Life Well Lived - Ryan

I haven't done a Life Well Lived post in a while, but it just so happens that on LWL Wednesday, I realized that I've sort of "over looked" the thing that probably makes my life the MOST well lived.

Ryan.

Ryan on our wedding day. Can we please talk about his ADORABLE dimple?!

I don't know why, but typing his name and then seeing ^this picture just made me get all teary-eyed. I guess that's love for ya, haha!

I've talked about our story before, and have even mentioned him in a previous LWL post, but I'm feeling very reflective today and it seems like the right time to dedicate an entire post to him.

First, I want to brag on him a bit. Seems like the right thing to do. ;) He is a really talented guy. My Gramp used to call him "a jack-of-all-trades". He totally is. He is a talented musician - he plays piano, guitar and drums. He's great with cars. He can fix just about anything. He can build just about anything. He is probably the smartest guy I know when it comes to electronics. He is a great cook.

Ryan building a deck (photo by Jim Wall), Ryan getting "kisses" from our furbabies.

But he's not just those things. He does things to help my friends. He goes out of his way for my family. He is also thoughtful and kind (most of the time, hehe). He does really, really sweet things for me. He brings home flowers, cards and little gifts just because. One night a month or so ago, Ryan couldn't sleep so he cooked me an amazing lunch (grilled chicken pasta with a light garlic and parmesan sauce and a spinach and raisin salad) then wrapped everything up in a bag. When I opened the fridge the next morning to get the creamer for my coffee, I saw a bag that said "Rach" on the front. Inside was the surprise lunch, my yogurt and banana that I take for snacks every day and a sweet note that is still in my drawer at work so I can read it whenever I want. This man of mine also sacrifices a lot and works so hard to give us the best life possible.

He's not perfect. He can be stubborn. Sometimes we fight. But he makes me feel so safe, so loved, SO happy.

Knowing him, loving him, being married to him...that makes my Life Well Lived.

Life Well Lived - Vol 10

Click the Life Well Lived logo above to see past posts and how it all started.

I have participated in a Texas high school tradition.

Growing up in Texas, this tradition is nothing new. Girls start talking about it in middle school and it was one of the things I was most excited about when I started high school. But people who move here from other states seem to be baffled by it. I'm talking about Mums. I had a Mum every year for homecoming and it was such a fun tradition. And, why yes, in case you are wondering, yes I am wearing one of my Dad's button downs to hold that monstrosity (of high school awesomeness) up right.

I threw my brother a surprise 18th birthday party.

I love my brother. Like, a lot. If you haven't already gathered from this blog, we are super close. Like BFF close. And we have been for most of our lives. So, when Frankie was approaching his 18th birthday, I decided we needed to pull out all the stops. I asked my parent's for a budget and I organized the whole thing. I rented a karaoke machine and a bouncy house and bought 2 sets of hulk gloves for "Bouncy House Boxing" (it was as awesome as it sounds). I gave his closest friends invitations to give out and crossed my fingers for a good turn out. My parents took him to a movie while I set up the party and waited for guests to arrive for the big reveal. As his friends arrive by the car full, I handed out silly string and BEGGED this group of teenagers to stay in one place and be quiet. My parents pulled into the driveway with a blindfold over Frankie's eyes. (They told him his present was in the driveway.) As he got out of the car, his friends and I yelled "SURPRISE" and completely doused him in silly string. He was FURIOUS at first, until he caught a glimpse of all the people and the set-up in the backyard. It was SUCH a fun night. I wish I could find my pictures from the evening, especially of Frankie covered in silly string, but the one above will have to do. As a way to remember the night, I had all his friends sign a happy birthday poster (only about 1/2 actually signed) that he could keep forever. I just hope he has as much fun reminiscing from that night as I do!

I was voted Best Actress by my peers.

