Bliss

There are certain things I remember with starling clarity.

Too many of those moments are about humiliation or hurt, but I also recall some very happy moments in my life.

A few days ago, I decided to make a kettle of German knoephla soup. Knoephla is probably on my list '5 favorite comfort food' meals. I have made it so often that I don't need to think while doing it and I've gotten much better at making it. I can get the dumplings plump, the seasoning right and I've quit scorching the milk! I have a problem scorching things as I tend to be impatient.

Anywho. I had a nice kettle of knoephla and Tyler and I took a bowl to the balcony and ate under the stars. It's that time of summer where the nights are very cool and a bowl of hot soup is heaven. There was a light breeze and no bugs and we had found some random music channel on the TV playing opera. Yes, it's definitely a weird combination but I would say it was perfect.

We had one of those conversations that makes me forget we've been dating for four years. It's still new and exciting and romantic. Sometimes I'm amazed that we still have so many things to talk about. I hope we're still in love and eating under the stars in 40 more years.

I told him that this was one of those moments I hoped to remember forever. I felt calm (so rare for someone with an anxiety disorder), safe, and I was loved and warm. I got to thinking about other moments in my life where I had that. It was a fun exercise and I'd recommend trying it yourself-- very much a 'count your blessings' sort of deal.

*I remember laying outside in my grandparent's backyard on an old quilt. My grandpa gave me a butterfly net and I was trying to catch something. We ate strawberries together that we pulled out of my grandma's garden. He told me, "They taste better with a little dirt on them."

*I remember in 6th/7th grade, it was fall and my mom took me to Menards. She bought me some of those clear stickers for my bedroom window. It was Winnie the Pooh characters playing in piles of leaves. Later when I was in my room applying them, I had the window open and could smell fall (the smell that is part cold air, leaves and part chimney smoke). My mom called me out to the kitchen and we had slices of banana with honey, toast and hot cocoa. Just an average day, nothing special but she and I were very happy.

*I remember taking a trip to St. Louis. I was in a hotel room with Laura and Rehema (exchange student from Tanzania, Africa) and we were laughing so hard that we were gasping for air. I think it had something to do with the Swahili word for 'butt' being "taco."

Those are just some of my moments. I hope I have years and years to create more. But life is a fleeting thing and we have to try and create bliss moments wherever we can.

In other bliss-related news, I have a new fave show... Tyler found out that our TV pulls in channels like National Geographic that we didn't have before. I started watching "Cesar Millan: The Dog Whisperer." And I LOVE HIM. This youtube clip shows part of a show I watched the other night. Observe what happens when Cesar tries to acclimate Gracie, the puppy with a chicken (who Gracie wants to eat). The chicken has an interesting reaction...

I laughed for 10 minutes straight when I saw this clip... literally had tears. That poor bird!!



My idea of bliss -- naptime ;)