Countdown to 40

In exactly 18 months from today I will turn 40.  When we first moved to Berlin two and a half years ago, Jason said we could go to Disneyland Paris for my 40th.  At the time I thought it was way too far away...but now, we've just returned from a previously unscheduled Disney trip and 18 months till the next Disney vacation isn't as far off as it seemed when I was turning 36.

However, before I turn 40, I had a small list of things I was hoping to accomplish.  Not quite a bucket list, per se.  But some semi-attainable goals.

First, I would like to run a half marathon.  Ideally it would be a full marathon and it would be a runDisney event, but I would settle for a half before 40.


Another goal before 40 is to travel to a 3rd continent.  Ideally this would be on a mission trip which is something else I have yet to accomplish in my life.


Perhaps getting a little too ambitious to be realistic is to visit New York City. We had a very long layover in Newark a few weeks ago and seeing the skyline of the Big Apple out the window made me want to visit even more.  Just a few of the highlights and a Broadway show.  That's enough to be able to check it off the Before-40 list...BeForty, if you will.




Next is to learn a single song on the guitar.  Dalton took a few months of classical lessons and, well, he hated it.  He does better with lessons from Dad, but to help him through the classical lesson torture, I let Dalton teach me the notes he knew.  As a result, I can finger pick my way through a very basic tune.  I don't know any chords (yet) and I don't have a desire to actually be a guitar player, but a song?  Maybe...  My mom can rock Greensleeves on the piano and I like to imagine I can have a single song on the guitar. So far this is all I gots...



Lastly, is I would like to really splurge on something.  I spend a lot of money, don't get me wrong, and I don't wont for anything.  However, I tend to be frugal(ish) and responsible with our spending.  Just once I'd like to truly splurge: whether it's mermaid-dyed hair or a killer pair of jeans...swimming with dolphins or an amazing hotel vs a reasonable one...  The hard part is that I don't make the money.  I spend it, sure, but I don't make it.  That makes it even harder (for me) to feel like I can throw caution to the wind just once.


But check all those off and then I'll be okay with turning 40 and celebrating it at Disneyland Paris.