Checking off the bucket list

Do you have a bucket list? Do you have a list of 100 things you want to accomplish in your lifetime? They can be silly things, like skydiving, or big things, like obtaining a Master's Degree, and everything in between and beyond. I don't have a bucket list, but I'm inspired to make one.

My mama has a bucket list. My mama is not your typical girl. She's a tomboy. She'd rather renovate the bathroom herself than wear dresses, although she does occasionally wear them, but she can sew a mean stitch too. My mama is also legally blind. She can see what she's looking at, but she has Retinitis Pigmentosa, which is the deterioration of the retina, and I think she has less than 10% of her vision left, although she won't admit it. You can rarely tell though. She barrels through any store, any crowd. It is very confusing for people to see her with her walking cane, because they can tell that she can see where she's going. But having tunnel vision, and only 10% of her vision means that she can't see her feet, so she doesn't see potholes or big rocks or chairs or toys on the floor, etc. So she can be trouble to have around the house with small children, lol.

Anyway, my mama has had her bucket list for a while. And while we hope and pray it won't happen, she will likely eventually lose all of her vision, so it's been important to help her check off the things on her list. Last year she touched a turtle while snorkeling. Check. And today? Today I helped her check off another crazy thing on her list.

My mama wanted to work a back hoe.

A back hoe you say? What a strange thing to have on the list. But the more I thought about it, the more appropriate it seemed. You drive by them all the time if you live in a booming city, full of road construction, etc. You can't tell me you've never wanted to get up in there and dig a hole, scoop some dirt. Hey, it's her list. I guess that's the point. What crazy things do you want to do with your life?

It just so happens that one of Steve's coworkers owns a back hoe. He has 5 acres and is planning to build, so with all the work to be done, it was feasible to just own his own equipment. My mama happened to be visiting for the weekend, and the stars aligned so that we could help her make this dream come true.

We pulled up to the house and when I relayed our intentions she actually squealed, she was so excited. That's what it's all about.

So mama got to make a check mark on her list and I was very excited for her. And now, admittedly, Steve and I both want to go back out to Jake's house and have a turn, lol. She had a lot of fun, digging that 5 FOOT hole. Jake's going to use the dirt for his front yard on the other end of the property. lol

It was appropriate that fulfilling this wish happened on this weekend. On Friday we lost a dear friend at Studio Calico. Her name was Aleida, ricanlaw on the web, and she was killed in a traffic accident on the way to work on Friday morning. I haven't been able to stop thinking about her dear husband and her two sweet children, ages 6 and 3. I just feel terrible for them. Her friends at SC have organized all sorts of things for her family, and Joy was sweet enough to compile all of them on the Studio Calico blog. If you are interested in donating in one way or another, please check out that post. I know one of the things that is being organized is to turn Aleida's blog into a journal for her children. I think that is a wonderful idea. There may be more opportunities to contribute later in the week after funeral arrangements have been made. Such a horrible tragedy.

One of the legacies she left for us was this post that she made on her blog, just one week prior to her death, which was on a Friday.

Steve is a firefigher/paramedic so is involved in traffic accidents all the time, but it took this one to really bring this home for me. It made me more determined to be IN the pictures that I scrap, and it made me more determined to make sure that the memories and moments that I capture are meaningful, and that my love for my family is absolutely seen in my pages. I just love them all so much and can't imagine life without them.

I challenge you to do an all about me layout, or to get a photo taken with you and your kids. Even if you think you look fat. Even if you think your hair is a mess. It's YOU. It's the person that your kids adore. Take care of yourself, and show your family that you love them.

Davinie