To Do lists

Gosh I love to do lists! There’s just something so gratifying about doing things and then checking them off the list. Shoot, if I did something that wasn’t on my to do list, I add it just so I can check it off! Anyway, I have my list of things to do at work, stores I need to run to, letters to write (yes, I said letters – as in real paper, real ink, real envelopes and real stamps – it’s fantastic!), projects I’m working on around my apartment, a list of list’s I’m working on…but my favorite list of all is my “things I’m going to do before I turn 25” list! The day after I turned 24, I went out and bought a whiteboard and markers and hung it up in my kitchen – um, can I say I’m SO excited about my 24th year! From going to Disney World with my sister to drinking chocolate milk from a wine glass (well, that’s not on my list, but I do it anyway…makes it taste so good!) - I’m kind of determined to do everything on that list. Sooooooo, for your reading pleasure, 25 things before I turn 25!

1. Start a blog

2. Learn how to Salsa

3. Go wine tasting

4. Ride in a hot air balloon

5. Learn the Soulja Boy dance and Thriller

6. Run a half-marathon (or at least start with a 5K... :) )

7. Go to Disney World

8. Go to the Rodeo and eat at least 5 deep fried foods (I ended up eating 7...I bet they would have fried my Pepto Bismol too...)

9. Go to a NBA, NFL and MLB game

10. Milk a cow

11. Go sky diving

12. Go to a legit crawfish boil

13. Dance barefoot in the park

14. Buy food from an outdoor market

15. Volunteer at a women’s shelter

16. Stay up until sunrise

17. Ride a mechanical bull

18. Dance in the rain

19. Go to a 24 hour store early in the morning

20. Play the nose flute in public (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEQT7Lo7BPg)

21. Go to a poetry reading

22. Go to a stand up comedy show

23. Watch all 3 Karate Kid movies

24. Get a ridiculous manicure

25. Re-read Les Miserables

The things in italics are what I have done…. I still have some things to do, but it gives me things to look forward to! Be assured that I most definitely don't feel confined to do only what's on my list....hardly! This "live life to the full" attitude keeps me looking for other fun things to do too - for example:

Went to see CATS at Miller Outdoor Theater. We packed a picnic, wine, plastic wine glasses and throughly enjoyed every minute of it!

The mini road trip

Sit at the park and read a book (that’s kind of on a regular basis!)

I made a headboard! Thank you Jessie Copeland for the fantastic idea! I’m having fun decorating my little apartment. Here are a couple of pictures of my place now…

I had a candlelight dinner on my back patio! It was great! A couple of weeks ago I got home from work, cleaned my apartment, did laundry, paid the bills (oh, I feel so domestic), talked to a couple of friends on the phone, and before I knew it, 8:00 rolled around and I was hungry! But instead of just turning on the TV and doing the same ole same ole, I decided to have a candlelight dinner on my back porch! So I got a coffee table, covered it with a sheet, lit some candles, got some fake flowers (oh yeah, I was going for all the cheese!), poured a glass of wine and was ready to go! So there I sat on the floor of my porch for 2 hours eating my dinner, drinking wine and watching the moon go down. Such a wonderful evening! It was even better though because obviously I was talking to Jesus about it, thanking Him for the stars and everything, and I realized that He was the One who set this whole thing up anyway! I mean really, who in their right mind would have a candlelight dinner by themselves on their back porch!? So clearly the whole thing was His inspiration just to show me the love!

Some upcoming plans: Going to the orphanages in Mexico this weekend, going to New Braunfels with Jessie, Jamon and Corban the next weekend, running a 5K a couple of weekends after, another mission trip this summer with the youth group, will hopefully record the “cheese song” this summer…so much to look forward to with my own little “to do” list, but even more fun is trying to see God’s “to do” list for me and living it with joy!