Monday, September 27, 2010

Is anyone still out there?

I wish I could say "The days go slow and the years go fast" but the days and the year are going equally fast. I have stopped by several times with thoughts I would post and yet have not for a multitude of reasons. This has been a difficult year with lots of learning and stretching on my part. With both good and hard things. I miss the blogs that I used to read. It seems most of them have stopped blogging as well.

I thought I would re-visit my "Fab Forty" list. My 40th birthday has come and gone this past month. I dreaded looking at the list because I really have put very little effort into this. But after looking through my items I have accomplished to do some. Check out my updates in red.

1. Take 1 picture everyday for one month – can’t do 365 but 30 seems do-able. Not even one picture
2. Learn how to take a GOOD picture/be in the pictures. I always shy away from the camera, not wanting to be photographed. I want it documented that I was here! I would have to take some pictures for this to be accomplished :)
3. Print and complete photo collage for my living room. Bought the frame, does that count?
4. Go on a Girls' Weekend Get-Away Probably not going to happen
5. Have a new friend over for lunch Nope, not done it
6. Go with friends out for lunch/dinner. I foresee this in the near future…This I am proud of. I have gone to dinner once a month with my 4 closest friends every month. This is something I truly look forward to each month.
7. Make friendships a priority by giving them time to cultivate. See above
8. Read through the New Testament in a new-for-me-version, I am going to use The Message. I have kept up on this and am proud of the fact I did not give up in March.
9. Try a new vegetable in the garden. Kohlrabi? Cabbage? And then keep up on the garden. Nope, didn't try anything new, but my husband did build a trellis for the peas, does that count?
10. Plant an herb garden and actually use the herbs. Planted one planter of basil that didn't do so well. Doesn't really count as an 'herb garden', more like a pot o'basil.
11. Plant a tree (or two) in my front yard. Yes, planted two flowering pear trees!
12. Make raspberry jam from my own raspberries. I am planning for a bounty of raspberries! Only got about a cup of raspberries from my bushes, better luck next year?
13. Can something: maybe tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, applesauce, or peaches. Nope
14. Learn how to make a piece of jewelry I would be proud to wear, I have an idea and it involves resin. Still just in the thinking stage.
15. Take a friend a meal for no reason. Nope
16. Have a family over for dinner. We have done this several times
17. Send a cards when I see someone needs encouragement. Note to self: have cards on hand. Nope, I don't know if I have even sent one.
18. Go on an overnight trip with Ron. Nope, and probably not going to happen this year.
19. Make Ron’s birthday special (40) May, eh...not so special
20. Make Emma’s birthday special (17) December, yep
21. Make Eli’s birthday special (14) September, semi special
22. Make Eden’s birthday special (13) February, yep
23. Make Eva’s birthday special (9) May yep
24. Make Ella’s birthday special (4) February yep
25. Remember my friends birthdays with a little token, already working on this one. Failed.
26. Take a Community Ed. Class. Maybe cooking, self defense, or couponing ? Maybe next month I hope.
27. Exercise for 30 minutes a day/5 days a week for one month. Just got a stationary bike so excuses about the weather are no more. Ha! LOL!
28. Hike Badger Mt. Again, Ha!
29. Take a picture of the same thing in each of the 4 seasons, again with the camera.
30. Laugh out loud with some good friends. I think this one needs to be done more than once. Thanks to our once a month dinner group this happens often :) As well as my sweet friend Coral :)
31. Read a good fiction book (I never read fiction) Ron bought me Scared for Christmas. Read Scared...great book!
32. Throw a themed dinner party. Not too fancy or involved but lots of fun! Still sounds like it would be fun.
33. Treat myself to a pedicure…hopefully with friends. Didn't happen and now it is time for shoes again. :(
34. Paint a piece of furniture with Jamie. Didn't happen :(
35. Paint Eva and Ella’s bedroom. Yes! Turquoise and Yellow!
36. Paint the girls bathroom a fun color. Hasn't happened.
37. Learn to sew something, maybe a pillow or apron. Nope.
38. Make the flower arrangement that I have been thinking about for 3 YEARS...Not yet...
39. Put a little more effort into my appearance…maybe highlights? Definitely work on keeping my nails manicured. Did get the high lights...nails...not so much
40. Only buy flattering clothes I love to wear. For the most part yes, but I have bought a couple things just because I needed them.

So that makes about 16 of 40 things I have accomplished that I set out to do this year. With just three months left I probably will not accomplish all 40. But hopefully I will accomplish a few more. Who I am is constantly evolving. I am not who I was a year ago and hopefully not who I will be next year when I turn 41. There are things I would like to change, things I would like to do over, and things I would rather not have had to experience at all. But I think that is what makes us who we are...who we are becoming. I am trying to give God all the control of writing the pages of my life and not trying to take the pen from His hand. Easier said than done. I hope to blog more. I miss it and the people I once connected with through it.