Celebrate the Small Things and Do You Have Goals?

Many thanks to Viklit for starting and hosting the weekly Celebrate the Small Things blog hop!

I am, sadly, going to lessen my Celebrate posts after June. I love this sweet group of writers who gather together to celebrate each Friday, but I have found that I am into a haphazard blogging schedule this summer. I might do a Celebrate post near the end of July, and I'll be keeping notes in my journal because I love celebrations. :) Plus, it reminds me to give thanks and have an attitude of gratitude.

My family and my writing are taking precedent over blogging this summer and I haven't been a good visitor, plus I have lots of visitors to get back to after the sweet love and encouragement I've received the last few weeks. I plan to use more of my blogging time for visiting and less for posting.

This week, I'm celebrating:

1. All of the Celebrate the Small Things bloggers - you are wonderful!!!

2. Every day I feel a bit better. I still have tests to undergo and specialists to see, but my health has improved. I've been given permission from my doctor to walk a mile and bike a few miles now - yay! Back to activity. I'm also starting to do more yoga although I'm keeping it light and easy.

3. My husband - he's been a huge help these last few weeks, an every day encouragement, and he gives great hugs and a shoulder to cry on, as needed.

4. My daughters - wow! I'm just so filled with mama pride I might burst. They've cooked, cleaned, and experimented with allergy-free recipes, and even given up their favorite super-hot spiced dinners for me (although they still keep giant bottles of their fave hot sauce on the table for extra seasoning).

5. My youngest brought home a gold medal and two third place ribbons from the Seattle kayaking regatta, and two second place and two third place ribbons for the Bellingham kayaking regatta. She even raced "up" an age category at the Bellingham regatta in the team kayak boats.

6. My oldest gracefully handled two 12 hour days of dance rehearsal and recital time. She danced with the two "itty bitty" classes that she helped teach all year, and she danced in two of her own dances. I did manage to get her out of the backstage area for some much-needed sanity breaks on both days - by arranging that with my parents (go, grandparent power!).

7. My dad (age 76) helped give motorcycle and motors scooter sidecar rides at a special event for kids with muscular dystrophy last Sunday. He had a blast! My mom provided sideline coffee encouragement.

8. Laurel Garver at Laurel's Leaves and Elizabeth at Unicorn Bell hosted two guest posts by me for my slow-to-start Champion in Flight book blog tour. Many thanks to them, and many thanks to those who stopped by for "Getting Past the Myth of 'Enough' Time" and "Writing Through Release Day."

9. Tara Tyler's latest release, Broken Branch Falls! Go, Tara!

10. Today is my mom's birthday! Happy 73 years, Mom! Thanks for showing me how to smell the roses, name the plants in my yard, and love with joy!



And . . . if this post wasn't long enough, I'm going to give a quick check-in for Do You Have Goals?

Yes, somehow, in the midst of a crazy life, I am writing and publishing.

"Seedlings," a flash fiction piece, will be published by Brilliant Flash Fiction (date to be announced), I submitted a bunch of other short pieces that are on the "wait and see" list, and some that were rejected (but I did finish and submit them, so I still count it as a victory).

I published Champion in Flight this month! Had a book signing! Two guest posts!

So far, my crazy goals and my crazy life are working together. Summer may change that momentum, but I hope not.