A bit of a revise ...

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... good stuff.

#1 - Go hiking in New Zealand!!!

#2 - Run a mini marathon

#3 - Read through the Bible in my favorite translations - NIV, ESV, and NASB

#4 - Learn to play barre chords on my guitar

#5 - Learn to swing dance (CHECK!)

#6 - Marry an oober godly guy!

#7 - Homeschool my kids :)

#8 - Take a 3-day solitude trip! (CHECK!)

#9 - Visit my sponsored child in Bolivia

#10 - Read all of Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

#11 - Take a BBF trip to the Bosom Buddies Cottages in Nova Scotia with Emily!!!

#12 - Be a waitress (CHECK!)

#13 - Visit all 50 states!

#14 - Go to a Gaither Vocal Band concert (CHECK!)

#15 - Learn to Country Line Dance

#16 - Take a hip hop dance class

#17 - Go Hot Air-Ballooning

#18 - Ride a jet ski

#19 - Get some Bible training

#20 - Have a quiet time with Jesus in front of the Appalachian Mountains (CHECK!)

#21 - Be a summer camp counselor

#22 - Stand outside in a lightning storm!!! (CHECK!)

#23 - Make a nature calendar with the photos I've taken (CHECK!)

#24 - Get FLOOR seat tickets to a Gaither Vocal Band Concert!!! (CHECK!)

#25 - Visit Big Sky, Montana

#26 - DANCE on the Ellen DeGeneres Show!!! What? Oh, yeah!

#27 - Eat some New York Pizza

#28 - Go to the Iowa-80 truck stop ... the largest truck stop in the world!!!

#29 - Go to Europe with Hannah Baker!!!

#30 - Write a book ... yes, that's right - a BOOK!

#31 - Visit Juliet's house in Verona, Italy

#32 - Go to London, England :)

#33 - Pass the Praxis!!!!!

#34 - Become a school teacher

#35 - Read all of the Twilight Saga (CHECK!)

#36 - Buy a drink at the SoZo cafe' in Jasper, Indiana

#37 - Listen to the wind blowing through the columns at the Parthenon in Greece

#38 - Go to Sitka, Alaska

#39 - Stay on Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine

#40 - Go to Loocachooca, Arizona to visit the Navajo reservation there

#41 - Do something BIG - something out of your comfort zone

#42 - Have a picnic on the grassy hills of Ireland

#43 - Gain an eternal perspective - Colossians 3:2

#44 - Go on a cruise

#45 - Become a "gold level" dancer :)

#46 - Learn to truly accept who I am

#47 - Record a CD in Uncle Mike's music studio

#48 - Find out more about my heritage

#49 - Collect as many different colors of crocs that I can!

#50 - Get a manicure (CHECK!)

#51 - Take a fourth trip to Bogalusa, Louisiana

#52 - Visit all the mountain ranges in the U.S.

#53 - Rent a cabin by the lake for a couple of days

#54 - Spend an afternoon on the beach of each of the Great Lakes

#55 - Drive 1-81 - Northern New York State to New Orleans or vice versa

#56 - Take on a food challenge (Man vs. Food)

#57 - Learn the Quick Step

#58 - Eat a cake truffle

#59 - Visit Sherwood Baptist Church - church that put on Fireproof, Facing the Giants, and Courageous

#60 - Read the book, Christy (CHECK!)

#61 - Visit "Cutter Gap," Tennessee (CHECK!)

#62 - Ride on a train

#63 - Discover a dead hero ... in other words, read some biographies

#64 - Find a modern-day hero for myself (CHECK!)

#65 - BE a hero!

#66 - Read through the Bible in a year

#67 - Believe without seeing (John 20:29)

#68 - Read Desiring God, A Hunger for God, and Don't Waste Your Life by John Piper

#69 - Learn the dance to "Thriller"

The French Tip

I'm not much of a girl ...

