I can't name this post because the post name was already taken... :)

I started writing this post a couple of nights ago, but haven't been able to perfect it. And, it's still far from perfect, but I'm leaving for the beach tonight and I am apparently killing the curious cat by not posting it. :) Most of you don't get that, so don't worry. It's just a little inside joke for someone special. :)

When I decided that I was going to make my list public in May, I didn't tell a soul about it. Brad had some idea of what I was doing, but he really didn't understand how much it meant to me or how seriously I was taking it. I'm sure that he thought it would be a few items, not 100+. You have to understand that I get lots of ideas and most of them never come to fruition. That's part of why this whole list thing is so important to me... it's holding me accountable for something. But, Brad didn't really care that he had to read about my idea and learn the full extent of my insanity through my blog. And, I knew he wouldn't mind. Cilla, on the other hand, was the person that I just knew would call me at like 7 in the morning and ask me what I was doing and why I hadn't told her about it. Of course, when the phone rang the morning after I posted my list, I was a little nervous that she was going to say, "Oh my gosh... what are you thinking?" Or "Why in the world didn't you tell me this? I can't believe you didn't share this with me." Yes, we are that close. Instead of getting either of those questions, I hear, "I am so proud of you." My eyes seriously well up just thinking about it. How did I ever score a friend like her? Of course, she starts begging me to tell her what's on my list. Well, not begging, but curious... wondering if we had lots of items on our "lists" that would be the same.

So, the more we talked about it, the more Cilla began to develop her list (she had started one long ago, but never really had completed it). And, now, she has her list posted, too. And, we are going to have so much fun doing some of the things on her list. I really can't wait. Sorry, Bret and Brad... we have now shifted our conversations from being focused on photography and the business to our lists with a side of photography and business... and the kids... and our venting conversations about you. :) And, Brad we all know your ears were burning hot this week. lol. That's all I'm saying about that. :) 

Now some critics (ah-hem Bret) would say that the list is now controlling my life and is more like a job than something enjoyable (just giving you a hard time, Bret). It's not. But it has an impact that I didn't expect. I really expected some of my blog to change and to be focused on events in my life instead of day-to-day activities. I expected my conversations with Cilla to be focused on what items I would be marking of next and I definitely expected to have some people (mainly my brothers and dad) giving me advice on how to keep doing the athletic things on my list.

However... it has been so much more.

Not long after I posted my list, Cilla sent me a link to a lady's blog that she had taken photos of. She had a post about running the Boston Marathon. I remember telling Cilla that I never thought I would be able to do anything like that... I'd be lucky to run a 5K without dying. But, I read it, enjoyed it, and reminded myself that I could still be happy with just a 5K. As fate would have it, Dawn, whose blog Cilla had sent me, read my blog through Cilla's page. She saw my list and had tons of info on running, biking, Hilton Head, you name it. So, she contacted Cilla and, although she was worried we'd think she was a crazy stalker or something, offered to give me some pointers on all of these things. We began e-mailing and we have SO much in common, that it's scary. For instance, I was procrastinating blogging this morning... and read her blog post. You just have to read it to understand what I'm talking about. We are seriously living parallel lives and are totally on the same wavelength. It's weird. :) So, Dawn, started her list and has posted it on her blog. Anyway, Dawn, Cilla, and I are working on doing a Habitat for Humanity project together, as we all have it on our list and Dawn and I are bound and determined to meet face-to-face. I always wanted a pen pal when I was a little girl and now I feel like I've accomplished that. I should have put it on my list. Maybe I'll add it with the other gazillion items that I want to add soon. I'm going to start an add-on list to, well, add on to my list later. But, I want to mark off more stuff first. :) (Dawn... I just cannot wait to meet you... and I'm so happy that you were "crazy" enough to e-mail Cilla when you read my blog!).

And, last, but certainly not least, I have a new running buddy. And, I'm calling her out here to make sure that she sticks with it with me. She is going to totally be able to outrun me by the time we get back from vacation, although I am planning to run at the beach (we'll see if that happens). My friend, Rebecca, called me one day about a week ago and asked me to go run with her. Well, the first day out, we walked about 4 miles and kept saying we were going to run, but never actually stopped talking long enough to. So, we both promised that we'd try again and we'd actually run. And, we did on Wednesday. It was eery how our pace was so similar. I think our breathing was even the same... eery. But, great. So, now we are making big plans to run every 5K we hear about. Dream big or go home, right? We are thinking we might try one before the Bluegrass State Games, just to train and not worry about running the entire time. I'm not sure how it will go, but it would probably be a good thing for us to kind of see how different it is to run with other people, etc. I'll keep you posted on it.

The point of all this rambling is that I feel so blessed. I started out this craziness of keeping a list and trying to accomplish things that I want to accomplish and it's really taken on a life and purpose that I never anticipated. It's helped me to make my life more interesting and fulfilling, but it has also brought me closer to my best friend in the world (was that really possible?!), helped me to meet a new friend that I otherwise would probably never know, and helped me and Rebecca to get closer and enjoy time together that does not involve Malabu Rum or Pineapple Juice, while actually getting in shape.  :) Although, I still love Malabu Rum and Pineapple Juice. A. Lot.

And, speaking of getting in shape, I actually can feel my muscles in my stomach again. I think it is a miracle. :) I now will say, I love to run. :)