Bucket List

Having recently returned to work, I feel like there’s so much that I didn’t get to do while I was on “maternity leave”. In fact, I feel a little robbed of my hard earned vacation. The time went quickly and because of a back injury (I hope to hear back about my MRI tomorrow), there was a lot I didn’t get to do. In the quietness of my day today (yes, all of the 3 minutes I spent in the bathroom counts as quietness) I started thinking of those things I didn’t get to do. Those thoughts turned into other things I want to do. I thought I’d share a few:

- Host an African theme night at the church
- Create a t-shirt for orphan awareness
- Host a party for all my country neighbors (I’ve lived there for 7 years and still don’t know them)
- Learn more about graphic designing
- Sing songs with my family while playing guitar
- Grow a BIG garden
- Home school my children… I think
- Memorize more scripture
- Run a 5k with my girlfriends
- Run a 5k with my husband

What’s holding me back? Why haven’t I done those things? Like most people, I can come up with a million excuses but are they legitimate? What’s really holding me back? As I look at each item above (and it’s by no means a complete list), I think of reasons why I can’t. But with each item I read, I come up with self doubt. African Theme Night – what if no one comes? Orphan t-shirt, what if no one buys? Neighborhood party, what if they don’t come? On and on it goes.

Seriously, why do I doubt like that? Is it healthy? Is it true? Because really, if I would cross some of those things off my list, there is such a reward. African theme night – bring an awareness to my community of what its like other places. Orphan tshirt – raise an awareness and raise money for a future adoption (ours or someone else’s). Neighbor party – love my neighbors.

As my maternity leave quickly passed, I did get some things done. I adopted a child, traveled to two foreign countries, hung out with my dad and nephew, pudle jumped with my kids, hiked a short trail with my kids, co-hosted a purse party for www.haitiancreations.com, hung out with various family members, etc. Though I got some things done, I feel like I could have done more. I want to watch Zack play baseball, take my kids on more picnics, live life. I don’t want to look back on my maternity leave, or my summer, or a year, or a life-time and feel like I wasted it ya know. I want to keep learning, keep serving, keep loving other so I better stop typing and start something…

I would love to hear what’s on your “bucket” list.