Let the tagging begin! :)

I've had a blog for like five minutes and I already suck at updating it! Argggh! My new resolution will be to update it much more often than I have been. And I did so well at first! Oh well...

The real reason I haven't been writing is because I'M ON VACATION!!! :) And there will be MUCH more to come as an update there, but not tonight, because it's ridiculously late and my sister and I have to get up and drive back to Denver in the morning. But I will do this:

I'm new to the blogging game, but evidently Renee "tagged" me...which I'm assuming means I'm supposed to do this, too. So here goes, and sorry if my answers aren't very good...lack of sleep will do that!

3 Joys - #1 - My family. Seriously, just like with any family, we have our moments of driving each other nuts, but the last few days at my parents house have been awesome. :) It's so nice to have people who are always there for you, even if they do make you a little batty sometimes! Mostly they're just amazing, amazing people, and I'm sooooo blessed that they're my family. #2 - Friends. The more I think about the amazing people in my life, the more I realize how blessed I am! God has put so many awesome people in my life, and I've learned soooo much from my friends. In college I learned all about the philosophy behind different kinds of friendship, and I know I have a lot deeper friendships with more people than many ever get to experience. There is nothing that can brighten my day more than a letter or an e-mail or a quick chat with a friend (or sometimes a long one...sorry, April!), especially when I'm having a tough time. And more and more I'm realizing what a blessing my girlfriends are, and how much I need them in my life (thanks, girls!). I'm a lucky, lucky girl. #3 - Music!! I have always loved music!! There are certain songs that, no matter how crappy my day is going, they always make things better. I LOVE to sing--I have literally sung for upwards of 15 hours making cross-country road trips by myself, to the point where I arrive at my destination losing my voice because I've been singing anything and everything the whole way. I sang and danced and did so much with music in high school that I got a little burned out and didn't do a lot with it in college (I did sing in the choir for a couple years and took guitar lessons all the way through), and one of my major regrets is that I didn't do more with it.

3 Fears - #1 - Not figuring out what I'm supposed to do with my life, AKA, THE FUTURE. I know God is calling me to something awesome that can be used for the good of people around me, but sometimes I feel SO lost trying to figure out what that is!! I hope I can figure out how to best use my skills and talents to make me happy, be able to support myself, and make a positive difference in the world. #2 - Getting "stuck." I know that sounds silly, especially since I'm such an advocate of "if you don't like it, try something else!" But it seriously does freak me out. What if I get stuck in some dead end job that I hate? What if I don't end up in a place I enjoy? What if my life stays in this weird stagnant place it's in right now? I know I have control over changing these things, but still...scary. #3 - Losing someone I love, especially my family or close friends. I've been thinking about this a lot lately, especially since my friend Austin died a few weeks ago (right after that I had a dream that it wasn't Austin, but my best friend and boyfriend, Erik, and it was horrible). I know that this isn't the end (the best is yet to come, right?), but selfishly, it hurts when we lose people.

3 Goals - #1 - To be in better shape (and probably to lose weight, too). I was doing SO well, and then I got in a car accident in August (I got rear-ended) and ended up with a wicked case of whiplash that I'm still trying to recover from. Then in April I tore all the ligaments in my ankle. So these two injuries have made being healthy and in shape pretty difficult, and it's driving me crazy!! I can't wait until I'm cleared to start running again. #2 - To figure out what's next, and to stop being scared of taking risks and next steps, whether this means moving, going back to school, finding something that fulfills me, etc. This is the year to do it! #3 - MUSIC!! I have put this aside for TOO long!! I really want to work on playing my guitar and singing A LOT more, and I want to learn to play the piano. I also really want to sing the Nat'l Anthem at some sort of sporting event. I'm not sure why this is my current focus, but it is. I think it would require some major bravery on my part...maybe that's why I want to do it, to prove to myself I can.

3 Current obsessions - #1 - Jodi Picoult books. I LOVE this author!! I first read "My Sister's Keeper," which is amazing, and I've read about 10 of her other books now. I can't put them down, and there's always some twist at the end. I love to read, and her style is great! (Although honestly, I'll read anything, and I'm ALWAYS looking for book or author suggestions. Hint, hint.) #2 - Horseback riding. I used to teach Western riding lessons, and for some reason it's all I can think about lately. I hadn't ridden in FOREVER, but my sister and I went last night!! And it was GLORIOUS!!! There's just something about flying down the road on the back of a horse that makes you feel so free. Hopefully last night's ride will help tame that desire for a little bit. :) #3 - LOST! Erik and I watch this show faithfully (practically the only show I see with any sort of regularity, thanks to my crazy schedule), and it's been our weekly date for the last two years. It is a CRAZY show!!!

So, there you go. Now it's waaaaaay past my bedtime...and I tag...um...April and Audri and whoever else wants to do it! :)