Better Late than Never

Some of you might remember this post or the list of 25 things I wanted to do in my 25th year.
Well, to say I didn't finish my list would be an understatement.
Once I moved I didn't give that list a second thought.
There were times when it came to mind
But there definitely wasn't an effort to make them happen

I love to make lists
I love to cross items off my list
but I am also out of sight out of mind.
This list was just not in my sight so it wasn't in my mind.

I started thinking awhile ago I wanted to update the list a bit
I am going to change a few of these and add another for my 26th year
Maybe even cross a few off the list that I did but never "crossed" it off.

1. Read at least 12 books
a. Pride and Prejudice, must be one of those
2. Move to San Diego
3. Say yes more
4. Go on a date. by myself
5. Invest in a hobby-- bought a year membership to an outdoor boot camp
6. Go to a NFL game (Wasn't NFL but it was the OSU Homecoming game, which is even better!)
7. Run a 5k-- Did the Color Run, but didn't actually run it.  So I will keep this up
8. Watch "Gone with the Wind"
9. Join a small group/book club
10. Go salsa dancing
11. Take a day off to go on an adventure
12. Cook dinner for a friend and take it to them
13. Visit a friend in a different city/state
14. Try 'The Bar Method' work out
15. Throw a themed dinner party
16. Visit the Monterey Aquarium
17. Write a letter to my former self
18. Make bread from scratch
19. Visit the Golden Gate Bridge
20. Make new friends
21. Create a new tradition
22. Go paddle boarding
23. Try Bikram yoga or Hot yoga
24. Come up with a personal motto-- "Do something today your future self will thank you for"
25. Learn how to sew-- made pillow cases at the cabin at Thanksgiving
26. Learn how to golf

There we have it folks.
Maybe this year I will actually cross these items off the list.

Cobwebs

If the internet could have cobwebs, this little place of mine would be full of them.
This teeny, tiny, little space, that I can call mine has been neglected this last year.
Maybe it's because I am more prone to write when my heart is heavy.
Or because there has been so much adventure.
I couldn't give it justice with my words.
I guess tonight is a mixture of both.

All I know is, it is almost midnight.
I can't sleep.
The glow of my Christmas tree is the only thing bright during the dark night.
And still nothing seems to come out the way I want it too.

So, as I try to brush away some of the cobwebs here
Let's get a recap of 2012, shall we... 

It has been a full year since I moved to San Diego.
It is everything I hoped it would be.
And I am praying it continues to surprise me.

I have a wonderful job.
I know the Lord had everything to do with placing me there.
The environment I work in is full of encouragement, support and love.
It is a great place to be a part of.
The Lord knew I needed it, and I think it needed me too.

I met a wonderful man only a few short weeks after being here. 
He stole my heart the day I met him.
I haven't bothered trying to get it back yet. 
It has been a roller coaster adventure ever since.
Our story is one for the ages.
There is no doubt our paths crossed for a reason.

Life seemed to fall together once I got here.
It is amazing what risk, adventure and life all have in common.
For me, it is a dream. A longing for something more.

This last year I think I have been learning a lot about myself.
It has been lonely at times.
A little harder to make friends (outside of work) than I thought it would be.
But as this new year is chugging full speed ahead
The itch to make lists, promises, resolution begins to burn
I will take all the things I have learned this year
And only make me better.

Hopefully there will be a lot more adventure, friends, love and happiness in all our days.
And a lot less cobwebs in this little place.

xo

The Sweetest of sweets.

This just warms my heart.
There are no limits to the human spirit.
No limits to our abilities to express ourselves through dance.
This is the sweetest of sweets.

My hope

Image found here*

I hope I...

• Always believe in the good in people 
• don't limit what my generation can do 
• make other peoples day a little brighter 
• can admit when I am wrong 
• say I'm sorry when I should 
• love fully, unconditionally, forever 
• dream big dreams 

Unicorns and Glitter

For your ears:

Something in the Water- Brooke Fraser
I've Got This Friend- The Civil Wars
Psuedo Love Song- Natalie Closner
One and Only- Adele
The Beat- Ben Rector
Just a Boy- Angus & Julia Stone
Let Me Down Easy- Billy Currington
First Day of My Life- Bright Eyes
Dance with Me Baby- Ben Rector
Gettin' You Home- Chris Young
Broken Open- Cold War Kids
Mine is Yours- Cold War Kids
Stolen- Dashboard Confessional
Nothing Fancy- Dave Barnes
Until You-Dave Barnes
I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes- Dierks Bentley
Home- Edward Sharpe& The Magnetics
1234- Feist
You Picked Me- A Fine Frenzy
Only If For A Night- Florence + The Machine
The Guy that Says Goodbye to You is out of His Mind- Griffin House
Better Than Love- Griffin House
You and I- Ingrid Michaelson
Better Together- Jack Johnson
I'm Yours- Jason Mraz
Gray and Blue- JayMay
Nicest Thing- Kate Nash
Somewhere with You- Kenny Chesney
Pyro- Kings of Leon
Just a Kiss-Lady Antebellum
Airplanes- Local Natives
Awake My Soul- Mumford and Sons
Fences-Phoenix
One and Only Love- Teitur

and just for fun
Mama's Broken Heart- Miranda Lambert

My playlist that has been on repeat for the last few weeks.  

Happy Happy

I am happy.
like, really happy.

A fresh start

I don't know what it is.
I can't seem to write
The words don't come together the way they normally do

I know I write when I am broken
When the words take up too much space in my mind
They have to come out.

But I have so much going on in my head
Yet the words don't form as I want them too.

It is a new year
Which means everyone set their goals
Aspires to be healthier, eat better, be more active
People aren't going to spend frivolously, attend church more

We all do it.
Set goals to better ourselves for this New Year
With full intention of sticking to them through at least January.

I am the ultimate list maker, as many of you know
I have a list of things I want to do in my 25th year of life
But this year I didn't make a list, because I didn't want to say something I wasn't going to keep.

I have been thinking a lot about
A Fresh Start
Starting with a blank canva, no expectations, fresh pages in my story

2012 is going to be a year of New
New City
New Job
New Friends
New Routine
New Roommate
New Adventures
New Chances

I start a new job, that I could not feel more blessed by
I feel like the Lord has opened up this door for me and I could not have done it without Him.
It was Him that orchestrated it all.
His plan for my life is better than I could imagine and I hope I can give all areas of my life to His plan. Not just pick and choose what it is I am going to trust Him with.

I am in a New city which makes me happier than I have been in a long time.
Everyday I look around in Awe thinking, this place is MY home.
This new city breathes energy into me.
I am so excited for the New adventures, New chances that are in store for me

I am making New Friends and rekindling friendships.
The Lord has blessed me with a great community, which I hope to grow into.
I have been introduced to so many wonderful people in just my first couple months of being here and can't wait to see where our friendships grow.

I am rolling over my major goal of last year to this one
I want to continue to grow into the best version of myself
My heart stirs with possibilities
Knowing I can make a difference in my life by the attitudes I choose, the decisions I make.
It is a lot to take one, but one day at a time it can be done.

And having this fresh start is exactly the place to be to continue my journey.