The finish line?

Diane and I completed something off of her list today!  She wanted to run in a 5K.  We participated in the "Left Behind But Not Forgotten" 5K.  This race raises money to help young girls that "age out" of Ethiopian orphanages.  The money goes toward providing these girls with an education so they can have a better life.  Diane and I met this morning and went to the starting line.  We stretched, laughed, and visited with friends standing around waiting for the race to start.  It was an absolutely beautiful morning!  When the race started we ran for a while.  Then we walked.  Then we ran...you get the picture!  We had a great time together and we both  felt empowered that we had done something that neither one of us had ever done before.  When my good friend Krista asked me last week if I would continue running after this race I said, "No way!"  But quite honestly, being with a group of people on a beautiful morning, running along, enjoying the day....I think I'll say "maybe".  I did this race in honor of Diane.  She is a beautiful, strong, wonderful woman and sister.  She can do anything!  Even though we both crossed the finish line...we aren't finished yet!

Here it is

When I shared the idea of making a list with my sisters I gave them some guidelines to follow.  Their list had to have an end date, the items had to be a mixture of easy, hard, cheap, expensive, short-term and long-term.  If everything is the high-ticket item or the long-term goal, who wouldn't want to give up??  I had decided that I WILL complete my list.  In fact, I'm already thinking of my NEXT list when this one is completed.  I realized that when I started thinking about goals and dreams...I have a lot of them!  So I thought I would share my personal list today with you.  Then as I slowly (or maybe not so slowly) work my way through, I can tell about my adventures along the way.

• Learn Spanish (complete all 3 Rosetta stone discs)
• Read the Bible in a year
• Stop biting my fingernails (try acrylic nails)
• Lose 20 pounds
• Ride a moped in Tuscany
• Start writing in a journal
• Wear more dresses to work
• Go to chef school or take cooking classes
• Remember to send everyone cards for birthdays/ anniversaries
• Plan my own funeral
• Decorate my front room
• Start my own baking business
• Take a vacation to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
• Start painting again
• Learn to cook the perfect risotto
• Make a quilt with the old fabric blocks
• Start a mother-daughter tradition with my daughter
• Look into getting a patent on an idea I have
• Learn to shoot a gun
• Get a passport

Many of these require explanation...but that's for another day.  

What you need to know now is what I've already completed. As of 12/15/11 I have stopped biting my nails!  This is huge because I have been a nail biter since childhood.  Also I tried acrylic nails but they turned out to not be for me!  Hey, at least I tried.  My sister Diane helped me by setting up an organizer box for all important dates that require a card to be sent.  She even printed off all their addresses and set me up with a Cozi account with a reminder calendar.  Haven't missed an occasion yet!  My sister Crystal gave me a journal with pretty pens and I have started writing furiously all the junk that goes on in my head!  During spring break, Karl and I cleaned out and decorated out front room!  Wow, what a big accomplishment...it feels great!  Also, Karl and I both got our passports!  If we are going to Italy next summer (which we ARE, according to my list), then we had to have passports. 

So, 5 things accomplished and 15 to go!  I can do it!

Not a bucket list

When I started thinking about making my list I thought of all the times I had made new year's resolutions or thought about a bucket list.  I decided that this list thing was going to be different.  I don't want to make a bucket list, because quite honestly...I don't know when I'm going to kick it!  How could I possibly make a plan for things I really want to accomplish in my life if I just put it off to "someday"?  I have decided that I'm not waiting for someday any more, I want it to be today and to live my life to the fullest right now!  Seriously, am I going to wait for retirement???  I have too much living to do before then.  Making an ending date, just like Marissa did in the book, is an important step.  Having a date to work toward is going to hold me accountable so I don't procrastinate.  My completion date is my 45th birthday...August 5, 2013.  I've got to get busy!

And so it begins...

It all began with a book...

 Renee and I needed a book to read for our little book club.  After some searching I chose, The Next Thing on My List  by Jill Smolinski.  The main character, June, was in an accident and her passenger, Marissa, was killed.  In the aftermath June discovered that Marissa had a list of 20 things she wanted to do before her next birthday.  Out of grief and the need to heal, June chose to complete Marissa's list for her.  The things on the list were way outside of June's comfort zone, and yet her life was changed as a result.  Renee and I loved the book!  It was funny...it was touching... I thought that was the end of it.

About a year later I decided to take the idea of making a list and completing it to a whole new level.  My three sisters and I get together twice a year for Sisters Weekend!  What a blast we have! I was thinking ahead to when it would be my turn to host and I remembered the book.  I decided that all of us sisters would make our own lists of 20 things we want to accomplish.  I had 6 months until the weekend, so I gave them a manila envelope containing dated envelopes to be opened each month.
October: Read the book.

November: Make your own list.

December: Complete one thing off your own list by the time you open the next envelope.

January:  Mail your list to the next sister.  When you get the sister's list, complete something off of HER list.

February:  Mail that list to the next sister and complete something off the list you received in the mail.

March: Mail that list to the next sister and complete something off the list you received in the mail this time.

 April:  Sisters Weekend!!  Bring the list with you so you can return the list to the original sister.  When April came, we had all completed at least 4 tasks.  We had an amazing time of discussing the book and more importantly, sharing about our experiences over the last 6 months.

Through this fun time of "listing", there have been many fun experiences and lessons along the way.  Hopefully this blog will encourage others to think about completing a list of their own.  Until next time...