Today’s writing prompt for NaBloPoMo via BlogHer is “What has been the happiest moment of your life thus far?”
I have no good way of picking.
1. I got married to the love of my life on September 1, 2001. Being in that chapel, up on the altar, looking out at our family and friends — it was hard to imagine that I would ever be happier.
2. And then I had three (live) babies. I suppose given a choice between Nov. 11, 2004; January 6, 2007; and December 1, 2010, and seriously pressed, I could possibly pick one. If you held a gun to my head, I would be sure to blurt out something.
Aside: I can totally tell you the saddest moment of my life without even pausing. You’re probably not surprised to hear that.
3. Flora: live baby number one. I mean, her actual birth is cloudy. Holding her for the first time was amazing. Duh. But the peak for me came two days later when I got to take her home. I was crying because live baby, going home! It’s not a moment that a baby lost mom takes for granted.
I was sobbing, my feet were so swollen from the fluids they pumped into me during my induction that Dan couldn’t put my shoes on my feet, and Flora was bundled up looking up at me like, “They are letting me go home with this crazy lady?” Yeah, well, welcome to the world, kiddo.
4. With Kate and Michael, I was so, so glad when they came out of my body finally. Not to put too fine a point on it, I labored so long with each of them, my peaks during their births may have come the second the epidurals kicked in. Sorry, my loves.
5. And then there is the daily spike of happiness I get from my life. It’s funny the little things that get me through a day. A text or call from Dan that says, “Thinking of you.” The little things and the big things my kids do: smiles, giggles, hugs (little); Flora declaring her love of reading (she can read!); Kate checking her backpack unprompted for her school folder before we leave the house; Michael crawling down the stairs butt first (all big). I guess they aren’t the happiest moments of my life… except they kind of are. They just happen over and over again.
I can’t pick because these things aren’t equal. I can tell you (and maybe you know) why and how I love my children the way I do, but not which one I love the best. And the love for my husband is a separate entity from the love for my kids, but of course it is necessary to this endeavor of kids and marriage.
I can pick each of these as the happiest moment of my life. They all are. And I’ve so many more happiest moments to look forward to!
Can you pinpoint your happiest moment so far?
Red Pen Mama 
At the time they happened…
1) Wedding day.
2) Pens win 2009 Stanley Cup
3) Steelers win Super Bowl 40.
Only 2 of those still carry the same clout now.
LOL. Bluz, it is okay that I think it’s funny that two of your happiest moments revolve around sports? You know I love ya. 🙂
I realize your situation with birth is different, but as much as I love my child, the day she was born was not so much the happiest but rather one of relief (I worried through most of my pregnancy). For me the pain (no drugs) kind of killed the happy part! Probably hearing her heartbeat in utero or seeing her on screen via the sonogram trumped the birth.
I have to agree with Bluz on some of his, though. I was very happy when the Steelers won XL. I was probably happier when the Pens won their first Cup in ’91, though 2009 was pretty great. I remember being super happy when the Steelers won the AFC Championship game in 1996 (being there was incredible), but since the Steelers lost the SB, that memory lost its luster.
But if pressed, a really, truly happy moment came in 1998 when I was at Epcot with my brothers and Mom. We were riding the Norwegian boat thing, and my mom was laughing uncontrollably. I had not heard my mom laugh in years (and probably not for years after), but I could truly feel the joy she felt. Weird because it was not even my moment, but happy nonetheless. 🙂
I actually love that YOUR happiest moment was seeing your mom happy. That touches me.
As far as worry: dear me, I think the only person who worried more than I did through my three post-Gabriel pregnancies was my dear husband!