Countdown...11

I will turn 30 in 2011. I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am about that fact - and no, I'm not being snarky. I really can't wait to get out of my 20's and move into my 30's - I'm ready to see what my fourth decade will hold. My 20's were filled with adventure and travel and changes and learning and I'm thankful for them. I'm thankful beyond words that before I reach my 30th birthday (in December) I will have celebrated 11 years of marriage, I will have lived on three continents and an island group (Indonesia), I will have traveled to 13 countries (not counting airports), and I will know enough basic phrases in various languages to be totally dangerous. It's not as much as some people accomplish before they turn 30, but it's more than many people get to do in a lifetime.

Tarakan, Indonesia - February 2008

And so I have 11 months until I bid farewell to my 20's and say hello to my 30's. My original thought was to set up a 30 Before 30 Bucket List. But simply trying to come up with 30 things that I might want to attempt before December 10, 2011 became overwhelming. So I've tweaked the list and come up with my 11 in 11 - eleven things I'd like to accomplish in the eleven months before my birthday. Each item represents something I haven't done before or something that will stretch me as a person. I don't know that I'll strike a line through each of these, but the list is more do-able than the original list of 30. And so here's to dreaming, to birthdays, to adventures, and to stepping outside comfort zones!

1. Eat sushi
2. Finish my (off-brand Rosetta Stone) Spanish lessons
3. Write a novel (or get a good start on one)
4. Visit one of 5 states I haven't been to (MS, AL, VT, NE, NV)
5. Ride a tandem bike with Peter
6. Buy Julia Child's cook book and try 11 recipes
7. Figure out how to turn my passions into a paying job
8. Visit Washington, DC
9. Pay off our house
10. Memorize 11 Bible verses (I'm horrible at memorizing!)
11. Overcome my fear and get a dive certification with Peter
BONUS: Write thank you notes to people who have impacted me over the last 30 years

Snorkeling in Indonesia

I wanted to add "Travel Europe" on there, but I tried to keep it fairly realistic! As it is, I think we're looking at "Paying off the house" vs. all other trips, but if we paid off our mortgage in the next 11 months, I'd be doing a major {happy dance} because that would mean we would have money to go on trips in the future! I'm hoping to take on one item a month and will write a post each month on the 10th to let you know how it's going. Stay tuned!