Reverse Bucket List

When I saw The Lady Okie's post about this, I immediately thought it was genius.  I love the idea of bucket lists, but so often don't put something on there because it just seems sad to put something there that you're pretty sure will never happen.  Also, it's easy to look at other people's lives and feel jealous, but most of the time that's because we've forgotten all the good stuff we've already done.
So here are 47 things that if I would have made a bucket list 10 years ago, I probably should have put them on it.

The Reverse Bucket List: 

1. Graduated from high school with my A.A.

2. Flew in a plan that I was almost as tall as. 

 

3.  Seen the oldest church in the Bahamas. 

4.  Climbed a lighthouse in the bahamas.

5.  Stood in a window at the top of said lighthouse.

6. Gone treasure hunting in the Bahamas.

7.  Had bonfires on the beach. 

8.  Received many Christmas gifts like this from my mom. 

9.  Decorated cakes for Santa on Christmas Eve.  

10.  Seen the Universal Macy's Day Parade. 

11. Celebrated my birthday at Emeril's restaurant.

12.  Played cards with my pups. 

13.  Taken family photos in other countries. 

Seen this sign and still...

14. Went snorkeling in Ocala.

15.  Graduated College. 

16. Celebrated a year with Chris by climbing a lighthouse in St. Augustine, which happened to be infested with wasps when you got to the top. 

17.  Been on countless boating excursions with my family. 

 

18.  Saw One Republic at Universal with my brother. 

19. Saw One Republic, round two. 

20.  Went on a cruise.

21. Baked tons of mini pies for the best fall-themed wedding shower ever. 

22. Went to NYC and saw The Lion King on Broadway.

23. Rode with my little brother to my rehearsal dinner..where he stopped on the way to get sweet tea, even though we were late..and then turned around and went back when he discovered the sweet tea was rotten.  We listen to Grillz on repeat the entire time, and it was just what I needed to lighten up about the weekend. 

24. Went to Mood, Project Runway heaven.

25. Went to a silent headphone party in the middle of the street in New York. 

26. Eaten at In-N-Out burger with Meg.

27. Gotten fake tattoos in LA, also with Megan. 

28. Celebrated getting married with my best friends from all over. 

29. Gone to a Dodgers game. 

30. Jumped off cliffs in the great state of Arkansas. 

31. Seen Phillip Phillips with my mom. 

32. Introduced Christopher to his first funnel cake ever. 

33. Painted pretty things for local strippers to remind them that they have value. 

34. Dyed my hair like a rainbow. 

35. Celebrated turning 21 with my best friends. 

36. Played alien mini golf. 

37.Had a Christmas date that started with an owl on my head and ended with a ring on my finger. 

38. Gone wedding dress shopping with my mom, where I got to try on a million pretty dresses.

39.  Taken medicine to orphans in Haiti. 

40. Written letters to a girl in Africa, who wrote me back via picture the next morning. 

42. Celebrated Chris' birthday in Orlando's version of Italy

43.  Did a combination of the dougie/thriller/soulja boy/the twist for my father-daughter dance. 

44. Married my best friend.

{No pictures on my computer, but}

45.  Been to NYC with my mom and eaten at Bobby Flay's Restaurant

46. Had a first grade teaching internship

47. Taught an adult Com I class. 

Remembering all of these things has really reminded me of how full my life truly is.  I highly recommend it. 

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Talk about good things.

{I will start this off by saying this will not be another post about Miley Cyrus.  So, you're welcome for that.}

I wish that I would have kept count of how many blogs/instagrams/tweets I've seen in the last few days talking about Miley's interesting (?) VMA performance.  Everyone and their mother has had an opinion, and it's been almost disturbing to see how many people have felt the need to write long, drawn out play by plays of everything they feel was wrong about it.

Like we don't have anything else better to post about.

This is an ever-growing trend in social media: talking about issues that we have absolutely nothing to do with.  Slandering someone's name who we have never met.  Siding with issues and being extremely public and vocal about things we honestly have no idea about.

