Celebrate Life to the Fullest - What's On Your Bucket List?

I know I have said this before, but I love my family! I had the opportunity to visit all my children and their families last month. They are lucky for the next 5 months to all live within 15 minutes of each other.

While I was visiting, I was able to watch my grandson Ethan for a few days. He patiently went to visit apartments with Rachel and I, so we took him to the aquarium as a reward. Fun times. He is a sweetheart. We always say to each other, "I love you to infinity and beyond."  Last month, he sent me his 'shadow' after reading the book "Flat Stanley" in preschool.  I took the shadow on several adventures and then returned him to Ethan with the journal of our time together. It was a lot of fun. We were glad to see his shadow still fit when we arrived.

Chris and Rachel moved after being with me for 4 months. It will be lonely here but I am so glad he was offered a wonderful job. They found an apartment and are settling in to their new life. I am glad she will be living near her siblings and hope they can spend some time together.

Another wonderful blessing arrived while I was visiting with everyone. My son and his wife now have a beautiful baby! He was 11 pounds and 1 ounce and mom had a rough time but they are all home and healthy. They named their son after both of their fathers. So we now have a new Michael Chumley in the family. He is adorable, big, and cute as can be. I can't wait to go back and hold him again.

As for me, lots of fun things are going on. I set a goal to do three 5K's this year and just finished my first one. I walk and try to jog a bit. It feels so good to feel healthy! I have lost 30 pounds and 8 inches since last October and feel great. I have less pain and my bursitis has hardly bothered me. I feel so good!

I received a pin today at the 5K that says, "Celebrate life to the fullest - What's on your bucket list?"  I had to laugh because I have done a lot of the things on my bucket list and need a new one! I love the phrase "Celebrate life to the fullest."  Life is short. Celebrate the good and find the happiness that surrounds us. I love visiting with friends and learning about their lives. With all of them, there have been tough times, but everyone of them that find the good in their tough times, are happy people. Life is tough. Life is hard. But if we can smile and find the good, we are so much happier and that radiates to the people around us. Someone recent asked me if I am always smiling. Well no, but I try and I actually practice smiling when no one is around! Yes my secret is out. I practice smiling!!! I smile while driving down the street, I smile while typing on the computer, and I smile when I am at home alone. And guess what? That smile seems to happen a lot more when I practice. Life is hard and we all go through pain, but we can still find ways to celebrate life to the fullest and smile along the way.