Bucket List

My friend has cancer. She's the #1 wedding photographer in North Carolina, so yeah, she's good. Like she needed someone to send out her editing to while she undergoes myriads of testing, and I quietly pretended like I didn't know because "OMG! She's way too good & I am too intimated." Friend suckage, ftw.

After I stopped freaking out that I, too, had cancer, it made me think of all the things that I have yet to do, want to do before I die at the ripe age of 95, with my teeth floating in a glass on my nightstand, holding my husband's boney, old hand. Notebook style. In fact, there are things I had forgotten about wanting to do, that Josh didn't even know. Left field kinda stuff. And what hit me is no, I am not guaranteed a Notebook style ending to my life. I may pray that that's how it goes down, but crap happens. Cancer happens. Aneurysms happen. Really crappy stuff happens to people who are young. I heard a couple weeks ago about a 28-year-old guy dying in a car accident. Did he live to his full potential? Did he mark off everything on his bucket list?

I may not be able to get to some of these for a while, or let's face it, ever, but maybe if I have a bucket list for the world to see it will encourage me to try a little harder.

1. See Garth Brooks in concert. This stunned my husband. He had no idea. I've always wanted to, and now there's a rumor that 2014 is the year of a new album & tour. Help me out, Garth.

2. Own a Canon 5D Mark iii. Only in dreams.

3. Take my kids to Disneyland for a week. The happiest place on earth with small children. What sane person wouldn't want to do that?? I want to travel, but I want to take my kids places that are special & different, like cruising the Caribbean with my 2 year old. Dream come true.

4. Live in the south in an old plantation-style house. I have always had a thing for Nashville because of Granny. I could live there in a heartbeat. I mean, besides the oppressive humidity, the giant bugs, and the tornadoes, it would be an easy move. I want a giant house with lots of rooms, and most importantly, weeping willows all over our very green land. Wrap around porch complete with the rocking chairs at Cracker Barrel. Bliss.

5. Meet Jennifer Lawrence. She's hilarious like me. We'd be best friends.

6. Go back to our honeymoon spot in Cancun for our 25th. I could use 10 extra pounds and what better way to gain weight than to float in a giant, turquoise pool while I splash over to the bar for another pina colada while balancing chips & salsa on my stomach?

7. Get my kids to adulthood without totally screwing them up. This is every parents' goal, right?

8. Grow my hair to waist again. I miss it. Josh won't dig it, but I'm sure I'll chop it shortly after anyway, so he can hang.

9. Skiing in Switzerland. It was one of my favorite spots we visited my senior year. We had a snowball fight that ended with me getting knocked out by my idiot friend throwing a block of ice at my face. Perhaps I'll stay in the lodge with the hot chocolate.

10. See my kids get married & have kids. If they want to. But I'd really love that.

What's on your bucket list? What weird thing is on your list? Wanna join me for GARTH 2014!?