I don't think there is a bigger honor than being voted on by your peers. As I mentioned last week, I was very involved in "the arts" in high school. I rearranged my schedule and took classes with under-classmen so that I could be in both drama and choir. I LIVED for the stage. And, I guess others noticed? Because in 2001, I was voted Best Actress. I was so humbled, honored and floored. It still ranks as one of the best nights of my well lived life. :)

Life Well Lived - Vol 9

Click the Life Well Lived logo above to see past posts, and how it all started.

I was an assistant in a Special Ed class. I realize how vain it seems to only have my face in focus, but there is a legit reason. I didn't feel right posting children's (and teacher's) faces on my blog without permission...and since I have no way to collect permission from everyone, I decided to play it safe. Which sucks because I WISH you could see all their sweet little faces. Especially the little guy in my lap. Let me back up - While I was still in college, I worked as a nanny, but decided to assist in a classroom for the summer program that my local school district does for children with special needs. This was taken my first summer with the program. This program really made a GIANT impact on me...one that has had lasting effects. Working with these kids taught me so much. One in particular; The little boy in my lap. His name is Jake and I think about him often. He was 5 in this picture and has Down Syndrome. I learned (just enough) sign language to talk to him, because he didn't speak. He couldn't tie his shoes. He didn't like people to touch him. But for some reason, we connected. Since it was one lead teacher and 3 assistants (one was taking this picture) we were able to give them lots of one-on-one attention. The lead teacher automatically noticed my connection to Jake and had me work with him every day. By the end of summer, he could tie his shoes. He could say SIX words (!!!!) and had expanded his signing vocabulary. And most amazing? He ran to hug me every morning, and cried when it was time to go home. (I am almost crying typing that part.) Jake was in a foster home. A GREAT foster home, for the record. The Mom was a saint and I have no doubt he had a great life there...but he hadn't bonded with anyone quite like he bonded with me. I went home crying almost every day because I wished so badly that I was older, married, in a different place in my life so I could have adopted him. And I was serious. I really would have adopted him, if I hadn't been 19. The next summer, he wasn't there. His foster family had moved out of the district...and I never knew what came of Jake. BUT, that experience...that connection to this little human being...it was an absolutely priceless experience that I would never give back.

I played a role that allowed me to wear some AMAZING dresses. When I was in high school, I got to play a lot of really, really amazing roles. Of the plays I was in, I had three roles in particular that rocked my world. Martha in Who's Afraid of Virgina Woolf, M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias and Lorraine Sheldon in The Man Who Came to Dinner. It's really hard to pick a favorite role because they were all so different...but the wardrobe? Hands down, Lorraine Sheldon wins every time. The pictures don't show up very big here, so feel free to click on them to blow them up...but I digress. It is based in the 1940's so, my theater teacher and I went vintage dress shopping for the role. Let me just say...the clothes from that era fit my curves like a glove. Nothing had to be altered. And it was so much fun playing "dress up" in clothes like my grandmother's wore. I really wish I still had that black dress on the end...it was my favorite.

I went to a high school dance with my husband. There is a perk to living in the same town for most of your life. History has its benefits. (And it's downfalls...for the record.) Ryan & I were dating when he entered his senior year of high school and even though I had graduated and started college, I was still happy to go to his senior Homecoming dance with him. In fact, I think I was more excited than he was! I was friends with a lot of the people in his class, so getting to see them all was great. But more than that, the memories make me smile. Knowing that someday we can show our children pictures of us, all dolled up for a high school dance TOGETHER. I think that's a pretty cool thing. :)

Life Well Lived - Words

There is an old saying "Actions speak louder than words." Often, that is very true. But sometimes, WORDS do the trick. Recently, this has been the case for me. Words have been all around me lately, uplifting me, reminding me of the amazing people I have in my life. And since it's Wednesday, this is a celebration of a Life Well Lived, as well.