I've blogged about things like this before, here and here, and I don't really have all that much more to say on this topic.

But I'll say this:

Can we start talking about good things for a change?  Talking good about people we actually know, instead of badly about people we don't?  Can we talk about something amazing/hilarious/exciting that happened to us, instead of ranting about chick-fil-a/starbucks/insert whatever business everyone suddenly decides to have a problem with?

I think that would be good.

Your words are precious.  Don't waste them on things that don't matter.

Happy Wednesday.


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Back to School Giveaway!

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$25 Etsy Gift Card

Grey and white chevron maxi skirt from Chevron & Lace

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$25 gift card to Gap

$10 Starbucks card 

Happy winning!

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Who do you think Jesus is?

Or, more aptly, what do you think Jesus is like?

I think so many people have a perception of God, big and angry, sitting on a throne in heaven just waiting for the opportunity to strike us down with lighting bolts of wrath whenever we mess up.

Why?

I’ll admit that I sometimes catch myself thinking of Jesus in same terms I would think of a mythical creature: distant, unattainable, and far away.  But that’s just not true.

Last week was a rough week for me.  My husband went back to medical school, which was a drastic change to the amazing summer we just spent together.  I was feeling lonely and a little sorry for myself, and two of my best friends from college came to visit me. 

It was such a great feeling to see them.  To know that when I was feeling sad and bummed out on life, I had people who were there for me that I could talk to.

So we talked.  We talked about life and our dreams and our heartache.  We laughed and vented and told sad stories over bacon dip and the wine that costs four dollars at publix.

And do you know what that is?  That is love.  Friends that band together and just experience life for a minute.  Are sad for a minute.  Are happy for a minute.  Just live for a minute.  That is friendship, and that is love.

Jesus?  He is my friend.

And in moments like this weekend, I remember it even more. 

He’s always here, of course.  But in moments where I experience such a pure form of friendship, I am reminded of how that is exactly who Jesus is.  He loves me relentlessly.  He is not sitting around, waiting on me to mess up.  He is waiting on me to accept His friendship.  He beckons me into a relationship with Him, but not one of rules and punishments, as we so often think.  But rather, one of life.  One of discussion.  One of late night talks about dreams and heartache, lost chances and hopes for the future.  I may not know a lot, but I can confidently say I truly believe that is the kind of friend Jesus is. 

And if he was here in person, I think He would have been at my girl’s night.  He wouldn't have been sitting in the corner, scowling and waiting on us to mess up.  Instead, I think He would have laughed along and had a glass of wine with us.  He would have listened to our sad stories and given us advice on life, telling us not to worry.  He would have hurt along with us as we hurt, and rejoiced over our small victories with us.  Because that's just the kind of God that He is.  

Jesus is a friend, you guys.  I'm sorry if that's not the version of Jesus you were introduced to, but let me tell you from first-hand experience:  He is the best friend you could ever have. 

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Being a friend.

What does being a good friend mean?

I've had few really good friends in my life.

I've always enjoyed staying in, hanging out at home.  I would rather hang out with one friend that I enjoyed being with rather that go to a party with tons of "friends" that might as well be strangers.  In high school, I would say I had maybe 2 really close friends over the four years, and my best friend moved to college when I was starting sophomore year.  This was okay though, because my mom has always been my best friend.  We always did girly stuff together, crafted together, went to movies together.  So the lack of friends never really bothered me all that much.

It wasn't until I went to college that I experienced having true friends that I got to hang out with on a consistent basis and even live with.  All the clichés are true: I made friendships that I will have for the rest of my life.  I met my bridesmaids.  I met the girls who I will forever call friends, sisters, and some of the best people I know.

I truly believe one of the best things you can be in life is a friend.  Not just a friend, but a true, honest, good friend.

So what does that mean?  How do you define friendship?  What makes you a good friend?

