Happy Month

Tonight Jon came in the Family Room and announced it was time for Family Home Evening. We did not have a plan for what we were were going to do yet, but that never stops us. So I asked him what we wanted to do for FHE? Ann Marie was sitting on my lap. She said, "It is a new month. We have to pick a new theme for the month."

I am so glad my 7 year old is here to keep me on track. I am so good at coming up with great ideas and so not good at following all the way through with them. But we have had a new theme for every month so far this year and with her reminder we are going to keep on going. Annie is a finisher. She will be a blessing and inspiration to me all my life.

So to recap, January was "clean up after yourself" month. February was "Love" month. March was "Just Do It" month. I must admit I did NOT do that one well at all. Going to have to try to improve in that still. But then all of these monthly goals are intended to live on after the month is over. And just today I had Lauren tell me that I needed to "clean up after myself month" with something I left out. So little by little I guess it is working.

With Ann Marie's reminder we decided to discuss possible themes and choose one. Ann Marie burst right out with her first suggestion -- "Be Happy" month. Now it is April. April is Camille's birthday month. So we really wanted to pick a theme that Camille would want. We discussed several other options that we thought would be appropriate. But in the end we are going with "Happiness" month. Our goal is to Be Happy ourselves and to make others happy by serving them. We are out to create happiness this month.

Last year I asked everyone to do random acts of kindness as a gift to Camille for her birthday. This year I ask that you join our family in Happiness Month and try to BE Happy and create Happiness for others. This can be done just by smiling more and sharing your smile with others or by asking someone who is down what you can do to help them be happy. Sometimes a little act of service can brighten someone's day.

I am going to work really hard to make this goal successful for me. I will admit that it is going to take some serious work. I can't say I have been feeling very happy the past little bit. When I go back to my recipe for happiness I see that I am lacking in the "do something physical everyday" category and the "learn something new everyday" category. So I am going to start learning an new word and running or doing pilates everyday ... again.

I hope this will help me feel happy so I can share that happiness with those around me more fully. I can't think of anything Camille would want more for her birthday than to have me, her family, and all those who know of her to feel a bit more happiness in their life.

Annie almost 3 years ago holding Camille

Thanks Ann Marie for the reminder and the idea and thanks to Camille for the inspiration.