For my birthday last, my amazing brother wrote me a letter. A letter that now has a permanent home in my wallet, so that I can read it anytime I want/need. Those words mean more to me than any gift he could ever buy me.
Ryan wrote ALL OVER our bathroom mirror after I'd gone through a particularly tough couple of weeks (filled with self-loathing). I do not plan to erase his words anytime soon.

My (new, great) friend Katelyn posted such a unique compliment on my Facebook wall, that I had to snap a screen shot.

And even something as simple as "the three magic words", written here by my 'soul-sister' Lindsay, elevate my spirit.

WORDS do so very much. I try to use them as much as possible to express my feelings to my loved ones. I often get called mushy, but I'm okay with that. I'd like to think, maybe, it's endearing?

But the point of this is not to humble-brag about how awesome people think I am. ;) (JOKE.) It's to get to this...Recently, my good friend Richard and I were having a random discussion about random things - like usual - and we got on the topic of compliments. One thing led to another and I told him I try to give at least one compliment a day. He told me he liked that idea. I went on to explain that, for me, nothing makes me feel better than seeing that I've made someone else feel good. We continued with our conversation and I challenged him to give a compliment a day. And since, recently, I feel like people in my life have been flooding me with praise and kindness, it's only right that I turn around and repay that into the universe.

Life Well Lived - Vol 7

Click above ^ to see where this all started.

I have celebrated 28 amazing birthdays.
Yesterday was my 28th birthday. It was a great day filled with family, friends, cards, kind words and thoughtful gestures. I was feeling quite nostalgic and reflective yesterday as I thought back to all my birthdays. I cannot think of a single year when "my day" wasn't made a big deal. And, honestly, it should be! It's a celebration of the day you were born! I have far too many memories to talk about them all...which is awesome. :)


I re-visited Disney World in my teens.
I was a lucky kid. My maternal grandparents lived in Kentucky, but would "migrate" south to Florida during the winter months. Just about every year from birth to 10 or so, we would go visit them in Cocoa Beach, FL for Spring Break. We would stay with them in their condo and spend hours on the beach. This also meant we got to go to Disney World almost every year of my childhood. I told you - LUCKY! After a certain point, my grandparents were no longer able to travel to Florida, so we would visit them in Kentucky...and our trips to Disney stopped. Well, in 2001, my parents decided it would be fun to go back since Frankie was 15 and I was 18. We would be able to see the park in a different way and do things we couldn't as kids. Our trip was planned for October 2001. When the attacks on 9/11 happened, we discussed cancelling the trip out of fear - but my Dad, who travels a LOT for work, convinced us it was really the safest time to travel. So, we went. The airports were quiet. The plane was only half full. And Disney World? Practically deserted. This made for an amazing trip. The Disney employees treated us like royalty. We didn't wait in line for anything. And I got to skip around the Magic Kingdom, at 18 years old, hand in hand with Daisy Duck.



I totally failed at being sneaky.

This picture makes me laugh every time I look at it. While at a Kings of Leon concert, the guys across the isle started talking to us. They had Australian accents (YES!) and were asking us what there was to do around the venue. We gave them a few ideas and went back to watching the concert...and discussing how incredibly good looking one of the guys in the group was. Like, movie star handsome. Like, when he walked past, all the women around him stopped and gawked. So, I decided we HAD TO HAVE a picture to remember him by. We planned it out carefully. I would lean against the railing in front of us and act like I was taking a picture of Brittany and Kim - but really, I'd be taking a picture of the dude. We'd been very quiet in planning our "sneak attack" and it was executed flawlessly...until I got home and uploaded the pictures, only to find that we'd been outsmarted. He totally caught me...and put his hand over his face. FAIL. But we sure did laugh about it! And isn't that what makes Life Well Lived?!

Life Well Lived - Vol 6

I wasn't going to write a LWL post today. Wednesdays often creep up on me and, while I have ideas, I haven't gotten around to digging out the pictures. So, I was going to shrug my shoulders and let this post pass me by.

Until I read Mandy's post.

