Happiness Is...

It's 7:55 a.m. and I just changed my facebook status to say "Emily Simmons is happy." There was no particular reason for being happy - mostly it was a comment on not being UNhappy, I guess. But when I was asked why I was happy, I naturally had to analyze my feelings. Here are some things that are making me happy today.

1. Only Zack and Darcey are awake with me, and until one second ago, they were both playing quietly downstairs. I love a quiet house.

2. My new Comcast internet is so fast I feel like I'm in a downloading race car, instead of the downloading tugboat I was in with Qwest. It makes me giddy.

3. There's no yelling. (Or there wasn't, anyway. There is now, and it's definitely dinging my happiness.) I love when the people around me are happy.

4. The weather here is rainy and overcast, and I love it. Even raining, Utah is drier than Florida. I can walk outside and have other thoughts in my head other than, "Man, is it hot! How do people survive this heat?!" I don't feel the desire to coat my entire body in anti-perspirant. I had no idea how much I loved Utah until we left it.

5. The boys have swim lessons today, which means I have a mandatory two hours of sitting on a lounge chair, reading a book while Darcey plays on the swingset near the pool. I fought against 2 hours of swim lessons, but now I'm seeing this as a fantastic break. I love forced relaxation!

6. The painful parts of the trip are disappearing from memory already, and the great parts are rising to the surface. I'm remembering the Taco Bell drive-thru at 10 p.m. with Brad, Noah, and Darcey laughing like maniacs in the backseat. Blowing bubbles while we waited for Festival of the Lion King. When someone asks me how my trip was, I think about all the good things, and less of the bad. I love selective memories.

7. I went out to dinner with some friends last night. I hadn't seen them in a long time, and spending time talking to them was rejuvenating. Friends keep me grounded; help me keep things in perspective. I love having good friends!

Overall, I'm feeling peaceful, and peaceful makes me happy. I'm not feeling rushed or stressed about anything. I've got some obligations, but they aren't overwhelming. The only thing that worries me is not knowing how to hang on to this peaceful, happy feeling. But I'm trying not to focus on that, either, and just appreciate this moment for what it is. I love being happy.