Monday, October 25, 2010

Watch out 30, I'm coming for you

As I approach my 30th birthday, I am so happy to say that I don’t feel dread or sadness over getting older. When I really take the time to look at my life, I am so overwhelmed by the blessings God has given me.

1) I have the most amazing husband, and although like many marriages, we had a rough spot, we have put God in the center of our lives and he has renewed us. I couldn’t ask for a better partner and friend.

2) After years of wondering if I would be able to have a baby, I now have the sweetest little girlie to call my own. She has definitely changed us for the better and fills our lives with joy.

3) I have the best family ever! They are each so supportive, generous and special. I look forward to every minute I get to spend with them.

4) God has lead me to three different careers and I have found fulfillment in each one. I absolutely loved being a teacher and will always consider myself one. Recruiting came along right at the perfect time and it helped me learn so many skills that I use in my new job of Volunteer Coordinator.

5) I have some of the loveliest and most beautiful friends around, inside and out!

One of my friends from college, Misty, is taking part in a 1001 days project. This is a list of things that you try to complete in 1001 days. Some of them are relatively easy and super fun, and some of them take a lot of work and really require some planning. I was inspired by her list, and although I am not going to put a date on it, because some of the things I am choosing are a little more abstract, I am all in. I really want to look back on my life and feel like I’ve lived it to the fullest. So, look out 30, here I come!

1. Write a letter to myself to open in 10 years
2. Be more adventurous

3. Sleep under the stars

4. Read to Monroe more often and more books

5. Leave an inspirational note inside a book for someone to find

6. Tell at least one person a day I will pray for them, and then do.

7. Make a quilt for a random friend or friend’s baby and send it to them for no reason

8. Make a new friend at work each month

9. Introduce myself to a new person at work every week

10. Write a message to every friend I have on FB

11. Call one of my friends every week

12. Be a better listener (I think there is a lot to be learned from things that are not said. I want to take the time to really listen to people…not just their words, but the way they say it and their actions)

13. Improve my posture

14. Find a way to make extra money to use for fun things

15. Actually complete Rosetta Stone (Spanish) this time

16. Have another baby

17. Fly a kite

18. Learn a new skill

19. Go to 5 different museums

20. Get better at sending “thank you” notes

21. Host a dinner party

22. Sing a solo

23. Create a house cleaning schedule

24. Learn a poem by heart

25. Spend time in God’s word every day

26. Make a custom recipe book

27. Seduce my husband a lot (TMI, I know and I’m sorry)

28. Buy another house

29. Make a birthday cake for someone

30. Expand my vocabulary by 100 words

31. Run a 5K

32. Have dinner by candlelight

33. Make dinner for another family for no reason

34. Spend a day at the beach

35. Get up early and run at least 3 times a week

36. Go camping

37. Do something fun/go on an outing with Monroe at least once a week

38. Become an expert on one of the past presidents

39. Don't complain about anything for a week

40. Buy a piano

41. Learn to use Aperture (my mac photo editing program)

42. See a drive-in movie

43. Start bird watching

44. Surprise someone

45. Take an exercise class

46. Learn a new recipe every month

47. Get a promotion or raise at work

48. Ride the train

49. Design a dress and make it

50. Visit New York City

51. Bake an apple pie from scratch

52. Add another soup tureen to my collection

53. Create a budget and stick to it

54. Eat at 5 new restaurants

55. Paint some pottery

56. Get a library card here in Chicago

57. Host a game night

58. Plant a vegetable garden

59. Paint a picture to be hung in my home

60. Watch less TV

61. Update my blog at least once a week for a month

62. Invite my neighbors over

63. Tell my hubby everyday how much I love him and why (either by word or action)

64. Write a book

65. Take my multivitamin every day

66. Reach my ideal weight

67. Exercise (weight train or video) for 20 min., 3 times a week

68. Don't throw away any produce for one month

69. Read at least 1 book a month (I know that sounds ridiculous, but since having Rosie, there isn’t the time for reading that I once had)

70. Try a new hairstyle

71. Be more adventurous with my clothing, without buying a lot of new things

72. Make a blogging friend

73. Create a craft tutorial of something I’ve made for my blog

74. Visit two new states

75. Work on being less sensitive (I am horrible at taking criticism and I really want to be better)

76. Get a puppy

77. Have a date night with my husband once a week

78. Jump in a pile of leaves

79. Go to a pumpkin patch

80. Find ways to make my fun job, even more fun

81. Give a 100% tip

82. Send an anonymous gift or flowers to someone who is having a tough day

83. Send Christmas cards to family and friends

84. Let things go

85. Get in touch with an old friend

86. Visit a craft fair

87. Be in a parade

88. Learn 50 words in American Sign Language

89. Visit a nursing home

90. Become active in church again (We really got burned out after living in Tulsa and took on limited responsibilities in Florida and we just recently decided on a church here in Chicago. I miss feeling like I have a church family, I know that I am going to have to take the initiative in this new area)

91. Introduce myself to one person at church every week

92. Find a favorite restaurant, frequent it, so everyone knows my name

93. Keep in touch with all of my old students

94. Carve a pumpkin

95. Create a comprehensive family calendar (events, work stuff, birthdays, dr. appts, etc)

96. Make friends with my mailman/mailwoman (it’s sad that I don’t know which)

97. Become a better cook (I don’t know how, but I will work on it)

98. Work on finding cool free things to do around town (festivals, parks, events)

99. Go downtown more often

100. Develop a menu to follow for a month

101. Start a women’s bible study group

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