Suddenly, I was inspired. A thought crossed my mind and I was compelled to write about it. I don't have pictures this week, just my words. Lots of words...which I generally try not to do, because I worry people get bored. But that's not what it's about...because it is the essence of why I feel mine is a Life Well Lived.

I am a life-long Anxiety sufferer. Not like "most" people, where I would feel butterflies before a test or a date. Mine started when I was about 4-years-old. Yes, four. I don't have a ton of memories from this age, but the ones I have REALLY stand out. Like being at a birthday party and looking around, not seeing either of my parents, and going into an absolute panic. They were at the party, and once I found them, I was fine...but I was glued to their side the rest of the day. I also remember the first psychiatrist I ever saw. Her name was Dr. Shaw and I can still see her standing in front of me. Silver hair, soft voice, dark, fragrant wood in her office. We did a lot of play therapy as she tried to figure out what had made this little 4-year-old so afraid. No one had done anything to me, she decided, a huge relief to my parents. I "just" had an extreme case of separation anxiety.

As the years went on, nothing changed. I was afraid of pretty much anyone that I wasn't related to. I didn't spend the night at friend's houses. I didn't go to birthday parties unless one of my parents stayed the whole time. My parents rarely got a date night, because there was only one babysitter that I was okay with...and she was in high demand. When I entered the 4th grade, something did change - but not for the better. Suddenly, my anxiety was the worst it had ever been. I was afraid of EVERYTHING. I am not exaggerating. With the exception of my Dad and Frankie, I was afraid of all men, my precious Grandfather's included. (I can only imagine how much this broke my Mother's heart. There was never a more gentle man than her Dad.) And then...school started. And Things. Got. Worse. I was completely terrified of school. I had the nicest teacher on the planet, and a principal who took a special interest in making me feel safe at school. But nothing helped.

I can't tell you what happened, or why things so suddenly got worse, but they did. I was in a constant state of fear. And at 10 years old, that is really hard to understand. Lucky for me, I had the World's Most Understanding Parents. (Yes, that should be an actual title awarded to my parents.) My Mom took me to all the best doctors, let me stay home from school when it got so bad that I couldn't leave my bedroom and was ALWAYS there for me. My Dad walked me to school almost every day that year. But not just TO the school. He walked me into the school, down the 4th grade hallway, and into my classroom, where he would stand at the back of the class room until I got distracted and stopped looking back to make sure he was still there. I even left in the middle of the day once - all by myself - and ran home. Thank God my Mom was home.

Let's fast forward a few years; 5th and 6th grades were better. I was still scared of a lot, and still didn't do a lot of normal pre-teen things because of my anxiety, but I was more manageable. Then, suddenly, I had another unexplained set back in 7th grade. I had the best friends I'd had in years. I had some of the most amazing teachers I'd ever had. Yet, I was paralyzed by fear. Literally. I would FREEZE. I can recall a handful of days when I would just melt down during class. All of my teachers knew about my "condition" and could spot my anxiety attacks a mile away. They would rush me off to the counselor's office (God bless Mrs. Campbell) where - things are about to get real - I would hide behind her filing cabinet, knees held tight againt my chest, crying, until my Mom would walk in the take me home. Thirteen years old. It was SO embarrassing and I hated myself because of it. This quickly spiraled into a deep depression. I know, many will roll their eyes at the thought of a 13-year-old being depressed. Ask my parents. Or my brother. I would fake sick as often as I could to stay home, where I wouldn't leave my room. I'd write in my journal all day long, trying to understand why I felt this way. Meanwhile, my amazing Mother was still taking me to numerous doctors. An amazing team of doctors at Children's Medical Center finally seemed to get a handle on things. I had (here's another title for you) the World's Most Amazing Neurologist, Dr. Weinberg, on my side as well as an amazing psychiatrist who taught me the "art" of biofeedback. Between the two of them, medication, the patience of my teachers and the unconditional love of my family, we fought this beast HARD. It was a long, exhausting battle. One that went on, and slowly improved, for the next 7 years.

