I’ve always dreaded turning 40. That number felt like it was
the beginning of the end of the rest of my life. Its considered middle age, my
life would be, statistically speaking halfway over. Typically you’ve got older
kids, you’ve had a career, you’ve got the “been there, done that” t-shirt for
quite a few things. There isn’t much left to experience except retirement and grand kids. 40
has just always seemed like it’s a huge milestone, just like turning 21 was.
I have always wanted to do something big and special for
that birthday. Go on a cruise, go para- sailing, go to Italy, or swim in the
ocean. I wanted it to be memorable.
Let’s face it; I haven’t done a ton of “big” things in my
life. I’ve always been a go against the flow kinda girl, thus the reason I went to college
at 30 instead of 18 like a normal person does. So I wanted my 40th
birthday to be special.
Then, one day, while surfing the internet at work, I stumbled
across this blog. She had given herself until 2017 to do 30 things before her
30th birthday.
The wheels starting churning, and the smoke started pouring,
don't worry, no one was harmed during this process. 40 things before I turn 40.
Ideas starting pouring in, buy a house, graduate college, find a new job, explore
ways to grow our family through adoption or surrogacy, and the list just kept
growing. Some of the things that I picked terrify me, and will push me outside of my comfort zone and others are just things
that I’ve always wanted to do, and always said I would “someday”.
In December I lost a special friend to colon cancer. She was
my age. My age. People my age aren’t supposed to die and leave their husband
and their kids behind. That’s just not the way that life is supposed to work.
Yet, in December that’s certainly how it did. Suddenly putting things off until "someday" or "when we have the money" or "when I graduate" became so much more real as I wondered what Andi would have done if she'd known that her life was going to end.
So I wanted this list to push me to do
things that I’d dreamed of actually doing but put off until someday got here. Yet, every single thing had to
be within my control to do. I could not pick something like win the lottery,
because it’s not something I can actually make happen. But if I could, I totally would. But I can go white
water rafting, stay at a bed and breakfast, and sing karaoke. Of course, those
listening to the singing will need ear plugs, but it’s all something I can do,
I’ve just got to take that leap of faith.
So as the list grew, I knew that financially I couldn't wait until I was 39 and do this list. Plus I didn't want to go to college for 5 more years. It would take me years to finish my degree and find a new job. So the idea of giving myself 6 years was born. Making some of the challenges have more parts, like running 6 - 5'ks pushes me to start now, and at least run 1 a year.
So Brad (my totally awesome husband) and I have been planning and praying to get ready to make this list happen. On September 21st, my 34th birthday, the challenge will begin. I've got 51 days. It's crazy scary and awesomely exciting at the same time.
I hope you'll stick around and watch the adventure unfold. Let's see how much trouble I can get into in 6 years.
