Monday, July 22, 2013

My 26th Birthday Today (and 30 Before 30 List)

Today is my birthday! I am 26. It feels weird, but this year has definitely been better leading up to my birthday than last year. When I turned 25, I panicked. It did NOT feel okay to hit that "milestone", and I had a small quarter-life crisis. 26 is different because THIS IS MY YEAR. This is the age I will finally marry my handsome fiancé. This is the year for all sorts of exciting things!

Just for funsies, here are two pictures of my on my REAL birth day and one from last year when I turned 25 (at my favorite restaurant in Colorado Springs, Amanda's Fonda (superb Mexican, EXCELLENT margaritas, and fantastic rum cake):


In honor of my birthday, I decided to compile a 30 Before 30 List. Basically, these are 30 things I want to accomplish BEFORE I turn 30. Get it? I've got four years to achieve the following.

30 BEFORE 30 List

1. Get Married (less than a year!)
2. Travel to Europe
3. Get something published somewhere
4. Take a photography class
5. Finish writing a second novel
6. Skydive
7. Paint walls inside a house
8. Travel to South America
9. Sell *more* items on Etsy
10. See a movie alone in a theater
11. Have a baby
12. Run a marathon
13. Learn how to sew (simple things)
14. Host a Christmas dinner for more than three people
15. Travel to Africa
16. Create a cookbook of my favorite recipes
17. Visit 10 states I haven’t been to
18. Become fluent in French
19. Start learning German
20. Go out to dinner (at a real restaurant) alone
21. Swim with fish (terrified)
22. Try going vegan for a month (already vegetarian)
23. Pay for a stranger’s meal
24. Participate in a Bible study with other women
25. Go on (another) hot air balloon flight
26. Ski a “blue” run
27. Adopt a dog (hopefully a high-energy large breed)
28. Travel somewhere alone
29. Teach in a state other than Colorado
30. Live in (at least) three different states

So, what do you think of my list? 
Would you have anything similar on yours? 
Have you done any of these things?
Do you have any advice for me? 


13 comments:

  1. Happy birthday! I love your list! Steven wants me to go skydiving, but I am wayyy too scared! You're brave to want to do that! Hope you have a great day celebrating!

    xo

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    1. Thank you! Oh, really? Dan doesn't even want to do it, and I do! I will make him do it with me, though. He is taking jump (FINALLY) this coming semester!

      Janelle

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  2. Happy birthday! Traveling to Europe sounds so exciting! I want to visit Ireland sometime. I hope you have a fabulous day and get to accomplish all of the things on your list!

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    1. Thank you! Yes, I want to travel all around Europe! We will be seeing part of it during our honeymoon next summer, and I can't wait!

      Janelle

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  3. Happy happy birthday! Love your list- makes me want to make one too! I think I would definitely put run a half marathon on mine, and I'm only 24 so I have 6 years to actually make that happen haha. Love that you want to adopt a dog! We adopted ours from a rescue shelter, and she has been one of the biggest blessings of our life!

    XOXO
    Chelsea

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    1. Thank you! You should totally make one -- it was fun! :) Aw, that's great! We will definitely rescue as well... hoping for a boy doggie, though! :) I can't WAIT!

      Janelle

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  4. Happy Birthday! I think everything (except sky diving and teaching in another state) are on my list or I have done them! I recently started learning German (and refreshing my Spanish)download the Duolingo app.... it is super easy to learn, really actually teaches you, is fun and free! :) I love it! I am actually going to South America in October and hopefully Europe in the spring! :) Sounds like you have the traveling bug like I do! :) See you tomorrow!

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    1. Thanks! :) That is so cool that you have done / want to do so many of those things too. I actually have been using Duolingo! It's the best!! We'll be going to Europe next summer, and then hopefully we can add the other places sometime soon-ish!

      See you tomorrow! Can't wait! :)

      Janelle

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  5. Happy Birthday! That's such an exciting list. Can't wait to follow your progress!

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    1. Thank you! I hope I am able to achieve everything on that list. I will definitely be tracking it as I go! :)

      Janelle

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  6. Happy birthday! That's such an awesome list :)

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