Now, this post isn't about how hard it was (and it WAS), or to evoke sympathy. I don't want sympathy. I want to CELEBRATE...because as I type this today, I can proudly say that I am anxiety-FREE 95% of the time. That is no small feat, my friends. That is WORK, and LOVE, and PATIENCE from the people around me...and from myself.

It makes me PROUD. And GRATEFUL. And, oh my goodness, SO HAPPY.

And honestly, nothing, makes my life more well lived than that. :)

Life Well Lived - Vol 5

Shame on me. I skipped Life Well Lived last week. I was feeling very uninspired...so I just didn't do it. Not this week, folks! This week, I have a new list of three things that make me feel that mine is a Life Well Lived.

I have been to a World Series baseball game.

As I think I've talked about on this little blog of mine before, I. Love. Baseball. I was raised by a man who pretty much views it as a religion. Yes. My Dad worships the game. He played it his entire life, until his back physically wouldn't let him anymore. So, growing up it was always a part of my life. We went to more baseball games than I can count. Both games HE was playing, and major league games. Growing up in Texas, most people rank football as their favorite sport. Not me. I chose baseball every time. So, when our very own Texas Rangers made it all the way to the World Series, my generous Dad jumped on the chance to treat us to, what could quite possibly be, a once in a lifetime opportunity - To go to a World Series baseball game. And even though the Rangers, sadly, lost...it was one the best days of my life.

I've played in the sprinklers as an adult. Photo credit to the fabulous Jim Wall.

Sometimes, when you live in Texas and its 101* and you are outside for several hours, you just have to run through the sprinklers - with your clothes on. It was just as much fun at (two weeks from) 28 as it was at 8.

I go to a LOT of concerts.

I left this one present tense for a reason. I don't plan on stopping anytime soon. I think everyone has that "one thing". The thing they spend their money on. The thing they do to reward themselves for working. The thing that brings JOY to their soul. This is mine. If I love an artist/band/musician...I want to see them live. So I try to, as much as I can. Local music in tiny bars, sold out stadiums and everything in between. The collage above pictures about a dozen that I've been two over the past few years, but all in all, I don't think I could put a number on it. But, I can certainly tell you which were the best. ;) And getting to do that...makes my life so very well lived.

Life Well Lived - Vol 4

It's that time again! If this is your first time seeing a Life Well Lived post, click here to see where it all started.


I met a local celebrity - at my Bachelorette party!
This may not seem like a very big deal to most, but it was a huge deal to me. This is Brendan Higgins. He was one of the morning anchors for the local NBC morning news for several years, and I watched him every morning. And I kind of adored him. He was hilariously witty and never took himself to seriously - a rarity in news. When my group of girl friends and I went out for my Bachelorette party, we walked into this particular bar and I saw him almost immediately...and I'm fairly certain I started freaking out. He was SO nice. My friend went over and asked if he could spare a moment to meet a fan, at her Bachelorette party. He seemed just as excited to meet me! I told him I watched him every morning while getting ready for work, and he must have thanked me 10 times. Then he endured some pictures, and even bought me a drink! Sadly, he left the show shortly after and my mornings just aren't the same.


I have had a recipe published on a food website/blog.
This is a personal biggie. It is a dream of mine to be a writer - in any sense - and blogging sort of feeds that. When I was asked if I would be interested in putting some of my recipes on the food blog Taco Sense, I was so flattered, and jumped at the chance. I only hope that I have more opportunities, with Taco Sense, and others in the future.


I have adopted rescue animals.

