Better late than never

Last May I created a bucket list of things I wanted to accomplish by the end of 2010. This was a semi-successful endeavor; I think I had completed about half of the items on the list before December came to a close. This year my list is a little shorter (and therefore hopefully will have a higher success rate), and I've carried over several goals from last year that I wasn't able to do. Some of these goals are silly and relatively unimportant (i.e. climb a tree) but others have the potential to be a tad more significant :) Also, since I'm only just now getting around to posting this year's list, a few of these items have already been completed, but they're staying on the list regardless...because I like crossing things off :)

So here's my 2011 Bucket List...let me know if you want to help me accomplish any of it! :)

1. Have an Anne of Avonlea party.

2. Be consistently mentored by a godly woman from church.

3. Attend Kevin and Danielle’s wedding.

4. Visit Aja in San Antonio.

5. Volunteer for something on a regular basis.

6. Volunteer at a Joni & Friends camp.

7. Camp at Cades Cove.

8. Read through the entire Bible.

9. Visit a state where I’ve never been.

10. Visit the North Carolina farm.

11. Go back to Haiti.

12. Visit Chicago and Warsaw.

13. Go to a concert.

14. Visit Paul and Sheila in Vermont.

15. Visit Sean, Jessica, and Isaiah in Virginia.

16. Go running with Jenn.

17. Climb a tree.

18. Take ice skating lessons.

19. Be certified as a foster care babysitter.

20. Have a Disney movie marathon.

21. Go horseback riding.

22. Learn/practice more French.

23. Attend Joe and Caitlin’s wedding.

24. Move out of Stephanie-the-apartment and live in a duplex or house.

25. Do the Run for Compassion 5k.

26. Go to the Bluebell Creamery.

27. Name the duplex.

28. Have a Jane Austen movie night.

29. Watch the Lord of the Rings movies.

30. Go on a picnic.

31. Have a tea party.

32. Go to a museum.

33. Go on a roadtrip with Rachael.

34. Ride on a train.

35. Plant flowers in my yard.

36. Build a sand castle.

37. Go to a musical.

38. Go camping with Ian and Stephanie.

39. Stand under a waterfall.

40. Go to Martha’s Bloomers Tea Room.

at Kevin and Danielle's wedding (#3)

'tis Monday

291. The business meeting at church and hearing all of the testimonies of those who were baptized. God is so faithful!

292. Sweet time fellowshipping and praying with friends.

293. Getting to spend time one-on-one with Miss Pat on Tuesday and Mr. Jim on Thursday at Esperanza.

294. The guys from Still Creek Ranch taking the time to pray with KM and me when they came by to pick up the donated pastries at Starbucks.

295. The beautiful unity of the body of Christ and the incredible blessing it is to be part of this.

296. Hanging out with new friends and enjoying a campfire and s'mores at Lake Bryan.

297. God's faithful provision: "I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it . . . But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you." (Psalm 81:10, 16)

298. Thankful to have gotten to go to TN a few weeks ago to see my grandpa before he died (3/13/11). So thankful to have had him in my life for 25 1/2 years. And so very thankful that he's with Jesus now.

299. A quiet Sunday.

300. Awakening to the sound of rain outside my window, and being able to lie in bed for a few more minutes instead of having to immediately jump up and begin my day.

wedding week!

281. Kevin and Danielle's wedding!

282. Getting to spend time with Ian and Stephanie after the wedding; so very blessed by these two.

283. Seeing so many Florida friends again this week - Phil and Krystle and their boys; Mr. and Mrs. Seidel; JoeDel; Mr. and Mrs. Fraiser; Ian and Stephanie; AJ; Gibby.

284. Encouraging texts from wonderful church friends, and, similarly, the support and prayers of my amazing church family.

285. Several opportunities to borrow Kevin and Danielle's kitchen and cook/bake so that I didn't go utterly into kitchen withdrawal while in Florida :P

286. Getting to spend time with Kevin and Danielle before their wedding, and especially getting to know Danielle better (since I moved to Texas 3 days after they started dating).

