The Bucket List

Soooooooooooooooooooooooo...

Do you have a bucket list??

Is it all fun stuff??

Is it all about you??

Does the thought of crossing something off of that list scare you because it means you're getting older, or excite you because you have accomplished something??

I was chatting with a friend recently (as in right before Father's day) about bucket lists.. She makes these amazing ones ... totally customized

(see.. totally awesome huh)

Here's a link to her etsy shop if you (like me).. just really really really have to get one of her boards!!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/41WestDesigns?ref=ss_profile 

Anyhooo...

I was looking for a gift for my hubby (yeah.. 2 days before father's day.. I was so NOT on top of things as usual) and Brittany (aka 41 West Designs) suggested a bucket list for him.  My first thought.. YES.. that would be awesome, woohoo.. gift taken care of.  So the hubby and I sat down together that evening and I ever so casually asked him what is on his bucket list.

PFFFFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTTTTT

Yes, that's me deflating.. I always seem to somehow forget that I married the most mellow, easy going man in the universe.  He doesn't have a list of things, he is just happy taking things day by day and if we do things great, if not.. c'est la vie.  I however do have a bucket list.. which I will (sort of) tell you all about in a moment, and this got me to thinking about it.. again.

First, I just wanted to clarify for those of you who may be horrified that my hubby didn't get a gift for father's day.. he did ... he got a new barbeque.. and now to sign my own death warrant in the gift giving department.. I sent him to the store to buy it.. He was very surpised in the morning though when the kids gave it to him.. 'cause he's just awesome like that :-)

BUT

on to my bucket list

I do have a bucket list.. however the reason I said I will "sort of" tell you about it is because it is ever changing.  When I was a teenager (a long time ago, in a galaxy far far away), everything on it was about me!! I was going to travel the world, I was going to make a million dollars, I was going to single handedly fix the problem of world hunger (so wish that one had worked out).  Then I had my first son at 19 and my whole world changed, but not my bucket list, I still wanted to do it all.  Zip forward a few years and I have added a lovely daughter to my life, but my relationship with my oldest 2 childrens' dad was not a good one and it ended, badly.  No important change on the bucket list though.. still all me, me, me. 

Add on a few more years.. I'm married, have moved towns, have 2 more darling sons (and another on the way).

 Screeeeeeeeeeeecccchhh. 

 Here's where we slow it down a bit.  While looking for a school for our soon to be kindergartener my husband threw me a COMPLETE curveball.  He says to me.. "How about putting him in a private school?  I found this one I want to look into more.. Cedars Christian School" .. WHAT?? I was shocked.. we had NEVER discussed our religious views.. EVER!!! 

But thankfully, we were both ready to rediscover and learn anew all about our Lord and Savior.. and so another wonderful journey began...

sorry.. as usual I got off track... (and I forgot to shut the screen door so I'm being eaten alive by mosquitos..ugh)

Yes, another journey began.. and my bucket list has changed.. for the better.  Oh don't get me wrong.. I still want to do things just for me, but there are others.. and more important ones too.. so here it is as of today

Bungee Jumping

Skydiving

Survive Motherhood

Get to a healthy weight and maintain it

Move to Texas

Do a Missions trip.. somewhere.. anywhere as a family.. more than once!!

Learn something new about the Bible every day <- this one will be easy since I'm homeschooling my kids and Bible studies is one of their subjects!! :-D

Get my testimonial written down on paper so that I can one day share it with others

and the one that will be the hardest for me...

Get Baptized

So now.. I have added to my bucket list some items that might seem kinda odd to a lot of people, but they are things I feel God is leading me to do, and they are also the hardest to write on here because now they are out in the open and everyone knows.

And in case you're wondering why being baptized is the hardest for me.. I have a few BIG fears in life... being in front of a crowd where EVERYONE is looking at me.. is one of the biggest :-(

So.. there you have it...

What's on your bucket list?? Seriously.. I'm nosy and I would love to know :-)

And don't forget.. go check out 41 West Designs on etsy... here.. I'll even give you the link again just to make it easy :-)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/41WestDesigns?ref=ss_profile 

Have

A

Great

Day

!!!

Friends..

Ok.. so it's been almost 3 weeks.. soooo bad :-(  .. It's not like I have nothing to say.. I hardly ever stop talking... so .. why can't I write anything?? Well.. sadly it's because ...I'm sad (so as I babble and stumble through this post.. please.. forgive me).

 My wonderful friend Amy and her family are leaving this week... not just moving house.. not just moving to the next town.. but moving.. all the way to Idaho for a few months and then over to Indonesia for at least 4 years!!!

Why??? you ask..    Well, they work with Mission Aviation Fellowship of Canada (MAF Canada).  God has started them on this wonderful journey and as sad as I am for myself I am also so truly excited for them because I know them, and can see His love and grace shining in them.  

I want you to do something for me...please :-)

 Go and read their story on their blog: http://eadies.blogspot.com/ .. seriously.. go and read it.. they are truly inspiring!!!!

or.. if you're a facebook junkie like me you can follow them on there too: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Eadie-Family-Our-Journey-Serving-God-with-MAF/130783050276995

So now you know about some of the wonderful friends (more like family!!) I have been blessed with ...Something else you should know about me.. I don't cry in public.. and yet this week.. I can't seem to stop.  It started at church on Sunday as we prayed for our friends, it continued again when we had a farewell supper for them, and let me tell you.. hugging her boys for the final time is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do.  Simon is 4.. a day younger than my Josh (and a head taller).  He calls me Mama Paula.. it's my all time favourite nickname :-)  .. He didn't really understand why I had the tears when I hugged him and said goodbye.. But Luke (he's 6 and my darlin' Aydin's friend).. he understood and I think that made it harder!! I did not want to let go!!!!  So the boys have now gone to spend a few extra days with their grandparents, and Amy, Ben and the girls leave on Friday.. (just so ya know.. I'm gonna be even more of a wreck that day) ..

I have been so incredibly blessed over the last 4 years to have Amy in my life.  She is such an inspiration to me, definitely the type of person who you meet and aspire to be like!!   I honestly can't put into words the gratitude I have to God for bringing her into my life when He did.  Knowing her has made me a better mother, wife, friend and best of all.. daughter of God.  

Thank you Amy, for these last 4 wonderful years of friendship..it has meant more than you can ever know :-)