perfect beach overlooked by the castle.

Then went for a gorgeous dinner at a local pub.

So far, so perfect?

On the way home, we drove along the coast. I have never seen a sunset like it. DH stopped the car, I climbed to the top of a sand dune and just remember saying, 'WOW! Oh wow!!!'. The perfect, deserted beach and the sea looked like it was on fire from the sunset with the castle silhouetted in the distance. I have never felt so utterly alive and happy.

In summer when we sat on the beach eating icecreams, me, dh, dd and ds... all sat quite withbit of general chit chat... ds (4) pauses eating his ice cream, seemsto gaze at it and says 'Mummy, i think you're delicious... I think I'll have to eat you all up'

Top marks to DD (6) who stopped, considered how ds had stolen the moment and said 'Er, mum,I think you're delicious too' had me laughing at teh brilliant token gesture!

Lovely thread

I have a few, but my favourite moment would be this: I was sat on a mountain in France holding my dd3, then aged 11 months. We were told she would likely never leave hospital at one point, nevermind the country. The mountains stretched into the distance and I watched my older girls playing in the sunshine, laughing loudly. In that moment I was so utterly grateful for my life and out-of-the-blue the thought came to me, 'I bet Heaven feels like this, and I'm sure it's a beautiful place.'

My dd3 died less than 2 months later. When it all feels too much, I bring that day to my mind. I hope to feel that gratitude for life and peace again one day.

Thought of another one...actually I just asked DH and he said this (which is one of mine too!!)

We travelled around East coast US for our honeymoon. For one leg of the journey we stayed in a mountain resort. It was Nov and bloody freezing. Being bonkers Brits on holiday we decided to go for a swim in the outdoor pool. In November. (Mind you, it was heated so we hadn't completely lost the plot.)

Just us, inky black sky, millions of stars with the steam from the pool rising around us and silence. Then it started to snow. Huge fat flakes covered us as we laughed & kissed. And kissed a bit more. Magical.

One is etched onto my heart.

The scene:
On a family camping trip in France on the Ile de Re, six months after my then six year old had a stroke. Who knew kids had strokes? I certainly didn't at that time. Me and my boy were sat watching the sun go down on an Atlantic beach, the wind whipping his hair about and his eyes shining with happiness. I was watching him rather than the sunset because he was the more beautiful sight to me. He'd just been taken off warfarin and put on aspirin and finally his right sided weakness was going. It was an incredible moment. Makes me well up thinking about it. Whenever I get stressy about rubbish I think of that moment and count my blessings.

Cup of tea that was incredibly moving

I was helping a little boy in a school. He had reading difficulties. He had just about given up. He was years behind.
I don't know what changed, but over a period of about six weeks he got closer and closer and then one afternoon he 'got it.' It was incredible. He just took off. It was like a wall had fallen down. He surprised himself completely and then he looked round the library where we had been working and he said quite matter of factly, 'I can read anything in this room.'

I did like that moment.

When the surgeon told me, two weeks ago, that the tumour they'd excised completely was cancerous - and that it's low grade with clear margins.

On cup >>>hugs

That was supposed to be "oh". Sorry.

Tonight. Good food, a large group of friends around the table. I nearly didn't join them. I was sitting there and thought: I'm so happy!