287. Hearing how the Lord is working in the lives of dear friends and family members.

288. Listening to last night's sermon during the plane ride back to Texas.

289. Coming home to Texas!

290. That Sabrina and Donovan have found a venue and picked a date for their wedding - can't wait for September 25th!

so many gifts (271-280)

271. A fun night celebrating a friend's birthday.

272. Finally having time to unpack the rest of my boxes and very nearly get this new home set up :)

273. My new dining table, which now ranks among my favorite/best craigslist finds.

274. Spending Saturday evening playing this ridiculous but fun game with friends.

275. Getting to serve in preschool at church and play with some of the cutest kids ever.

276. These cookies, which the lovely Sabrina made for our Bible study...and which I loved so much that I made a batch myself the next day. (Yes, cookies are making my top-ten list of things for which I am thankful this week. They were that good. And I maybe have a bit of a sweet tooth...)

277. Getting to spend more time with a dear friend from church, now that we're coworkers :)

278. This is unoriginal, as it makes the list nearly every week (and the weeks it's not actually here in writing, it's very much in my heart)...but I am just oh-so-thankful for this amazing body of believers that I'm blessed to be a part of.

279. Getting to do lots of cooking/baking in the past few days.

280. This post from my pastor's wife, which I just came across tonight (though it was written earlier this month). Very timely for me, and very much something I need to learn/remember.

Christ is risen from the dead

We are one with Him again

Come awake, come awake

Come and rise up from the grave!

- Matt Maher

busy, busy week

The beauty of the cross is that there's One who has redeemed my soul

The beauty of the cross is that I'm finally free and letting go

The beauty of the cross is that Your grace has found me just as I am.

Beauty of the Cross - Jeff Johnson

261. Loving this music!

262. A quick visit to see extended family in Tennessee; so thankful for the opportunity to see my grampa one more time.

263. Awakening to the chirping of birds outside my window.

264. Beautiful spring weather.

265. A quick Sunday afternoon nap beside an open window.

266. The sound of my neighbors' kids playing.

267. Spending my lunch break with a wonderful friend from church, who is also my newest coworker :)

268. An evening playing games at a coffee shop with friends.

269. An especially fun night of bingo at the assisted living home.

270. A belated Valentine's Day party with my dear friends, watching this favorite movie.

Valentine's gratitude

I've found a love greater than life itself

I've found a hope stronger and nothing compares

I once was lost now I'm alive in You!

(Love Came Down)

We love because He first loved us.

(I John 4:19)

So, so much to be thankful for on this Valentine's Day.

251. The amazing, incredible, awesome way God worked out all the details for me and Paul to sublet our apartment and move into our new duplex.

252. Our duplex, with its yard. and attic. and doorbell. and windows. and space. and everything about it that makes us so excited to live here :)

253. The generosity of several wonderful people from church who donated furniture to the couple from Spain who sublet our apartment.

254. Friends who gave up their evening to help us move.

255. A birthday dinner for a friend.

256. The opportunity to serve coffee with coworkers at a benefit concert for a family in need.

257. A movie night with friends.

258. Discovering another kindred spirit.

259. A beautiful afternoon, and time spent under a tree reading through I John.

260. Spending Valentine's evening with girls from church, enjoying a wonderful meal cooked by one of the elders and remembering that "this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." (1 John 4:10)

cookies and coffee and snow, oh my!

241. Watching the kids at Lifegroup act out the story of Ruth.

242. A great evening at f(logos) discussing the first chapter of the book we're studying this semester.

243. SNOW!!! and the wonderfully fun morning at work that consisted of running outside every 15 minutes or so to make snow angels (especially enjoyed teaching the proper way to make a snow angel to a customer named Josh from Aruba who had never seen snow), slide around, and basically just bask in the Texas snow!

244. Sitting in the falling snow, drinking a cup of Verona with Sir Green Shirt.

245. Spending time with Bunny at a coffee shop, sharing about what the Lord is doing in our lives.

246. A homemade hat, knitted by a friend in Chicago, which I've had several opportunities to wear again this week.

247. Girl Scout Cookies (I bought Thin Mints and Caramel Delights on Sunday!)

248. This book; so convicting, but soooo good.

249. Getting to sleep in on Saturday after a busy week filled with late nights and early mornings.

250. Getting to visit with Everly and another girl from f(logos) Saturday afternoon.