#58 ... thanks to Hannah :)

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... The list just keeps growing and growing! :)

#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

#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

#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

Arthur Murray

I be a dancin' foo!!!!!

Seriously!
A new Arthur Murray dance studio opened up in the town next door to mine ... 15 minutes away ... and I've been taking lessons for 6 weeks now. It's been incredible!!! I'm learning so much!

Tango
Cha Cha
Mambo
Waltz
Foxtrot
Swing
Rumba
Merengue
Hustle
... and the list goes on.

I'm there 4 or 5 nights a week ... and probably every other Saturday. What a blast!!!
I'm joining something called Formations ... 30 lessons of the Mambo ... several couples out on the dance floor performing the same dance, together ... and then we get to perform it at the Showcase in May. It's gonna be amazing!!!

My favorite things about it all?
- Talking to the instructors! Randy, Jamil, Ryan, Jen, and Lauren - they are so awesome!
- Writing down what we've accomplished in each lesson. I did all of that? Wow! I'm awesome!
- Using the mirrors to practice. There are mirrors everywhere!!! Mirrors + everyone dancing = awesome!

It's been pretty much the funnest thing I've ever done! And I can't wait to see how good I get and where I go with my dancing!!! I <3 Arthur Murray! :)

#45 :)

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... ha! Someday, I'll start checking more of 'em off!

#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

#13 - Visit all 50 states!

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

#15 - Learn to Country Line Dance

#16 - Learn Hip Hop!

#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!

# 33 and still at it!

MICAL'S BUCKET LIST .... oh, yeah!

#1 Hike through New Zealand!!!

#2 - Run a mini marathon

#3 - Read through the Bible AT LEAST 3 times ... once in my NIV, once in my ESV, and once in my NASB

#4 - Learn to play bar chords on my guitar

#5 - Take swing dancing lessons (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 (Ruth) in Bolivia

#10 - Read all of Mere Christianity

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

#12 - Be a waitress

#13 - Visit all 50 states!

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

#15 - Learn to Country Line Dance

#16 - Learn Hip Hop!

#17 - Go Hot Air-Ballooning

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

#19 - Take some Bible classes

#20 - Read a Psalm 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!!!

#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!

Pennsylvania/West Virginia: The Work Camp - or lack thereof

I should probably stop adding to my list and start writing about my adventures! :)

Got back from Pennsylvania AND West Virginia on Monday night ... it was an interesting weekend. Saturday morning around 8:00, I left my house to head for Pittsburgh. A work camp full of teenagers awaited me there. Or not. I had set out to volunteer as a behind the scenes leader on the trip, cleaning bathrooms, sweeping floors, keeping the lodging facility spic and span for the week. But when I got to Pittsburgh, no one was anywhere to be found. I had arrived the night before to get settled in and have dinner with the staff. So I waited around for while, but no one came. I called 3 or 4 different numbers to get ahold of someone ... anyone! ... at the organization. Nada. So I decided to head out of Pittsburgh to find a hotel for the night. Stayed in a Motel 6 that night, got some Bob Evans for breakfast the next morning, and headed back to the facility for registration and welcoming the campers. Ha! But no one was there once again. I was beyond confused at this point. I continued calling the numbers I was given in case of questions or emergencies. No one answered. I walked next door to a church that was just finishing up its Sunday morning service, or so it appeared to be.

"Do y'all know anything about a work camp going on next door this week?" The man shook his head and said, "I see people doing things over there on Wednesday nights, but I don't know about a camp."

Weird, right? Wow. I was dumbfounded. Where was everyone? I wish I could say the camp folks eventually showed up, and they explained their tardiness ... but no. I waited around just outside of Pittsburgh for nearly 2 hours, waiting for a call ... but I heard nothing. I knew nothing. ... So I finally decided to head home.

Thankfully, I'm on a quest to see all 50 states .... and Pennsylvania is a beautiful state! Pittsburgh is awesome too - full of tunnels and bridges and a huge river running through the middle of it! So the trip wasn't wasted by any stretch of the imagination. AND! I decided to take the long way home ... through West Virginia! Ohhh! WV made it beyond worth it! I took I-79 through central WV to Charleston ... and it was entirely gorgeous! Mountains the whole trip into Ohio! Heck! It was pretty hilly into Indiana!!!! It was such a great trip! I'm still trying to get ahold of the work camp folks ... but the trip was great anyway!