My Florida Bucket List

We had a fun Relief Society get together last night.  The theme was Bucket Lists, things that you want to do before you "kick the bucket".  They had three different sisters share their bucket lists for spiritual, personal and family goals.  It was fun to hear what others want to do in their lives.  Then they had everyone share one or two things that they had on their bucket lists.  Unfortunately, I had to leave to pick up Wes from hockey so I didn't get to finish.

As I thought about my bucket list, I thought of how I have had one specifically for our Florida experience.  My list includes a lot of things to see and experience: beaches, the Everglades, Sea World, Disney World and others that you have probably read about on the blog.  But it also included other things like serving to the best of our abilities in church, attending the temple when possible, helping the kids make good friends, and helping Brent succeed in school.

Unlike our Earthly experience, I know when my Florida experience is going to end.  When we moved here in January 2010, June of 2012 sounded so very far away.  But believe it or not, it is just around the corner.  Part of me doesn't want it to come so fast.  I made my list of things to see and do.  I didn't want to leave Florida and wish we had done something when we were so close.  (I learned my lesson on this.  We lived in Idaho for 9 years.  We never went to Yellowstone National Park!  We were only 2 to 3 hours away.  So close.) We have loved the beaches and I didn't want to go back West and wish we had gone more.  I know that we will miss the beach, but I also know that we went as much as we could.  I wanted our outings to count.  I have learned a lesson from this.  We should always live life to the fullest because we don't know how much time is left with the ones we love.  Memories are precious.

Something on my list that I hadn't planned on adding is making a family here.  We have had people in our lives in Florida that I could never replace.  Even though I knew our stay was temporary, I have grown close to the people in our Branch.  There is a connection and a love there that will never be duplicated.  (Makes me tear up thinking about leaving.)  I love them so much and I am so thankful for them for filling in as family the past two and a half years.

Another unexpected learning experience is finding out that there are good people all over the earth.  I knew I was surrounded by good in Utah.  But becoming the minority has been a very positive experience.  I have gone to the park, library story time, the grocery store, the pool, and other places and seen how moms and dads love their kids.  Many of them love and know Jesus as well.  They aren't as shy about sharing what they know and feel.  They want what is best for their families.  It took getting away from Utah to be able to see this.

I am so thankful for the Florida experience.  I am glad that a wise Heavenly Father knew we should come here and helped everything to work out well.  I'll need to make sure that I make a bucket list for Utah.