Writer’s Workshop: My Seven Wonders
by Jenners • 11/17/2011 • Lists, Writers Workshop • 77 Comments
- Link up every Thursday!
This week I chose Prompt 1: List your life’s Seven Wonders. Describe the most amazing 7 things you’ve seen with your own two eyes.
Note: I find myself incapable of being serious for any length of time. I sincerely started this post with the intention of writing a moving tribute to the most amazing things I’ve seen in my life. However, a poor memory, a natural instinct for silliness and an aversion to things are just too sweet prevented me from being able to write an entirely serious post. However, I did manage 4.5 serious things before veering off track. (It was the rats.)
- The first night after my son was born, the nurse brought him to me at 2:00 a.m. to feed him. She left me alone with him. It was the first time the two of us had been alone. Just him and me. His eyes were wide and knowing. We stared at each other for the longest time. It filled me with wonder and amazement that this little person was my son and I was his mother. When he is driving me nuts, I think of that moment and it calms me.
- The night my grandmother died, I had a very vivid dream that involved reading a paperback book with lots of pictures of rings in them. At the funeral a few days later, I told my family about the dream. My aunt got a weird look on her face and said “Wait here a second.” She left the room and came back with a small box. She said “I was going to give you this later, but I realize that Grandmom already told you about it. This is her engagement ring, and she wanted you to have it. Grandpop designed it himself.” I’d never seen the ring before that day. I’m convinced that this dream was sent to me directly by my grandmother on the night she died.
- Walking outside at night when snow is falling fills me with wonder. The whole world seems hushed and quiet, and the sky has an almost orange glow to it. It feels so magical and peaceful that you can’t help but think the world is a truly beautiful and good place.
- I’ve been to some lovely natural places (Glacier National Park comes to mind), and whenever I’m in a place of stunning natural beauty, I feel a sense of wonder and amazement at this world we live in and how gorgeous it can be if left alone.
- When I was in college, I had two pet rats, which I thought were both females. Turns out, one was male and one was female. One day, the female rat went crazy pushing all the wood shavings into a pile and gathering material to make a little nest. She also took all the chew sticks and put them around the nest like little spikes. She then proceeded to have a litter of babies. Seeing this little rat’s natural instincts kick in to build a safe and protected nest for her babies amazed me. Sadly, she died not too long after in an unfortunate couch incident. I shall spare you the fate of the babies.
- I’ve told you about Crumbs Cupcake shop before. They have cupcakes almost as big as your head and they are filled with frosting INSIDE! What’s not to wonder about that?
- There have been maybe two times in my entire life that my hair was amazing and did everything I hoped it would and more. Sadly, both times happened on an ordinary day when nothing special was going on, and I have no photographic proof.
Great list – I enjoyed the contemplative ones as well as the funny ones. I totally agree with those special moments with kids, especially newborns. There is something quite magical and amazing about them.
Oh my goodness! I cannot tell you enough how much I loved reading this, right after examining all your flair! I love your sense of humor. But, I do gotta wonder what was up with the pet rats?!?
I’m a little upset about the conclusion of the rat situation…perhaps you could have left the couch mishap for another day? Kind of ruined the moment for me.
Yeah … it was kind of a downer. Here I talk about the beauty of motherhood and follow it up with a horrific death story. Not a good juxtaposition!
Nice list! A great mix of funny and personal. I love those serious, dark newborn eyes! Made getting up in the night more bearable! I would like rats if it wasn’t for the long worm-like tail…shudder!
By the way, I was meaning to ask about your feelings about ereaders? I am thinking of asking for a kindle for my birthday, but man I like books and I am having trouble deciding if I will like it or not… Thanks!
I’m a huge fan of e-readers … especially the Kindle!!! They are perfect for big chunky books that are too heavy to old. You can often get books cheaper in the digital format. If you have a smartphone or an iPad, you can read on your books on them as well and then sync it with your Kindle. You can take a whole bunch of books on vacation with you without adding any weight. You don’t have to find a place in your house to store your new books (if you have limited room). You can get instant delivery of the books (dangerous!!!) Also, many libraries are now lending books that you can read on a Kindle/ereader. You can get a basic Kindle for really cheap right now if you don’t want all the bells and whistles of the new Kindle Fire. I think it is a no brainer!!!
I love your list! I can still remember the first moment I had alone with my son. Thinking back to that moment has helped calm me down many times during his teenage years!
Maybe that is why you have that first amazing moment … so you can cling to it for all the years to come!!
Your Seven Wonders are WONDERFUL! I always enjoy your sense of humor, Jenners.
Thanks for your kind comment. : )
Cupcakes with frosting on the inside! And snow… yes – both are magical!
I know … what could be better, right?
Thats a sweet story about your grandmom
And I must check out Crumbs. Each year for my bday hubby takes me into the city to see the tree at Rockefeller, and we always stop at Magnolia’s for cupcakes.
We tried the cupcakes at Magnolias and they were not as good as Crumbs .. in my opinion. And there is a Crumbs not too far from Rockefeller! Let me know what you think!!!!!!
