Mommy's Life List...

I've wanted to create a bucket list for a mighty long time... but as is often the case, I just didn't sit down to do it...

Today, however, I stumbled across Karen Walrond (through her blog, chookooloonks.com) and read about her more euphemistically titled, Life List.  She had borrowed the concept from another blogger, writing at MightyGirl.com.  And now, like probably every other blog browser who's landed on one of these sites, I'm writing my own list.  It's not easy...

Okay, so here goes the first 25 (as I think of them, not in order of importance):

1. 
   
   Make my passion into a career that supports my family.
2. 
   
   Own a ranch style home with enough land for dogs and kids to run uninhibited.
3. 
   
   Paint every room in my home in colors that make me happy.
4. 
   
   Create a home studio for my photography, painting, and whatever other endeavor I want to pursue.
5. 
   
   Learn Spanish fluently.
6. 
   
   Fill up my passport pages.
7. 
   
   Travel to Italy.
8. 
   
   Travel to Spain.
9. 
   
   Take a cruise through the Carribean.
10. 
    
    Swim (or wade, I can't swim) with dolphins.
11. 
    
    See a corral reef in person.
12. 
    
    Take pictures with an underwater camera.
13. 
    
    Take a real safari.
14. 
    
    Go sight seeing in New Mexico.
15. 
    
    Travel to Egypt.
16. 
    
    Go to Jamaica.
17. 
    
    Get married in a small ceremony outdoors.
18. 
    
    Go skiing (on a bunny slope).
19. 
    
    Write a book.
20. 
    
    Take a tour around Peru (Machu Picchu).
21. 
    
    Tour Chile.
22. 
    
    Publish the book I write in #19.
23. 
    
    Take a photo tour of Alaska.
24. 
    
    Return to the outskirts of Hong Kong (village areas).
25. 
    
    Be the first official photographer for my nieces and nephews (hello, baby brother, ready in a few years or more?)

And 25 more:

1. 
   
   Take an African dance class.
2. 
   
   Fit a size 8 again (comfortably).
3. 
   
   Photograph my family members - especially the elders - - unposed.
4. 
   
   Visit one zoo in each of the 50 states.
5. 
   
   See my kids discover their personal successes.
6. 
   
   Have at least one more child.
7. 
   
   Pick five major cities and conduct a photo treasure hunt in each.
8. 
   
   Own a station wagon.
9. 
   
   Visit a light house.
10. 
    
    Read the Bible.
11. 
    
    Go on an island hop of the Hawaiian islands.
12. 
    
    Travel to Australia - especially the outback.
13. 
    
    Teach myself studio lighting.
14. 
    
    Get back into the darkroom.
15. 
    
    Be confident enough to work with Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep or some such photographic edeavor.
16. 
    
    Be more confident in my faith.
17. 
    
    Complete at least one 365 project.
18. 
    
    Eliminate my debt. (!)
19. 
    
    Travel to all the National Parks in the U.S. 
20. 
    
    Read and review a novel a month for a year.
21. 
    
    Walk up to 365 strangers and take their portraits.
22. 
    
    Travel to India (Taj Mahal, especially).
23. 
    
    Kiss under a waterfall.
24. 
    
    Better document myself so that my kids have evidence that I existed as more than the photographer...
25. 
    
    Learn to cook 10 dishes from scratch.

photos taken at Virginia Zoo in Norfolk, August 6, 2010