I grew up in a house full of animals. At one point, our house was lovingly donned "Anne's Arc". (My Mom is Anne.) We had just about every pet you can think of. We started with hamsters and fish, then bunnies, cats, dogs, guinea pigs, rats, a snake and lizards. Most of our pets were rescue animals. We even fostered bunnies and guinea pigs for many years, so at any given time we might have had 15+ critters under our roof. As a kid, I LOVED being the house with all the animals. But the best part, to me, was the pride I felt when I would talk about how we "rescued" them. With the exception of the fish, a couple of hamsters, the snake and the lizards, all of our pets were rescue animals. That desire to rescue didn't fade as I entered adulthood. When Ryan and I moved into a new apartment in 2008, we adopted Chloe (though we always joke she actually adopted US) and then we adopted Cooper early last year. The hard part for me was always choosing just ONE. When I go to an animal shelter, I usually leave in tears. I'm a bleeding heart, and I really turn to mush around animals. I have to really fight myself to not bring them all home! Adopting and rescuing my precious furbabies has made my life very well lived.

Life Well Lived - Vol 3 (Friendship Edition)

As I was sorting through pictures, trying to spark memories for a Life Well Lived post, I found myself smiling a lot, thinking about how great my friends are.

And then it hit me.

One of the very BEST things in my life, one of the things that makes my Life the MOST Well Lived, is just that - FRIENDSHIP. So, I decided to devote an entire LWL post to that. Prepare for MushFest 2011.
I have known many of my best friends for more than half my life.

Ryan is included in that statement, since we met in middle school. That is one of the bonuses of living on one place your entire life. The picture on the left is of me with Kim at her 13th birthday party. We met in 6th grade. The picture on the right is me (and my AWESOME silk shirt) with Brittany in 5th grade. We met in 4th. And yes, I am crazy tall...I think I am still that much taller than Britt, haha. All of the girls in my bridal party, I have known since at least middle school, and that is awesome in my book. My best friends have definitely earned the "best" title. They accept me for who I am, and love me anyway. They are flexible when things come up, like marital commitments. They know me completely...and I think that is something that comes with 15+ years of friendship.

My cousin and I are close, not just as family, but as friends.

My relationship with my cousin Katie is a special one. I have lots of cousins, and I love all of them very much, but the bond that Katie and I share is different. The first picture in the series above is in my office, and I can't tell you how many people have said "Wow, you and your sister look so much alike!" or "Is that your sister?" My response is always "She might as well be!" Katie and I are only about 18 months apart so naturally we were instant playmates. My Mom will even tell you that I named ALL of my babydolls "Baby Katie" for years. Haha! As Katie and I grew up, we spent a ton of time together, and after she moved out of Texas, we visited as often as we could. We were always pretty close, but it wasn't until we both entered adulthood that our status went from "Cousins" to "Cousins AND Friends". We are so much alike that its scary! Today, we are the closest we've ever been, and I cannot express how much that relationship means to me.

I have formed new friendships that I believe will stand the test of time.

I absolutely realize how cheesy that sounds...but it's the truth. 2011 has been an amazing year for friendships. The picture on the left is me with Lindsay (and Teddy!). If you are a "regular" around here, you've seen her name a lot lately. And with good reason. This girl is amazing. Our growing friendship brings so much joy into my life, and I thank my lucky stars that after knowing each other for at least 5 years (ish?) we are finally walking down a path that has brought us closer. The picture on the right is me with Mandy. Another name you see a lot. Mandy makes me laugh like few others can. She is also one of my greatest motivators. Mandy and I just "click"...and there is something about her that makes me spill my deepest, darkest secrets - and still feel confident they will be safe.

FRIENDSHIP makes my Life Well Lived.

Life Well Lived - Vol 2

Since starting this segment last week, I've had fun clicking through pictures as I make my list of things that I feel have made my Life Well Lived. As I started making this list, I also realized that, while I often feel behind in a lot of ways, I've also done some pretty neat things in my life. I know if you are just viewing my blog for the first time, these posts may seem like humble brags, but if you will revert back to my first post on the subject, Kelsey's words so perfectly explain what it's all about.

I have touched the Stanley Cup.

