30 Before 30

A couple friends have made their list of things to do before hitting 3-0. I turned 26 on Thursday and figured it was time to get my list together.

Being a mother of young children, my time to pursue personal pursuits is limited. However, a friend once commented that mothers shouldn't use their children as an excuse for not achieving their dreams. (Have you ever heard someone say, "I can't do xxx, I have xx kids!"?) Instead, my friend wisely said that our kids should inspire us to achieve our goals because we want to be an example to them.

I'm a big believer that the little things we do everyday have a greater impact on who we become than monumental one-time occasions. Hopefully this list will motivate me to do the little things everyday to help me become the person I want to be.

Here it is.

1. Send a note of thanks once a week.
2. Study the four standard works cover to cover.
3. Have our vehicles paid off--hopefully much sooner--and have no additional debt besides our house and Matt's student loans.
4. Have a thoughtfully decorated home (or at least the main floor).
5. Become financially savvy by reading books by Suze Orman and Dave Ramsey.
6. Run another marathon.
7. Complete a triathlon.
8. Run Indiana's Mini-Marathon; it's the largest half-marathon in the United States.
   
9. Keep a regular personal and family journal.
10. Become better at recognizing and following spiritual promptings.
11. Be someone the Lord can rely on.
12. Learn the basics of car mechanics.
13. Foster meaningful experiences for my kids.
14. Uplift others.
15. Be a better friend, daughter, sister.
16. Write my personal history.
17. Make a yearly family video and photo book.
18. Be intentional and pro-active about family activities and traditions.
19. Makes friends with someone outside of church.
20. Build something.
21. Take my family to the ocean.
22. Participate in RAIN (Ride Across Indiana); a one day 160-mile bike ride.
23. Get a road bike.
24. Become an expert on nutrition. Follow what I learn.
25. Use my reusable grocery bags.
26. Follow the counsel, "never let a problem to be solved come before a person to be loved".
27. Get ripped!
28. Memorize one scripture each day.
29. Finally finish memorizing The Living Christ and The Family: A Proclamation to the World.
30. Make a will.
31. Help make my marriage a ten. (Matt and I recently rated our marriage a 9 out of 10 on the 'marriage scale'. Nine is a very high rating on our scale--but 10 is perfect.)
32. Hike in the mountains, again.