top ten life moments.

"life is not measured by the number of breaths you take,

but by the number of moments that take your breath away."

"this moment contains all moments."

"moments, that’s all you get with the ones you love."

“The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise.

It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us."

obviously, I am a sucker for a good quote- i would have them plastered all over if i had the wall space, but that space is taken with hundreds of pictures of the kid. the first particular quote is one of my faves, so here are the top ten moments that have taken my breath away:

1. the day that I accepted and asked jesus to dwell in my heart, i was young, like six years old young- but i do remember the day. i think this day goes hand in hand with the day that i retook those ‘vows.’- it’s a beautiful thing knowing that you are loved, always.
2. the day that I realized that life really was worth living. i looked at it, REALLY looked at it- who i was, who i wanted to be and i saw my life in a different way than i ever had before, i saw its beauty in the imperfections, and by golly i now live everyday with my arms wide open.
3. it’s no secret that i love to travel, that i am a born traveler, a world traveler. there are those certain places that i have on my list that stand out (a list that is a mile long by the way), like hawaii for instance. in 2000 i was given the opportunity to go (and much thanks to my parents for allowing me to go so since i was only sixteen)- i did just that, i went. despite the MAJOR jet lag it was a trip of a lifetime and it was oh, so beautiful. (now i just wanna take my family there!)
4. the day that i knew i had met the guy of all guys.
5. the day that my guy bought me my first camera, he saw something in me- a gift that i had and he encouraged me to learn, to practice, to ‘just do it!’
6. the day that my guy proposed. it was like something out of a movie- the sappy love ones you don’t think are ever possible, those moments that only exist on screen and not in real life. it did in mine. it was august 7th, 2004- we were dancing on the beach and then when i least expected it he knelt down and ‘popped the question’- fireworks lit up the sky (literally) and i said, ‘i reckon!’- i know what you must be thinking- but in my defense i don’t think well when taken by surprise, or at all, lol.
7. the day that i married that guy, my happily ever after.
8. the day that i found out i was pregnant- against all odds.
9. the day that i gave birth to the most amazing person i have ever met. that cry of life was the most beautiful sound i have ever heard.
10. the day that we left the comforts of the life we knew to create a new, better life for ourselves, our family.

as i was making this list i was overcome with such gratefulness for the life that i have been given. has it always been easy, no. has it always been glorious, no. but it has always, always been worth it. everyday there are moments that i just stop what i'm doing and breathe it all in, moments in the everyday life that take my breath away, moments that have me wishing life had a pause button so that i could make them last just a little bit longer. my top ten list is my life changing moments- we all have them and we wouldn’t be who we are without those moments, good or bad. i challenge you to take a look at your life and find those moments that stand out, that make you…you.