I think it's being there for that person.  It's being crazy sometimes and serious other times.  It's listening and it's talking.  It's giving and it's taking.  But I think more than anything, it's being able to selflessly know when that person needs which thing.

It's knowing when you need to talk and when you need to listen.  It's knowing when they need a night out and when they need to stay in and watch the notebook.  It's spending the money you've been saving for gas to buy them an overpriced coffee because they've had a bad day.  It's crying when they cry, laughing when they laugh, no matter how things are going in your life.

You may never do anything that the world considers great.  You may never reach fame.  Your name may never be known by many.  You may never become rich.  But if you are a true friend, you leave a legacy.  And that is worth more than all of the above combined.

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."

Proverbs 17:17

What do you think makes a true friend?

Have an amazing weekend!

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Sometimes.

Sometimes, you get to go see One Republic with your favorite people ever and life feels perfect. 

Happy almost-weekend!

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Magic moments.

I've been guilty, I think, of watching for a big moment.  Waiting for a "big" moment.  Overlooking all of the little moments in hopes that a better one will come, full of magic and wonder and success.

This is what I'm learning.

All of the little moments that are happening while I'm so stupidly waiting for a big moment?  Those are the big moments.  The magical moments.

When someone asks me what I want to do, I say I want to write.  That I'm trying to get published.  That that is what I am waiting on.  I don't say that I want to have perfect days where I lay in the sun and float down a river.  I don't say that I want to experience new things and meet new people and travel to new places.  I don't say that I want to make dinner for my husband that turns out so good that I feel great about myself for a solid week.  I don't say I want to have late nights with friends, laughing and loving life.

But I should.  Because those?  Those are the big moments.  The moments that make me desperately happy to be alive and incredibly thankful that this is my life.  The ones I will look back on with love and longing and happiness.  The big moment I'm waiting on?  Maybe it'll come.  Maybe it will one day.  But you know what?  It won't hold a candle to these moments. Because everyday life is beautiful.  It is precious.  It is a blessing.  And it is worth being celebrated and sought after as much as the "big" moment.

Life is beautiful.  Celebrate it.  Live in the moment.  Don't waste it waiting for the next big moment, because you'll miss the truly important ones.

"But this is what I’m finding, in glimpses and flashes: this is it. This is it, in the best possible way. That thing I’m waiting for, that adventure, that move-score-worthy experience unfolding gracefully. This is it. Normal, daily life ticking by on our streets and sidewalks, in our houses and apartments, in our beds and at our dinner tables, in our dreams and prayers and fights and secrets – this pedestrian life is the most precious thing any of use will ever experience.” 
― Shauna Niequist

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This Summer.

This Summer, I adventured.  A lot.  

We went on a cruise. 

We went on lots of Universal dates. 

We went to Italy. 

Just kidding.  But we went to Orlando's version of Italy, and for the weekend, it was almost just as good.

I got to have lots of date nights with this guy. 

I went to Haiti and fell in love. 

I got to witness Chris and Goose slowly become best friends.  

{And dance partners.} 

I got some lunch dates with my partner in crime. 

Celebrated the Fourth of July with the best there is. Including this one:

We went to New York and saw The Lion King on Broadway.  I can now die happy. 

This summer was wonderful.  Fall, you've got a lot to live up to.

"August feels like a hinge in the year.  Swing backwards and summer is there, swing forward and fall is waiting.  I'm in the swing forward camp.  I'm never sorry to see summer end, although I'll miss the peaches.  I'm ready for sweaters and socks and new suede shoes."  -Stephanie Madewell

I love this quote, except that I am usually a little sorry to see summer end.  Especially one like this one, where I got to spend every single day with my husband--which has never happened before now. 

Summer ending means he goes back to school, we go back to a schedule and trying to squeeze in time to hang out. 

Summer ending also means pumpkins and apples and crafts and baked goods galore. 

I'll take it. 

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