This is me, with my Dad, Frankie and Mom in 1999 after the Dallas Stars won The Stanley Cup. We were season ticket holders so after the big win, they contacted everyone who held tickets to offer this once in a lifetime opportunity...and my parents jumped on it. I will be honest, this day is kind a blur for me now. I was SO overwhelmed with excitement...and anxiety that I might run into Jamie Langenbrunner, Mike Modano or my "hockey boyfriend" Niko Kapanen*. (I didn't. Though I DID meet both Langenbrunner and Modano at later dates.) I also remember being afraid to actually TOUCH the Cup. As you can see, my hand is just kind of hanging out inches away. Frankie didn't share those fears, obviously. ;)

*In an effort to calm my jealous husband's nerves, "hockey boyfriend" does not mean he was actually my boyfriend. I just had a giant crush on him.


My Mom & I started an American Idol tradition.

If you read my blog regularly, you already know all about my LOVE for American Idol. Well, my Mom shares that love. We also love the American Idol Tour concerts...and this year will be the 5th year we've gone. I debated making a collage from all the American Idol concerts we've been to together but we didn't take pictures together a couple of the years, so instead, I went my favorite which was from Season 8. As you can see from our t-shirts, Mom was all about Danny Gokey ("Gokey Gang") and I was all about Matt Giraud ("The Matt Pack"). We are hardcore, haha. It's a really fun "thing" that we have together, and we are both already counting down the days until July 20th for this season's!

I stood in the locker of my favorite college basketball player.

Frankie and I were raised in a household that revolved around two sports seasons...baseball and college basketball. Both my parent's went to University's that were (at least at one point) known for their basketball teams. Well, my Dad won us over with our love for baseball (and his hometown team, the Chicago Cubs) but my Mom won the college basketball battle with her alma matter, The University of Kentucky. Frankie and I were bleeding blue from a very young age, and I will openly admit that as a pre-teen, I cared just as much about how cute the players were as I did about the game itself. But the end of my teens and into my early twenties I developed a deeper love for the actual game, but always latched on to certain players. And of all the players to wear a Wildcat jersey, Chuck Hayes takes the proverbial cake for me. SO when my Mom and Uncle got us a tour of Rupp Arena, this moment captured above was very, VERY well lived.

Are you sharing what makes YOUR Life Well Lived? 'Cause you should. :)

Life Well Lived - Vol 1

My good friend and fellow blogger, OperaWife, has recently started posting in a series called "Life Well Lived", brought to us by Kelsey, every Wednesday. I was inspired after reading both of their posts, so I am jumping on the band wagon.

Kelsey describes it like this:

For me, thinking about the things that I've experienced and being joyful for those moments, means more than reaching into a future that I can't control.

LOVE!!! Reading this gave me chills. It brought my soul to life as I looked back (with Mandy's ["OperaWife"] help) and realized that my life HAS been well lived! So, without further ado...

1. I sang "Texas Moon" with Stoney LaRue.

This gets first billing, because honestly, short of my wedding day, this was the best night of my life. In 2005, before Stoney LaRue's velvety pipes had ever touched the radio, we became friends. And this night, with the urging of my Mom and some of my friends, Stoney pulled me up to the mic and I sang my heart out.

2. I donated my hair to Locks of Love...twice.

2005

I donated 10 inches, the minimum donation. And it was traumatic for me, haha. Ryan will tell you I cried...hard. He is right. But, I quickly got over it and remembered that it was for such a good cause.

2011

You all know the story on this journey. :)

3. I bought the car I always wanted.
No, I did not accidentally post a picture of Jetta. That right there, that's the car I started lusting after as a pre-teen. I used to have posters of Jettas in my bedroom, so when the time came to take out my first car loan...I knew it was VDub or bust. And I love my little car, who I have lovingly named Ophelia.

I will post a few things that have made my Life Well Lived every Wednesday, and I hope YOU will too. And when you do, email Kelsey (kelsey@kelseytoney.com) and let her know!