If you know me at all, you know that I'm a hopeless romantic but not really into dresses and make-up and hair and being cute.

AN ASIDE: I will say that I've gotten better about this over the past 6 months ... ballroom dance lessons have helped with that. I have FOUR dresses in my closet right now! Can you believe it? And that doesn't count my 3 bridesmaid dresses. Man, I'm good. I have powder foundation and more than one shade of eye shadow. I have TWO sticks of eye liner! I recently got a cute pixy haircut. ...... Yeah. I can't believe it either. ...... So I'm doing better ....

But really ... I'm a jeans and t-shirt, crocs and ponytail, no make-up wearin' tomboy ... who really doesn't want to become a girl who cares about what she looks like and who looks at her. I just want to be me. ... So most of the time, the t-shirts and ponytails win out.

Ha! Well, all this rambling to say ... in addition to my new dressy clothes and make-up and haircut ... I got a manicure a while back. My first manicure. ... It's too bad I didn't take a picture. I was feeling girly ... and my dance showcase was only a couple weeks away ... so I just went for it! I spent $40 stinkin' dollars on a french tip. My nails looked really good. But man, they were hard to get used to. And a few days after showcase, I broke down and broke 'em off. Yeah. Probably not so smart ... spent a good chunk of money on those. But the tomboy took over! Haha! But it was worth it. I got lots of compliments; they were kinda fun; they made me feel like a girl; and now, I know what it's like to pamper myself.

I'll probably never get 'em again ... but I got 'em. Bucket List Item #54: Get a Manicure --- CHECK! :D

Team Jacob :D

So I'm finally done reading the Twilight Saga. Good read. Really weird but very intriguing. And of course, I enjoyed the classic love triangle. Oh, the suspense! I think, ultimately, I knew Bella was gonna pick Edward - who didn't know that, really? But when Bella kissed Jacob back in Eclipse?? Whew! What the heck? I thought there was a small glimmer of hope for Jake. Yes, I'm Team Jacob. Man ... *Big Sigh* I like Edward - good guy, indeed. But I would've picked Jacob. ... I'll admit it was hard to choose. They are both honorable and beautiful guys. They both love Bella more than their own lives. But ... Jacob is alive. Jacob is "hotter than Edward." Haha! Jacob is more outgoing and upbeat than Edward. I would've picked Jacob. Sheesh, girl.

But I will say that my conclusion is that Bella made the right choice. Bella was definitely in love with both guys ... but ultimately, she was MORE in love with Edward ... therefore, she needs to be with Edward. And she is ... "forever and forever and forever."

But at least Jake is happy ...

Now, Stephanie Meyer just needs to write another book ALL about Jacob and Renesmee! :D That would be the best book of all. :D

I'm a waitress at The Porch ...

Have you heard of The Porch???
You need to go! It has fantastic food! And the book and tea selection isn't bad either. :)

The Porch
2411 E. Main St.
Danville, IN 46122
It's a bookstore and cafe' ... open Tuesday through Saturday 11am to 2pm.
Soups, sandwiches, pot pie, desserts, teas of many flavors ... and books!

It's an amazing little place ... and I'm a waitress there. Being a waitress is no walk in the park, I've come to find out. It's hard work staying on top of everyone's orders, making sure everyone has their drinks ... and when you've got more than 3 or 4 tables, it gets hectic pretty fast. Especially when you're the only waitress with 30 customers. Yes, I've done that before ... and yes, it was CRAZY!!! Mostly, it's a great job. I love talking to people, and I love helping or serving people. And thankfully, that's what being a waitress is. And I've found that I'm pretty good at it too. :)

I've decided that I think everyone should be a waiter or waitress at some point in their lives. It really helps ya see what they go through ... and just how difficult it is. The next time you go out to eat, put yourself in your waiter's shoes ... and tip him well. :)

#68 ... will it ever end??

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... Oh, buddy! I'm excited!!!

