Love is in the Air

There must have been something in the water yesterday, as three of us at work received Valentine's surprises from boyfriends who don't usually do that sort of thing, but that made for some happy women...and that's never a bad thing.

But what I really want to do is copy Brandy's idea and talk about things in the world that I love.

So, here goes.

Happiness is...

Overjoyed kisses from my dog. The soft underbelly of a puppy. My boyfriend's smile when he realizes I am happy. A hug from my mom after a long, hard day. My dad crying when he realizes how much he is loved. Getting up early to take pictures of morning light as it crosses the agricultural fields I sometimes forget exist. Flowers on my desk. An e-mail from my best friend thanking me for being such a good friend. Birthday parties planned at lightning speed. Being successful at making comfort food (tacos! brie pasta! whoo hoo!). Taking a picture and just knowing that I got the shot right. A sane library customer honestly thanking me for my help. Waving at my favorite elderly customer as she returns after surgery. Learning that friend and her husband are "trying." A bed with a fully functional electric blanket. Accomplishing the sometimes daunting goal of getting out the house early so I can stop by Jamba Juice. Unexpectedly getting to see someone I love during the course of a day. Perusing through old journals and smiling at my immaturity. Realizing that in a few years, when I look back at the journal I'm keeping today, I might have that same smile on my face. Hearing the words, "when we have our own house" and knowing that he means them. The perfect snack in my mom's pantry right when I need it. Looking back on old photographs and realizing that my style has changed but my errors remain the same...there is comfort in consistency. Staying in bed with a book and a purring cat. Waking up expecting to leave the house soon and then deciding to stay tucked in and cuddled up for an extra while instead. Finding just the right song at just the right moment on my ipod. Reading a blog that touches on just what I've been feeling. Short lasting spring weather in the middle of February that makes me simultaneously long for summer and miss winter. Running without stopping. Watching a French movie and feeling transported back to my family's house in Vichy. Hearing a line in a movie and just knowing that it's one that fits my life. And last but not least, being held as I fall asleep.