Inspired

So many things are blessing me each and every day. I have to express gratitude, love, and how inspired I feel with you.

First I want to tell you about someone I've looked up to pretty much my entire life (since I was like 7). Her name is Heidi Orton Lewis. Growing up I wanted to do everything she did and be just like her. When I was a junior in high school, Heidi decided to serve a mission. I was amazed by how brave she was to make that decision and stick to it. While she was away, I planned how I would go on my mission, just like she did. (I went to Oakcrest instead.)

When she got back, she married a great guy named Chris Lewis. I loved how happy he made her, and I was determined to find someone who would do the same for me. I loved their relationship and look up to them in so many ways. When they told everyone they were moving to Australia, I was sad, but I envied their choice of adventure. Then we find out that Heidi was pregnant. I was so excited for them! I knew that they would be perfect parents. Baby Jack was due in March of this year, but a couple days ago decided he was ready to come now. A month and a half early, 4 pounds 8 ounces he arrived. The pictures I saw of the new little family describe so much to me the love one can have for their child. I am so proud of them, and I look forward to meeting this precious baby boy.

Jack has made me start to think. (Not that I am ready or want to start my family for quite sometime.) I just can't help but to think of God when I see babies. I see this beautiful creation. It makes me want to do something to show my Heavenly Father how grateful I am to know He is. So, I have been writing down some ways to express myself. I know this sounds super cheesy. I guess you can say that I am writing my goals for the upcoming years of life. There is a show on MTV right now that also inspired these "goals". It's called The Buried Life.

Here's a description of the show: If you had one day left to live what would you do? Ride a bull? Throw a legendary party for everyone you love? Vegas? Now if you had your whole life to live, would you lose that drive, or would your list just keep getting longer?

This is the real life adventure of four young men on an epic quest to prove that anyone can do anything. With cameras rolling, Duncan, Ben, Jonnie and Dave set out with a list of 100 dreams: everything from kissing Megan Fox to giving a toast at a stranger's wedding to giving away a million dollars to falling in love.

But they also made a promise to themselves. For every goal they achieve on their list, they help a stranger do something on theirs.

At each stop, they challenge strangers with the ultimate question: "What do you want to do before you die?" The boys help people of all ages, from all places, discover, organize and attempt their wildest dreams. With each new city or town comes a new set of challenges as the team races to make the impossible happen, all before leaving on their next adventure.

This series explores the exciting wonders of human potential and the exhilaration of going after one's dreams-those dreams too often buried by everyday life. This is the incredible and hard to believe true story of a journey called The Buried Life.

It's all in the question: "What do you want to do before you die?"

So, this show got me thinking, "What do I want to do before I die?"

I wrote down 100 of my own ideas of things I want to do before I die. I would share it with you, but that would take forever, so I will tell you one by one as I accomplish them.

First on my list is to write 13 songs to create a CD of my own. I love Mindy Gledhill, and I have always wanted to create music that makes others happy like she has (and still is). I am beginning to write down lyrics as they come to my head, and I'm so excited to put them to music. Singing is so important to me right now; it's the focus of my life for the next 3 months. I plan on finishing this CD by Christmas.

I'm so excited to explore and find more beautiful, inspiring creations of my Heavenly Father. I am so grateful to know I can. Thanks for reading my rant.

P.S. I love Craig more than ever. The saying "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is totally true. This time that I'm away from him makes me realize just how lucky I am to have him in my life...forever.