I love the snow at night! God choice
What a beautiful story about your grandmother. And a memory you will forever keep in your heart.
The story about my grandmother is one that hold dear and gives me comfort whenever I lose a loved one. It makes me feel confidence that there is life after death.
That is so truly awesome what happened with your grandma’s box. Wow! And there is something so good and amazing about newborns.
Loved your last- rats and all
The “message” from my grandmother was such an amazing thing. Almost (or as much) amazing as a newborn. You’re so lucky to have had that experience three times!
I loved your list! My only clairvoyant moments have been absolutely silly (knowing the answer to an obscure pictionary clue prior to the start of the person drawing was one).
My top moment would have to be the night my first son was born too. I had similar eye staring moments, and stayed up all night with him because it was such an emotional high. What was really funny was that I kept looking and his brow and his eyelids and thinking that they looked incredibly familiar and couldn’t place which family member they belonged to. A few weeks later someone showed me a photo of me holding the baby and I realized the reason I had that deja vu feeling upon seeing his brow/eyes was that they are exactly like mine. You’d think I would have gotten that right off!
I love your story about your son!! I could totally see myself doing the exact same thing.
What a FANTASTIC list! I absolutely loved it.
Can’t wait to see your response to next week’s prompts.
Thanks for the positive feedback. It is always fun to see the prompts for each week and figure out which one to tackle.
Do you know that you write the best lists?
I think they’re all amazing wonders (even the ones that veered off into your natural silliness). I do have to admit that the cupcake one is my favorite because it involves a cupcake with frosting on the INSIDE. You really can’t beat that 
(Well okay, the story about you and baby BB and the one about your grandmother were pretty good too)
Your comment cracked me up. Communication from the afterlife? Bonding with a new baby? No … give me cupcakes with frosting on the inside!! HAHA!
I’d say you’ve seen some pretty amazing things (I even think your comments about the rats was amazing, and we all appreciate great hair days!). I almost chose this prompt but I have 5 children and 6 grandchildren so that was 11 wonders right there.
You are truly blessed to have so many wonders in your life!
wait…WHAT happen to the baby rats???
Let’s just say that, eventually, when the pet store wouldn’t take them off my hands, they were released to live a life of comfort and ease in a field outside of the town I lived in. I’m sure I’ve been cursed for years afterwards by whoever found them … if they survived at all. I feel bad about it to this day.
Those first hours with your baby really are awe inspiring. Love this post. The world is a wonderful place.
The world is a wonderful place … and it is very easy to forget that sometimes. Writing this list was a good exercise in reminding myself of that.
I loved reading this post, and of course I went straight to the cupcake link. Methinks some baking is in order this weekend.
I am such an enabler, aren’t I? Now I’m craving those cupcakes myself.
The connection you have with your grandma and the dream, my oldest has that same connection with my brother, who died 11 years almost to the day before he was born!
And I do love living home in So Cal, but I miss that hush of the snow!
And I had 23 rats at one time, what did I know, I was 18 and didn’t think they would give birth and literally walk away from their babies and get pregnant with more! Jeeze those suckers work FAST!
OK … THANK YOU for also having rats (and lots of them). They do seem to breed with superhuman speed!!!
And fascinating about your brother and your son.
Oh, Jenners, I love this list! Especially what you said about your son’s birth, your grandmother’s dream, and the snow. I love these little moments in life. I was feeling down tonight–a lot of stresses adding up–but this list has reminded me of all the tiny, wondrous things to look forward to tomorrow. So, thanks! x
I’m so glad to remind you of some of the smaller magical moments in life on a day when you needed it!! : )
You crack me up! But I have to agree with you the thing about the baby, even to this day, they are men, for heavens sake and I’m still thinking are they really mine. What now?
I imagine we shall feel this way about them for the rest of their lives!
The ring story was amazing, and made a little shiver go along my arms. What a cool thing to have happened. I also need a cupcake with frosting inside it. I need to find out how to get one! And the hair thing? It always happens to me right before I go out for my walk, when it will get all sweaty and flat. It’s enough to want to give up exercise altogether, I tell you!
Well, it wouldn’t take much to make me give up exercise. Unfortunately, having great hair isn’t one of the reasons I can use!! ; )
i choose to picture the amazing frosting filled cupcakes
and forget the rats!
have you ever done a review of alan furst? he’s our
library award recipient this year. the award is named
after my mother in law (who doesn’t read very much!)
the peggy v. helmerich distinguished author award.
I’ve not heard of Alan Furst but now I want to check him out. How cool that your mother–in-law has an award about authors named after her!
I had a similar experience with my daughter the first time time I was alone with her after her birth. It was definitely a wonder in my life!
Now I would never have any kind of wonderful experience with a rat – probably due to my life-long fear of rodents.
Good hair days are rare, too!
I suspect most people are with you on the rat thing. And the first moment you really bond with your child is something that stays with you forever … thankfully for them!