#1 - Go hiking in New Zealand!!!

#2 - Run a mini marathon

#3 - Read through the Bible in each of my translations - NIV, NASB, ESV, NKJV, NLT, and The Message

#4 - Learn to play barre chords on my guitar

#5 - Learn to swing dance (CHECK!)

#6 - Marry an oober godly guy!

#7 - Have at least 4 kids and homeschool them

#8 - Take a 3-day solitude trip! (CHECK!)

#9 - Visit my sponsored child in Bolivia

#10 - Read all of Mere Christianity and The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis

#11 - Take a BBF trip to the Bosom Buddies Cottages in Canada with Emily!!!

#12 - Be a waitress (CHECK!)

#13 - Visit all 50 states!

#14 - Go to a Gaither Vocal Band concert (CHECK!)

#15 - Learn to Country Line Dance

#16 - Take a hip hop dance class

#17 - Go Hot Air-Ballooning

#18 - Ride a water motorcycle ... otherwise known as ... the jet ski ... hahaha!!!

#19 - Get a Bible degree

#20 - Have a quiet time with Jesus in front of the Appalachian Mountains

#21 - Get my biography of Judy Nilsen published in some way, shape, or form

#22 - Be a summer camp counselor

#23 - Stand outside in a lightning storm!!! (CHECK!)

#24 - Make a nature calendar with the photos I've taken

#25 - Get FLOOR seat tickets to a Gaither Vocal Band Concert!!! (CHECK!)

#26 - Visit Big Sky, Montana

#27 - DANCE on the Ellen DeGeneres Show!!! What? Oh, yeah!

#28 - Eat some New York Pizza

#29 - Visit the Home of Hope Orphanage in China (where the Goddard's are!)

#30 - Go to the Iowa-80 truck stop ... the largest truck stop in the world!!!

#31 - Go to Mountain Top Ministries in Haiti (where Willem and Beth are!)

#32 - Go to Europe with Hannah Baker!!!

#33 - Write a book ... yes, that's right - a BOOK!

#34 - Visit Juliet's house in Verona, Italy

#35 - Go to London, England :)

#36 - Pass the Praxis!!!!!

#37 - Become a school teacher

#38 - Read all of the Twilight Saga

#39 - Buy a drink at the SoZo cafe' in Jasper, Indiana

#40 - Listen to the wind blowing through the columns at the Parthenon in Greece

#41 - Go to Sitka, Alaska

#42 - Stay on Monhegan Island off the coast of Maine

#43 - Learn to ride a horse

#44 - Go to Loocachooca, Arizona to visit the Navajo reservation there

#45 - Do something BIG - something out of your comfort zone

#46 - Have a picnic on the grassy hills of Ireland

#47 - Gain an eternal perspective

#48 - Go on a cruise

#49 - Finish the Gold level at Arthur Murray

#50 - Learn to truly accept who I am

#51 - Record a CD in Uncle Mike's music studio

#52 - Find out more about my heritage

#53 - Collect as many different colors of crocs that I can!

#54 - Get a manicure (CHECK!)

#55 - Take a fourth trip to Bogalusa, Louisiana

#56 - Visit all the mountain ranges in the U.S.

#57 - Rent a cabin by the lake for a couple of days

#58 - Spend an afternoon on the beach of each of the Great Lakes

#59 - Be an "extra" on a dance movie

#60 - Try out for "American Idol" or "So You Think You Can Dance"

#61 - Drive 1-79 through West Virginia in the Fall

#62 - Take on a food challenge (Man vs. Food)

#63 - Learn the Quick Step

#64 - Become a dance instructor

#65 - Take a dance lesson at an Arthur Murray not in Indiana

#66 - Take a dance lesson at one of Maksim Chmerkovskiy's dance studios in New York City

#67 - Eat a cake truffle

#68 - Visit Sherwood Baptist Church (church that put on Fireproof and Facing the Giants)