Moxie, because words w/X's are cool!

I do not like the word resolution! This is the entry I found on thesaurus.com...

Main Entry:	resolution
Part of Speech:	noun
Definition:	determination, strong will
Synonyms:	aim, boldness, constancy, courage, dauntlessness, decidedness, decision,declaration, dedication, doggedness, earnestness, energy, firmness, fixed purpose,fortitude, guts*, heart*, immovability, intent,intention, judgment, mettle, moxie*, obstinacy,perseverance, pluck, purpose, purposefulness, purposiveness, relentlessness, resoluteness,resolve, settlement, sincerity, spirit, spunk, staunchness, staying power, steadfastness, stubbornness, tenacity, verdict, willpower

As our Christmas letter points out, perseverance was the theme for us in 2009, but I think we need a new word for 2010. There are so many things I always say I am going to start doing in a new year, but this year I plan to be bold, undaunted, dedicated, earnest, purposeful and steadfast! At the beginning of the month I started a list (me? A list? HA - I know you're shocked!) but it's not quite what you're thinking. I've been reading other people's 'life lists', if you call them that, and wanted to put down a few things of my own. So here it is! It's sort of a work in progress...I really felt like I wanted to get to 50 things, so some of them are a little weak...while others are quite strong! Do you have ideas of things you'd like to accomplish like this?

1) visit Europe (Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, England, Italy, Greece...to name a few!)

2) visit Australia

3) Have a lot of kids (12, if possible, but I guess I could settle for 7...)

4) Use my Grandma's wringer washing machine for a summer

5) Hike the Appalachian Trail

6) Missions trip to an orphanage

7) Camp/Hike/Bike every state park

8) Visit every National Park in the US

9) Have professional pics done of Dave and myself every 10 yrs of marriage

10) Sew a garment that looks decent

11) Get my Masters' Degree in Spanish

12) Bike 100 miles in one year

13) Eat a meal totally grown/harvested and prepared by me

14) Finish Mo's baby book - well, at least til age 5

15) Volunteer regularly at an abortion alternative type place

16) See a Komodo dragon in the wild

17) Write my life story (more or less) for my kids

18) Try one new recipe every week for a year

19) Go on a women's retreat - spiritual or otherwise

20) Have the upstairs of our house re-done, complete w/a master suite

21) Actually learn all the positions that make up a football team and what they do (I've got baseball down, but that's easy!)

22) Adopt more Amish ways of life - cook large quantities w/other ladies, live simply, do it yourself, etc

23) Encourage my son to be a voracious reader, like I was

24) See a moose in the wild

25) Sponsor a child through Compassion International

26) Help my grandfather label and organize all his old pictures, while recording some cool stories he loves to tell

27) Build a nest egg (what exactly is that? I just mean have some savings stocked up)

28) Keep up my piano/flute skills - take lessons?

29) Act in a local theater production or get the drama team going at church again

30) Make all the curtains for my house

31) Run a 5K in less than 30 minutes

32) Pass the citizenship test

33) Write/mail at least one letter a month

34) Go to a spring training game for the Milwaukee Brewers

35) Enter something in the county fair

36) Go down the Mississippi River in a house boat

37) Go to a Duke vs. UNC basketball game (bonus points if it's during March Madness!)

38) Visit Duke University (bonus points if it's during March Madness!)

39) Hang pics in my house again!

40) Start a photo book of the foster kids

41) Make a prayer board, to display pics of people we are praying for

42) Meet Aaron Kampman in person

43) Take dance classes again (bonus points if it's w/Dave!)