I’m not sure I could come up with a list, but I sure enjoyed yours. LOVE the story about your grandmother!!
I’m not usually a “sweets” person, but I’d love to try one of those cupcakes. Afterall, the frosting usually is the best part!
I agree that the frosting is where it is at. To have it INSIDE is pure genius. Basically, the cake part is just a way to eat a bunch of icing.
A cupcake the size of my head filled with cream…now that is something to wonder about.
Don’t wonder … order from them! : )
Wonder-ful!
My hair will never again be amazing nor will it ever do everything I hope. Not even for me without my camera. Sad. I need a cupcake the size of my head.
EVERYONE needs a cupcake the size of their head at one point in life … especially if you have hair that won’t behave.
The births of my children are events that the biggest presence of God I’d ever experienced. That and the Grand Canyon! But yes, I do sometimes have to drag out those pictures of them fresh and new in the hospital when they are mouthing off. I love the one about your grandmother. And rats…hmmm. I’d utter an expletive of disgust, but then again my daughter is currently raising tadpoles, so there you go. Love of all God’s creatures, and all that.
Tadpoles, hmmm? That is .. uh … interesting. She knows they will turn into frogs one day, right? Then what???? : )
The Grand Canyon is awe inspiring. Really one of those things you have to see in real life to appreciate. Pictures just don’t do it justice with the scale of it.
I can’t believe you had not one, but two, pet rats. Yikes! You’re braver than I am!
I blame it on my brother. He had the rats originally and had babies (which should have clued me in) and they were really cute as little ones so I wanted some and then it got a bit out of control. They were hooded rats so they were actually much better looking than you probably are picturing.
Love the list. You are funny and have a great way with words
Why thank you! That is kind of my goal in life — to be funny and write well.
Loved reading your Seven Wonders! I was trying to pick a favourite but all of them ended up being in that list
Love this Thursday writer’s workshop.
It was an interesting post to attempt to write. I think it is a good exercise for everyone to go through at some point.
I would love to participate in it, one of these days
Oh, magical snow and cupcakes with frosting inside! A delicious list.
I hope that you can someday photograph that orange sky when it snows at night. It is so magical looking.
Ha! I love that you included a cupcake shop because cupcakes are a wonder of the world!
Yes indeed they are. Along with cookies, brownies, ice cream and fudge.
Such a moving story about your grandmother.
I also have a ratty story to tell, sadly mine has a less than happy ending though as it involves the classroom pets of my childhood eating their young.
Yes … they have a way of doing that. I was able to stop that from happening by removing the father from the cage. It just got all out of control. Nothing like a classroom pet murdering their young to traumatize young children.
Great list! Use your camera phone the next time you have a day of amazing hair.
I had my brush with a rodent and my couch as the tiny vermin ran across my lap and burrowed into the nether regions of the furniture, in an attempt to avoid the cat.
The next day, the cat cornered the mouse in the bathroom, and the mouse plunged to its death in the toilet. We flushed.
The mouse came back up – who knew they carried SCUBA gear?
A second flush sent the poor creature to its watery grave.
Jeez … that is one amazing mouse! You should have gotten rid of the cat and kept the mouse and opened a little circus featuring the amazing SCUBA diving mouse!
Very nice list! Too bad about the couch incident!
It was kind of awful (a broken neck and such) but it was also a relief to get rid of one of the rats.
I liked all 7 of your things. I have a similar number 1 for each of my kids – which has saved them time and time again! Fortunately for me, I do have (recently acquired) photographic proof of my hair being capable of certain wonderful things!!! I grieve for you that you do not have that comfort. Make it a goal! Get someone to take a picture of the next time your hair does exactly what is demanded of it….even if you have to stop you mailman, or the lady walking her dog on the street….just get the proof! It is worth it. It will bring you hours of comfort….trust me.
I will take your advice about the hair … if it ever happens again. And then I will carry it with me every time I get my hair cut and say “THIS is what I want.” : )
Great list! The one about your grandmother and the dream gave me goosebumps.
I know … it was such a cool amazing thing. I found it amazingly comforting in many ways.
Pet rats….ew! I do have pet chickens which aren’t much cleaner. Love that moment with you and your son locking eyes. Awesome!!! :O)
The whole rat thing was weird, I admit that. It was my brother who had them and he gave me tiny ones that looked kind of cute. Then they grew up … and had babies and it all went downhill. I still dream of them.
I will never forget the day I had to “put down” my rats before leaving for college. After a little ether-induced nap ( I had connections with a biology lab), I put Einstein and Jung in the freezer with the intention to preserve their bodies more permanently at a later date. Unfortunately, mom discovered the frozen rat jar when looking for steaks. She was not amused and disposed of my dear rodent friend unceremoniously. I was indignant when when I went to finish the job to find them missing. Mom took that dangerously amused/offended position and reminded me just whose house it was. I have not thought of these things for some time, but disturbing they are, yes?” (ala Yoda)
I remember seeing the frozen dead rats in the freezer. I just can’t imagine why Mom didn’t care for that???? : )