#71: volunteer for a cause/campaign I believe in

Convoy of Hope is a national organization that participates in community outreach and is very close to my heart for two reasons. 1) It brings together volunteers from dozens of area churches and businesses, regardless of denomination, personal conviction, or political affiliation, and 2) It lifts the spirits, even if only for one day, of a city's poor, who are struggling with difficult circumstances.  In Charleston, Convoy of Hope has been going on for several years, and I participated in one of the first ones with my parents around 8 or so years ago. 

I won't go in to a ton of detail, you can get that here, but on December 10th, I spent the day with Andrew and my parents' small group volunteering in the grocery area, bagging and distributing groceries to the hundreds of people who showed up. It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 degrees or so (maybe I'm exaggerating, but it was COLD) plus it rained off and on all day. What truly amazed me was the way that every single volunteer I encountered had a smile on their face and nothing but encouraging things to say despite the disgusting weather conditions.  We worked together with people we'd never met, because we had a common goal-to help people who for whatever reason were having trouble helping themselves that day.

It is so easy for me to become self-righteous and vindictive towards people I've never even met before, and to think that since I had no problem graduating high school, college, and getting a job, that everyone should be able to do the same. What is so easy to see, though, when I take the time to really interact with people and hear their personal struggles, is that everyone is not as fortunate as me, did not grow up where I did, and despite what is said about this amazing country we live in, was not given an equal opportunity to succeed. 

So, even though I went to Convoy of Hope expecting to help people, the people at Convoy of Hope helped me, by helping me remember that it is only by the grace of God that I was placed in my circumstances. It reinforced what I believe to be God's calling on my life, that I use the circumstances I've been given to make a difference in the lives of children who need to be shown love and stability they might not receive at home.  And it was a great reminder that the "us vs. them" mentality I carry with me so often is a twisted way of looking at the world in which I am more important than everyone else in it.  I hope, in the new year, I am able to remember that every single person I come in contact with was created by God and is loved by God, and that I need to love them the way He does. This is such a struggle for me, but it is so important!!!

And now that I'm completely off topic and rambling to myself....I just want to say Convoy of Hope is spectacular and if you have a Convoy event in your city, figure out how to be a part of it...it is just one day to devote to making a difference in the world, and  trying to change the world a little bit might just change your life :)

#67: go on a picnic

This happened back in July, and I have no image as proof, but Andrew and I took delicious Publix subs...correction, I took a sub, he took chicken fingers.... to the beach one evening and had a picnic.  Such a boring post, I know, but I intend to record EVERY complete item on my list. This outing prompted Andrew and I to leave folding camping chairs in the back of his truck for impromptu beach outings in the future, a prospect I am very excited about!

#57: visit our names at the Riverwalk restaurant in Savannah, GA

One year ago, Molly, John, Andrew, and I inscribed our names on the wall in this restaurant (totally allowed, and the waitress gave us a Sharpie).  I peeked my head in and looked, but I was too embarrassed to walk in and go to the table without actually eating there, and I was full from The Pirate's House.  So this is as "crossed off" as this goal is getting, unless we eat here on our honeymoon, which I doubt will happen :)

#46: visit somewhere haunted

While in Savannah, we had the opportunity to eat at the Pirate's House restaurant. The food was DELICIOUS (much better than Paula Deen's restaurant, where we ate last year) and the lunch prices were reasonable.  The restaurant has a really interesting history, which you can read about here.  Unfortunately, we did not experience any ghostly encounters, but the history alone and looking at all of the old "piratey" things in the restaurant made up for that disappointment :)

#12: continue our tradition of visiting Savannah every December; December 2011

On this trip, we were able to visit the Riverwalk, eat at a delicious restaurant, and scope out where we want to stay the night of our wedding. It was an unseasonably warm day in December (the day before had set a Savannah record, 75, I think?) so we couldn't have had a more perfect day!  We've decided to continue our Savannah tradition for next year to complete my list, but to choose new locations after that, since we're very close to running out of things to do there. I still really want to do a ghost tour, so hopefully I'll get to do it next year!

One of my favorite moments of the day was when Andrew found the bench we sat on next to the Savannah River the first time we visited, two years ago, and we drank delicious milkshakes from River Street Sweets while watching the river!  The first time we went to Savannah, Andrew took me there to get my mind off of some pretty terrible things that were going on in my life. We had such an amazing time together and I think being somewhere new together and realizing we each shared the other's love for exploring new places helped us grow closer.  We had only been dating four months at the time, and the next time we go to Savannah we will be MARRIED....weird to think of and yet so exciting at the same time!

2011: Year One in Review

Having this list and being able to cross off things on it as I complete them has been such a fun experience.  I love accomplishing goals and doubt I’d have done half of these things if I hadn’t written them down.  During the first year of my 99 list, I was able to accomplish 25 of my goals and make dents in several more that require multiple tasks.  I think my favorite thing so far has been getting my teaching job.  It is stressful but so worth it, every time a child brings me a book and points to a letter he’s learned, or writes her name and runs excitedly to show me.  My kids have grown so much in only half the school year, and I can’t imagine how much they’ll be able to do by June.

So I only have a little over a year and a half to complete my list.  Here are the things I anticipate being able to accomplish in 2012:

8  buy a house or be in the process by the end of the 999 days

9  go to a concert

10 watch all 3 original Star Wars movies back to back

11 go on a cruise (honeymoon!!)

12 continue our tradition of visiting Savannah every December-only 1 year left!

16 reach my weight loss goal-I’d like to lose 15 more pounds by our wedding day

17. make a quilt (our wedding guest book)

21  take a weekend road trip with no planned destination

22  attend a USC football game

24  See 20 of the US things to see before you die (While I don’t anticipate completing this goal in 2012, I think I will be able to get through several more of these!)

26 complete the Cooper River Bridge Run (March 31)

29 visit a state I've never been to before (Texas for my brother’s AF Basic graduation)

31 grow a vegetable, cook it, and eat it (tomatoes)

34 donate my hair

41 visit 5 museums

52 have/host a party (our wedding, March 24) I don’t care if its cheating, I’m counting this. I’ve never wasted so much time planning an event and I will make it count for 7 of these things if I can.

59 see a different US coast (gulf coast)

63 complete "once a month cooking"

80 watch a sunrise

81 watch a sunset

82 hand make 3 gifts

90 make and wear a piece of jewelry

91 update a crummy piece of thrift store or discarded furniture

98 go to a zoo or aquarium I've never visited

I realize at this pace I'll be severely behind if I'm going to accomplish all these things, so I'm sure I'll work a few more in there at some point in the coming year. I'm also excited that Andrew and I have begun creating a list of 99 things we'd like to do in the first 999 days we're married. So I've got some (fun) work ahead of me!