Well, I am officially a year older, and though I can't say I feel any different, I had a great birthday this year! My birthday was smashed between going-away parties and many "last" events, so it felt like I was celebrating for a very long time! While it has been quite the roller coaster ride, I can say one thing for certain: I am feeling very blessed! I am blessed because I have made friends who care enough to have farewell parties. I am blessed because I have made connections worth crying over. I am blessed because I have grown as a person and a professional through my wonderful job the last few years. I am blessed because I am surrounded by people who believe I will be successful in whatever comes next. Thank you to everyone who has made this time so very special to me! Though you make it hard to leave, that in itself is a blessing, too.
On another note...
Recently, I was reading through some of my favorite blogs on bloglovin (which I highly recommend if you're someone who follows a lot of blogs!) and ran across this post from the blog How Does She? The post is a list of 50 things to do before your next birthday, and I love the idea! We often visit the same restaurants, go to the same places, and do the same things again and again, sometimes because they are our favorites, but sometimes just because that's the way we always do it. For me, this year is one of change! So, while I did steal some of the ideas from the other list, I decided that my list might look a little different. Here are 26 things I want to do in my 26th year!
1. Collect and display old family photos
2. Take part in community celebrations in our new town
3. Update or restore at least one piece of furniture
4. Build something
5. Go to Minnesota State Parks
6. Learn a new skill
7. Host a dinner party
8. Have a picnic
9. Grow some vegetables
10. Watch a meteor shower
11. Learn how to find new constellations
12. Continue to learn more about star photography and practice that skill
13. Do something crazy! Something outside my comfort zone
14. Treat myself to a massage
15. Plant a tree
16. Clean out closets and storage, and donate to Goodwill
17. Create systems for keeping clutter at bay in our new house
18. Keep reading - Join a book club
19. Do pull-ups and stretch and home
20. Take at least 2 private aerial lessons to keep my skills fresh
21. Create a piece of art for our new home
22. Stay in touch with friends from Ames/DesMoines and get together with them
23. Draw/sketch something just for fun
24. Try at least one completely new workout class
25. Try a food I've never eaten before
26. And because Worthington is home to the National Windsurfing Championships... Go windsurfing!
Here's to another happy and healthy year! Thanks for being a part of my life!
