Before and After and The Future

Recently, I read an article about how you are actually what you've accomplished, what you can do, and what you can offer to the world.  That saying qualities about yourself (i.e. I'm nice, funny, and clean) is not worth much when it comes down to it.  The article talks about how you are using those qualities to produce something.

Then I saw another article about 23 things to accomplish before you're 23 other than getting married.  Part of it was funny, and part of it was kind of...nonsensical.  The article talks about how huge marriage is and that you should enjoy life and do crazy things, then they suggest opening a business (I think they were going for humor...and to emphasize their point of doing anything but get married).  But the logical me thought, "Open a business?!  Adopt a pet?!  That's worse than getting married.  WAY more responsibility.  I can take my husband with me, I couldn't always take a pet.  I couldn't leave a brand new business.  Thank God I didn't do THAT!"

But then I started reflecting since it's New Years time frame.  And I wondered if I had accomplished anything.  Will marriage stop me?  What have I done since being married?  Well, in typical me-fashion, I made some lists:

Me Before Marriage:

• Graduated high school with multiple scholarship offers
• Loved theatre and got paid to do it, and did it as often as possible
• Led youth groups and taught theatre
• Graduated college with 2 degrees
• Moved many times
• Went through many hardships and heartbreaks successfully
• Cooked good food
• Made friends and loved on those friends
• Traveled to 4 countries and worked in 2 of them
• Road tripped
• Started a career
• Decorated my own apartment
• Hiked a LOT

Me Since Being Married:

• Traveled to 7 countries
• Tried 2 new winter sports
• Hiked new rocks
• Had a new job; quit
• Still with career
• Road tripped
• Went to professional sporting events
• Love theatre & plan to audition at the next opportunity
• Cook even better food
• Love my friends
• Plan surprises for my husband
• Gotten much better at Mario Party
• Planning to get my Masters 
• Looking into future career switch

Hmm...Not bad.  Conclusion:  Marriage encourages me and pushes me forward.  Now I just have someone to share my adventures with, and to help me discover new passions.  I kind of love my life :)  

Future Goals:

• Career Change
• Try some new things
• Work Out..anything.  
• Move!  (With my husband)

Lesson learned and new lessons to come,

Mrs. B.