30

A year ago, I was laying on the bathroom floor of Pierre's so drunk I didn't want to stand.  The floor was fun.  I had made friends with another girl who was also ringing in her 21st birthday with the same classy standards I was exhibiting.  It was 21. The thought of laying in others bodily fluids didn't cross my mind and if it did--

---Wait...what's that you say? This happened 9 years ago?!! It couldn't have been.  It certainly doesn't feel like it.

I suppose if you do the math (who does math these days?!!)....I am turning :::gulp::: 30 today.

Seriously, where did my 20's go?

Time flew and so much life happened.

Marriage. 3 kids. 8 houses + a dorm. 5 states. Military.

Now, the thought of germs on the faucet in public restrooms throws me into a anti-bacterial fit, let alone the floor....in a club....known for it's dirtiness.  I want to throw my 21 year old self into a shower!

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I entered my 20's dreaming of being an actress.  Not for the fame, but because of the thrill of theater.  I dabbed my feet into it during college and fell in love.  It was about the same moment my college theater professor told me I should pursue acting, that I realized it would clash with my lifelong dream of a family and kids (that and my parents thought moving to Hollywood was a bitty nutty and unrealistic).

It wasn't long ago, I was reminiscing about what might have been if I had taken that route.  I came to the conclusion very easily that I am beyond happy I didn't. My kids give me far more happiness and life fulfillment than any acting gig. They are half of my soul and I LOVE that. 

I am happy with my 20's.  They didn't pan out ANY way near what I had imagined, but when I look back I really achieved a lot in personal inward growth and amazing traveling adventures.

So now, I enter my 30's wondering what "real life" dreams I have for road ahead.  Let's not joke...hitting 40 in a decade seems worthy of a sports car driving, hair dying, mid-life crisis.  That means my 30's will have to be a bit more adult-oriented so that in 10 more years, I can let loose again. ; )

Without further ado- I present to you, my "40 before 40" bucket list:

1. Use my bachelor's degree.

2. Go back to school for my masters degree.

3. Figure out a career direction and go after it full force.

4. Lose these 20lbs of baby weight that just love me too much to leave me on their own.

5. Run a 1/2 marathon.

6. Do a mud run, color run and one other fun race.

7. Volunteer for at least one cause dear to my heart: teen pregnancy, abuse shelter, eating disorders, military wife support, etc....

8. Feed a meal in a homeless shelter twice a year.

9. Go back to Hawaii without kids.

10. Take a girls trip to Vegas.

11. Go to Italy and Croatia.

12.  Ski again.

13.  Blog once a week.

14.  Start eating healthy for my health and kids, not my appearance.

15.  Realize I'm not in my 20's anymore and stop comparing myself to people who are.

16.  If I can't lose these last 20 lbs of baby weight... happily give all my old clothes away and buy nice new clothes to replace them all....because after 3 kids, I deserve it.

17.  Plant a garden and eat it.

18.  Get rid of my smartphone and live hands free again!

19.  Learn how to cook fish.

20.  Fly fish in a crystal clear river surrounded by mountains.

21.  Learn to fly fish first. ; )

22. Go to a music festival like Coachella, Bonnoroo or South by Southwest.

23.  Read Harry Potter.

24.  Watch Harry Potter.

25.  Live someplace amazing one more time.

26.  Move within 3 hours of Fort Wayne.

27.  Visit Lake Tahoe.

28.  Get up the nerves for an awesome shorter hair cut.

29.  Go on field trips with the kids.

30.  Buy a bike.

31.  Buy a new couch.

32.  Eat out less.

33.  Go back to Hawaii with the kids.

34.  Go to a Colts game.

35.  Go to an Indiana basketball game.

36.  Take a yoga class.

37.   Learn how to do smoky-eye makeup.

38.  Go to a shooting range and fire a gun.

39.  Go Christmas Caroling.

40.  Get a mini secret tattoo...no tramp-stamps here.