In My Next 30 Years

I've always liked the song "In My Next Thirty Years" by Tim McGraw. I wonder if we ever completely conquer all of our adolescent fears, and I feel slightly like I won't ever figure out exactly what I am doing here. But, I do know that I have lots of things I'd like to do in my next thirty years...here is a list of some of them. I was also talking to my brother and he encouraged me to make this list. Actually, he thought it would be a good idea to make a list of 35 things to do by the time I turned 35...let's see if I can do it.

1. Get a passport.
2. Use the passport.
3. Travel more. Internationalally and locally.
4. Go kayaking.
5. Take an art class.
6. Travel somewhere by train.

7. Buy a Lotto ticket.
8. Have some money saved.
9. Buy a house.
10. Spend more time with my loved ones-family and friends.

11. Pay off debt.

12. Go sailing.
13. Plant my own garden and harvest veggies and fruit from it.
14. Figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
15. Go back to school once that is figured out.
16. Fall in love.
17. Start a family.
18. See lightening bugs...for real.
19. Get a tattoo.
20. Surprise someone-a really good surprise.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.

20 things down...15 more to come up with...any ideas for things I should add?

Forget-Me-Not

One wonderful thing about my job is that we get to plan and implement wonderful experiences for our participants called Forget-Me-Not...it is sort of the senior version of Make a Wish...I've been able to participate in a handful at my new site and had done a BIG one at my previous site. For this event the participant wanted to go to the Grotto with her family and take a tour of the upper level and then have a prime rib dinner. We decided in the planning to coordinate it so it coincided with Mother's Day. We went on Saturday. It was a warm day and I started it downtown with the trains and then ended it in a beautiful, serene outdoor location and then at a local prime rib joint...here are a few pictures.

The Rhododendrons were in full bloom and beautiful!

 Tami and I were ready to be in air conditioning and the restaurant we were at also had a bar...I had to take these pictures...classic! 

When the day was done, I was exhausted, but what a lovely day...seeing a child excited about trains and then the wish of a dear participant fulfilled.

Choo-Choo....

May 11th is National Train Day! There are train stations all over the country that celebrate, including Portland's Train Station. Holly, Brian and their son, Isaiah and myself headed down to see the events. 

They had clowns...

 The train was impressive...and old...and we stood in line for a very long time to walk through it. But, that is what you do on train day.

 The sky was beautiful and it was actually very warm for the day.

 And there were lots of people that were there to see the train.

All-in-all it was a good thing and so nice to spend time with Holly, Brian and Isaiah.

Until the next adventure...