My Bucket List

Hi guys! Today I wanted to do something a little different. A lot of really good things have been happening to me lately, and I have barely had time to take a minute to truly appreciate them. I have a great new job that I had been trying to get for years, and cupid finally graced me with his arrow. I feel especially fortunate these days, and discussions have started between the boy and I about all the things we want to do together. Listed below (in no particular order) are ten of the things on my "bucket list." I'm sure most of you are familiar with the concept, but in case you're not, a bucket list is a list of things that you want to accomplish in your life before you die. Everyone's list is different, and I wanted to share a piece of mine with you and possibly inspire you to start your own. Life is short and should be lived to the fullest! So here goes...

1. Macchu Picchu in Peru - This is one that the boy and I have on both of ours. I have always dreamed of visiting this beautiful and mysterious place. It was built as an estate for an Incan Emperor and later abandoned during the Spanish Inquisition. It is one of the new seven wonders of the world.

2. Take a bike tour of Italy - I love most anything outside, and this would be the ideal way to explore Italy. I see ads for these all the time, and I can't wait to see the beautiful Italian countryside riding through the breeze on a bike.

3. Ride a donkey in Santorini, Greece - This is my ideal honeymoon destination. It has everything I could ask for, beautiful scenery, warm climate, delicious food, and romantic atmosphere. I actually have a painting of Santorini in my hallway at home as motivation to save my money to get there someday.

4. Climb Mt. Kilamanjaro - This would be my greatest accomplishment if I get the opportunity to do it. Hiking is a passion of mine. I hike Mt. Washington every summer, but Kilamanjaro is three times it's size. It intimidates the hell out of me, but I'm determined to tackle it and win.

5. Go on a real African Safari - I am obsessed with animals and have dreamed of going on a real safari for as long as I can remember. And the safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom doesn't count ;)

6. Drive cross country - This may be the first on my list to actually get done. With my new job, I get a lot more vacation time than I have ever had and this goal may actually be plausible next summer. The problem is deciding which way to go!

7. Write the great American novel - I wrote a book once, and it got stolen when my apartment was broken into years ago. I haven't really written much since, but I hope one day of getting reinspired and putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys in my case) and having the courage to do it all over again.

8. Run the Boston Marathon - You guys knew this one already...ever since I was bitten by the running bug, this has been my end goal. This one intimidates the hell out of me too, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that I have it in me.

9. Learn to speak another language - I took 5 years of Spanish through junior high and high school and even taught Spanish to sixth graders my senior year, but I have retained so little of it. I would like to be able to speak it fluently. The best way to accomplish that I suppose would be to go to Spain, so it looks like I have another item on my bucket list!

10. Marry the man of my dreams in a beautiful church - What little girl doesn't dream of her wedding day? As women, we pretty much dream of what our wedding will be like from the womb. It hits so much closer to home, however, when you finally meet a man that you can see waiting at the other end of the aisle for you...

What's on your bucket list?