My 37th Year

I guess somewhere in your thirties you start to look at life and the time that has gone.  In your 20's you don't think past the end of your day, and in your teens your future is as wide as the ocean.

Now, I am not sure at what particular number after the 3 people get all "what have I done with my life?!"--but for me, when I was nearly 36, I looked at my life as what I hadn't done.

You can read my blog post from last year, but the long and the short of it was that I vowed to do something about my very sheltered (uptight) life. I don't want to have so many regrets. And, we all have regrets, and we all will in the end, but I am pretty sure I will have more than most, because most people "live" far more than I.

I have to say, that after my 36 challenge, life in general changed for me. I was more open to new things and experiences and more willing to try things.  I feel generally happier and more in control.  I owe thanks to friends and family who support me, and to myself for pushing to reach outside of my very tight comfort zone.

I planned to do a challenge every year, but with the way this year was shaping up, there was no need--I was taking on all sorts of challenges and new experiences and really, really, pushing myself.

So, instead, here is a more than 30 (I probably did at least 37, here is just what I could remember!) things I did this year that I am super proud of, were very hard for me either physically, emotionally, personally, or a combination.  And, just like last year, I am sure that most of this list is quite lame to you, but for me--these are great victories to be counted.

Thank you for sharing any part of my 36th year with me, and I hope you'll stick around for year #37.



1. Start my own business
2. Go to Charlotte, NC
3. Leave my children over night for the first time not with Grandma
4. Attend a women's conference
5. Sell my "wares" at a community yard sale
6. Make money from sales
7.Open an ETSY shop
8. Sell dresses to perfect strangers
9. Sell more than 25 items in 4 months!
10. Volunteer for Bible School (event photographer)
11. Volunteer at school for something other than room mom or chaperone (Book Fair)
12. Get invited back to Girls Paint Night
13. Use a Groupon
14. Regularly try new foods
15. Survive the last child graduating preschool
16. Survive the last child heading to Kindergarten
17. Have wisdom teeth removed (at age 36!)
18. Look at houses to buy
19. Putting in a contract for our first home (after 2 kids and 14 years of marriage!)
20. Give up soft drinks (not a drop since July 2014!!)
21. Attend a Bible Study solo (6 weeks)
22. Volunteer to help at the church
23. Work as a Sunday School teacher (once every 2-3 months)
24. Get put in charge of the Clothes Closet at church
25. Attend a fellowship lunch/meeting for MCEF
26. Ride on a boat
27. Let Thomas spend his FIRST weekend away from me
28. Let Gracie have her first sleepover ever, and at someone else's house!
29. Hit baseballs in a batting cage
30. Attend my first NASCAR race
31. Walked through Bloomingdale's (He he ;) , trip to the big mall in Tyson's Corner)
32. Tried wine (sorry, Grace, I can't get past the smell)

Share this post