Bucket List Living

The other day, during my run, I listened to Andy Grammar's "The Good Parts", which got me thinking about life. In 8 days I will be running my second 10k. I have also run three 1/2 marathons (in three different states with three different friends) and a dozen or so 5ks. I have traveled to 27 states, 4 continents, and 8 countries. I have sat next to one of the closest people in my life while she took her last breath and have lost young friends to cancer. But I have also brought two lives into this world. I have hiked, snowboarded, wakeboarded, boogie boarded, snowshoed, skateboarded, and rode dirt bikes. I have ridden horses and sat on a camel's back. I have read hundreds of (if not 1000+) books. I have been to Disneyland and Disneyworld. I have seen the Pacific and the Atlantic. I have floated in the Red Sea and was baptized in the Jordon River. I have come in close proximity to elk, deer, antelope, bears, coyotes. I have owned houses and rented apartments. I have played on soccer, football, and softball teams. I have been at the top of the ladder for jobs and have been the low man on the totem pole. I have been an employer and an employee. I have had jobs that I have loved and jobs that I tolerate to pay the bills. I have lived in 3 different states, in suburban and rural areas.
I have never, and probably will never, create a bucket list. But I try to live life to the fullest. I don't live with regrets but if God offered a "Rewind" button, there are certain times in my life I would push it and have a do over. There are also times I would like a "Pause" button because I want to cherish certain moments. I want to keep our boys young because I can't imagine life once they move away. There are still places I would like to see- Alaska, Hawaii, the Carolinas, Australia and Ireland. But if I never get to see them, that's ok. I have seen more of the world than most people ever will. In fact, if I died tomorrow, I would know I have lived my best life. I don't have a bucket list but I sure have experienced a lot in my 43 years on this Earth and I am thankful for all of it.

Thankful

My morning devotions were about being thankful for all the amazing things God has done. Then, today's sermon, was from 1 Thes. 5, about having an attitude of gratitude. I can be a little slow on the uptake sometimes, but I figured God is using those two things to change my perspective. The pastor said something that struck a chord with me..."It's hard to say 'Thank You, God' when you're grumbling and complaining." After church I was thinking about the sermon and I realized that, for the first time in years, I have not used November to acknowledge my blessings on a daily basis. How could I forget something so important? So, I'm going to give it to you all in a lump sum.....
First and foremost, I am thankful for my Heavenly Father Who loves me despite my imperfections.
Second, I am thankful for my husband who is my biggest supporter in life.
Third, I am thankful for our boys who bring so much laughter and joy to our lives.
Fourth is our family. My parents continually amaze me. I strive to be the kind of parents they've been to me and my brother.

The rest of what I am thankful for is in no particular order. It's just what comes to mind when I type:
.* Our health. Yes, we get sick and have aches/pains but, after listening to a testimony of someone at church today, it makes me appreciate our good health even more.
* Our beautiful house. I love our subdivision and so many things about our house.
* Our crazy dogs. Our puppy drives me crazy but the dogs make us laugh every day.
* Our friends. It was a struggle for me to make friends when we first moved here. Now I have a solid tribe, as do the boys. I am also thankful for my West Coast friends, with whom I still keep in contact.
* The boys' school. I was nervous about them starting a new school this year but it has been a real blessing.
* Our cars. They are reliable and one of them is paid off. (YAY!!)
* Our fridge. We have so many choices of food every time we open the door. Even when we're "low" on groceries, we still have so much more than many others.
* My new niece. She's beautiful and hopefully I will get to hold her in my arms someday SOON.
* Photography. It provides a creative outlet for me and brings in some income for our family.
* Our jobs. It is nice to have a steady income and I am thankful that my job is flexible enough that there's not much I miss out with when it comes to the boys.
* Means to travel. We have been able to go to so many places this year, introducing the boys to new places and revisiting some "old" favorites.
* Heating and A/C. We live in the South so enough said.
* Freedom of religion and free speech. This almost gets me emotional because I love that we live in a country where we can say what we want and worship at the church of our choice.
* Cooler weather. I am thankful for it for many reasons (Can anyone say "No humidity??") but I love that it just naturally slows down life a little. The other night I told Rob I was going to bed early because I was bored...and it made me happy to admit that I had nothing to do.
* Football. Not NFL or even college football. I am thankful for the boys' football teams. It's been fun watching them play this season.
* My students. They are such a blessing. I love the interaction I have with them on a daily basis.
* Our neighbors. I am thankful that we have a close knit community on our street, who watches out for each other and offers help when needed.
* Books. How do people live without books? Reading is my escape from reality and I love how my imagination goes wild when I read a good book.
* Our bed. Last night was a rough night with the boys coughing and P snoring. So, on that note, I am thankful for the nap I'm about to take.

I hope that you take a few minutes to acknowledge what you are thankful for. There is so much that we take for granted and I want to start being more purposeful in my gratitude, for the many blessings in our lives.

Alone Time

I have wanted to be a mom for as long as I can remember. At one point, in my twenties, I was told that I would most likely not be able to have kids. I remember calling my mom as I was leaving the surgeon's office, bawling my eyes out because of that possibility.
Now that I have two wonderful boys, I love spending every minute with them. Weekends are my favorite because we lounge around, cuddle, explore new things, go for walks, watch family movies. All my life I've dreamt of being a mom, doing these things. That's why I can't understand when parents choose to be away from their child(ren) often (I am not talking about divorce or a job situation). I'm not judging. I just don't understand because, with my boys, is my favorite place to be.
That being said, Rob took the boys to deer camp last weekend. And I'll be honest. I cherished my alone time. I went to dinner with one friend, not worrying about getting home in time to say goodnight to the boys. The next day I spent the day doing a 15 mile garage sale with a different friend and it was nice not having to worry if I was affecting anyone else's schedule. I fell asleep on the couch one night, drank hot coffee in a quiet house both mornings, got to watch what I wanted (and I can guarantee it wasn't PJ Masks, Paw Patrol, Dude Perfect or any of the Sharer brothers) at the volume I wanted. It was nice and I felt refreshed by the time the boys got home Sunday afternoon.
Would I want to have an "alone weekend" more than once every few months? Probably not. I love my time with my boys way too much. But, once in a blue moon, it's nice to recharge, live a weekend in relative silence, be on my own agenda. Because in the long run, I think that alone time helps me be a better mom- a goal I'm always striving for!