7 Wonders

Tink asked for blog topics from her readers. Many of them were great. The first one that stuck out was this one:

What are the "seven wonders" of your life?

1. My family
I have the greatest parents a kid could ask for.
An amazing brother that I love dearly.
An Aunt and Uncle that are second parents to me.
And in-laws that have taken me in as one of their own.

2. My husband
First, I think it’s a wonder that he picked me. Or that we picked each other. Whatever it was, it was fast and it was true. We just knew. There is such a thing as love at first sight. When I look at him, I’m home. I felt that since the moment we met. He’s my best friend and I look forward to a long life together.

3. My puppies
First there was Max. My friend, my therapy, my little Bubba
Then came Sophie – The best thing the hubster and I have done together
Along came Lily – She’s our rambunctious "child" that bounces off the walls and won’t slow down
And Caleb – The one that needs the monsters cleaned out from under the bed, the closet, and out of the shadows. The hubster and I get so excited when little breakthroughs are made with him. And we always have to share with one another when we get to pet him.

4. My kitty
I was always more a dog person than a cat person. But now I’m both. Soc’s is the kitty that thinks he’s a dog. That must be why he picked me. He’s been trouble, he’s been a challenge, and he has almost gotten himself banished but he’s still with us. He’s a toddler at heart. Always into trouble. Always pushing his luck. But he is also the most affectionate cat that ever was. He’s squishy and loveable. He wants to be cuddled. He wants to be snuggled and loved.

5. My home
The Hubster bought our home less than a year before we met. It’s a beautiful older home – 1948. The walls are plaster. The open doorways are curved. And the ceilings are cove style. It’s cozy, and it’s home. It’s not just a house. It’s not a showcase, it’s eclectic, it’s messy, disorganized, and chaotic. But I love it. And I love coming home to it every night. It’s our first home, neither of us ever had anything but rental places before that. And I think no matter where we go, if we ever even go, this place will always be dear to our hearts.

As for 6 and 7, these last two took a little thought. What in my life really has been a wonder. What experiences have I had that really truly took my breath away. The first 5 were easy. But then I wanted to think back to moments in my life that really meant something to me.

6. My walk along the Rhine in Germany
Several years ago I was asked to go to Germany for work. This was going to be my first trip over seas. When I arrived it was still relatively early in the day and the advice I had been given was to stay up and get through the day no matter what. Doing so would help with the 7 hour time difference. So after a brief stop at the office they dropped me off at my hotel to unpack and relax. Then they were going to come get me later for dinner. So after checking in and unloading my stuff I went out for a walk. The company is located in Mainz. A relatively small and beautiful town. I stepped out of my hotel room and just started walking. I ended up on the promenade along the Rhine River. And as I walked along looking at everything and every one I experienced such a feeling of ecstatic joy and of peace I just didn’t want it to end. Everything held me in awe. From the cars, to the street signs, the cobbled streets, the narrow avenues, the buildings, the monuments, everything. I spent two weeks there, a wide eyed child, absorbing every image, every sensation, flavor, and feeling. I just couldn’t get over being in another part of the world. The people I worked with spoiled me rotten while I was there. They went out of their way to make it an amazing trip for me. A cruise on the Rhine, a castle tour, a day wandering through little villages, hiking, cruising the river, and riding a sky lift through vineyards. It was absolutely amazing.

7. Scuba Diving in Mexico.
I’m afraid of bodies of water. I fully admit that. I also get extremely sea sick. So I was a little surprised at myself when I went to Mexico with my girlfriends and the big activity we chose to do was scuba diving. Part of me figured that if I could scuba dive I could deal with my pending divorce. Suddenly finding myself alone and learning that everything I had thought I believed in was a lie is a bit of a hard thing to swallow. So, conquer my fear of water and I can conquer my fear of the future. Right? As it turned out, yes. We took pool side classes in basic scuba diving. Then the big event. We took a boat out to a private beach – Unfortunately I did get violently sick the whole way out there. Once we arrived they had us relax for a while. Which was good since I was green and puking. Then finally it was the big moment. We got in our gear and we jumped into the water. It was the weirdest sensation to be breathing under water. And I spent the first ten minutes or so in complete wonder of that fact. I just kept thinking, wow, I’m under water, and I’m breathing. That’s SO weird. Once I got over that it was just pure fun and amazement. I loved every second of that dive. And I came back from Mexico a different person. I was stronger, braver, and ready to face whatever my future held. Little did I know I would meet Wonder #2 less than a month later.

Life is wonderful and strange.