1. Pass statistics. I’m not a math person. I had to take a math course before I graduated from Penn State and this was it. It was hard, but I put in the time and effort and even got tutoring. By the grace of God I not only passed, but earned an A. I learned I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
2. Look forward to mowing the lawn. Growing up with an older brother, I can count on one hand the number of times I mowed my parents’ lawn. When Jimmy and I bought a house with a big yard, I began mowing every week in the summer months and grew to love the distraction-free time to think, dream, and pray.
3. Enjoy Yoga. Ask anyone who spends more than a few hours with me; I am notoriously bad at sitting still. When a nurse practitioner recommended I practice yoga to help combat anxiety, I dove in. I now thoroughly enjoy my time on the mat a few times a week. Thank you to YouTube for free yoga videos!
4. Get into art. I didn’t think I was an artsy person because I’m not super skilled at art. I’ve come to realize that I can love painting, water coloring, crafting, etc. even if I’m not especially talented. It’s just fun and relaxing.
5. Enjoy tv shows about cars. I don’t know much about cars, but Jimmy totally got me into a few car shows. I find them really interesting.
6. Play video games. I also credit Jimmy for this, haha. He enjoys playing video games, so I try to do one of his hobbies with him from time to time.
7. Become a spinning instructor. I loved taking spinning classes, but I never thought I’d teach them until my parents gifted me the training course to become a spinning instructor for Christmas in 2012. It was totally random, but I really went out of my comfort zone and enjoyed teaching. I don’t teach (or spin, haha) anymore, but I have great memories from that time in my life.
Hannah used to come to my classes from time to time!
8. Dislike driving. If you would have asked me at age 15 or 16 if I ever thought I’d dislike driving, I would have said no way. After being a passenger in a terrible car accident at almost 17-years-old, my tune changed on driving. While I feel blessed to possess a driver’s license and vehicle, and have physically healed from the accident, the emotional wounds still impact me to this day.
9. Love chocolate. I was just never a chocolate lover until fairly recently. As a child, the only chocolate I would eat was white chocolate, and even that made me queasy. Over the past few years, I have come to love milk and dark chocolate. I now like to have a square with lunch each day and never turn down a chocolate chip cookie!
10. Become a cat person. My family had a cat from when I was young until I was in my 20s, and I was actually afraid of her, haha. She wasn’t super friendly because we adopted her after she was abused. Poor girl. It breaks my heart knowing she was mistreated, but I like to think she had a great life once she came into our home. Years later, my parents adopted Lily and Felix, and I learned that cats aren’t scary. They’re actually the best! Now I’m a fur-mom to Malcolm and I love him so much!
Living My Full Life 