the past 30 years...

as i drive downtown madison, usually in order to pick up my dear law student, i see the herds of undergrads crossing streets, hurrying their way back home or to class. i remember those days. and then, i remember when i was 12, how utterly slow life was going - was i EVER going to be 16, so grown-up and sophisticated? i remember, clearly, in fact, walking my fresh-out-of-high-school self to first year english, science, and ballet classes on the BYU campus. and that seriously feels like only a couple years ago, not ten. what the, what?! 

ugh, and then birthdays became the dreaded days of getting older, saggier, wrinklier, creakier...
so, i thought i'd write down all the things i've done for the past 30 years, in celebration of all i've been able to accomplish, do, experience, enjoy, etc. (mostly to make myself feel better about it). because really, it is truly a blessing to have another year with my family and friends.

here are some of the highlights of the past 30 years:

1. i hate to brag, but i was student of the month - quite often, actually - in elementary school. ;)

2. embarrassingly, on the flip side, i've egged cars with the neighborhood kids during our neighborhood summer campouts...and was chased by the police. a bunch of us hid and we didn't get caught. i know, that was bad. but at least now, i can scratch "get chased by the police" off my bucket list.

3. i sang the national anthem at basketball events, rodeos, navajo code talker honor ceremonies, etc. i loved the thrill of performing...even if i did choke and lose my voice the very first time.

4. i tried out for my high school basketball team. i was horrible at it, so horrible that even my "teammates" would yell out, "NO!" when i went to shoot the ball. i made that shot, btw, ha!

5. for a very short period of time, i lived in connecticut during my senior year of high school and ivanka trump just so happened to be having lunch the same time as my friends and i, in the same school "cafeteria." i'm sure there's a word for a more posh place of school lunch eating, but i don't know it.

6. went canoeing in the adirondack mountains in upstate new york. wow.

7. played the role of laertes in a high school production of "hamlet." now i can say i've been an actress at one point in my life. ;)

8. went deep sea fishing for halibut in the pacific ocean just off the coast of alaska. the halibut i caught was relatively small - only 90 pounds, but still considered a great catch.

9. went on a dog sled ride with my brother and dad while in alaska (and tried a bit of reindeer sausage stew and had my first taste of buffalo burgers).

10. i've camped out in the middle of winter with my trusty camping companions - aaron, troy, and kim. yeah, we were extreme like that. ;)

11. i've danced the night away, coming home at 3am in the morning with some of my most dearest friends. i suggest doing this at least throughout your first year of college, when you can sleep the days away.

12. i've held the title of "miss indian BYU." kind of by accident, really. it hadn't even crossed my mind to try out. but i did, and i'm glad.

13. i fell crazy in love.

14. i graduated from BYU with a degree in early childhood education. now, that was a long-time goal of mine since, well, forever.

15. concerts i've been to: enrique inglesias, sugar ray, melissa ethridge, train, shaggy, def leopard, kanye west, rhianna, N.E.R.D., lupe fiasco, no doubt, black-eyed peas. i'm sure there are more that i can't remember. oh the stories to tell! 

16. tried out for american idol. obviously, i didn't make the cut. BUT, i did get to see ryan seacrest.

17. i lived in a bomb shelter (bunker) in geneva, switzerland. and took nightly runs with my hunny through the edges of france. the most amazing time, ever.

18. had fondue in the mountains of la gruyere, switzerland.

19. rode a train through the gorgeous vineyards to chateau de chillon (a very authentic swiss castle) in lausanne, switzerland.

20. celebrated my two year wedding anniversary in paris, france and kissed my sweetie beneath the sparkling lights of the eiffel tower.

21. walked through the rain in rome.

22. swatted on the booty by an old man in zurich (while admiring the matterhorn mountain peak). yep, that's always been on my bucket list.

23. went on a cruise to the caribbean. relaxed on the shores of jamaica. held sea turtles while visiting the cayman islands. sang karaoke in a crowd of strangers on the cruise ship. and had my first taste of es cargo. i don't know if i spelled it right, but i do know, one snail was enough. ;)

24. ran my first marathon in san francisco. just a little helpful hint. if you are itching to do a marathon for the first time, the steep and slick hills of san fran may not be the best option. however, with all of the course's challenges, i still loved it and would do it again.

25. started my own photography business. well, it's more like a partnership since sam is included in there. ;)

26. skied down the mountain tops of lake louise in alberta canada. and by no surprise, stretchered and carried off the ski slope by one of the handsome ski patrol guys. ha.ha.ha. 

27. ran the tough mudder race and FINISHED. very intense, but so much fun when you run with a team. i was a muddy mess, and the shower and meal we had afterwards was the best i've ever had.

28. saw jerry seinfeld, live. hilarious.

29. went on the church history tour through missouri. i've always wanted to do that.

30. had 3 kids and one on the way. perhaps the most amazing (and most challenging) thing i decided to do...be a mother.

whew. there. 30 years wasn't so bad after all. okay, i'm ready to take on number 31. :D but before anything, i better get going on that laundry pile...