At 4:42 this morning, I turned 25 years old. Quarter of a century. If I was an actual product, I would be considered an antique.

When I was younger, I remember thinking that 25 was just about ancient. Now that I’m here I don’t know if I’d use the word ancient, necessarily. I feel grown up, though.

I wanted to take a chance today to take stock of what I have accomplished, and what I have yet to accomplish. First, my accomplishments:

• I have sung on the Ryman Auditorium stage in Nashville.
• I have started my own business.
• I have developed housekeeping skills.
• I am married to a really great, supportive man who loves me despite my weird habits.
• I am a mom.
• I have begun making money as a writer. I have been planning this since I was in elementary school, and writing about the adventures of Lovey Bear.
• I am very happy with where I am right now in my life. In the 18 months since Becca was born, I think I have come a long way- as a wife, a mother, and as an individual. I am more patient (sometimes) but also less willing to deal with people’s crap. Mostly because I realize now how precious my time is. I’m a busy person, and I don’t have the time to deal with pointless drama.
• I can cook. I can bake. I make Betty Crocker look like a McDonald’s employee. Some days, at least.
• I can play the guitar, and I am already instilling a love of music in my daughter.

This is the short list- basically what came to mind as I sit here exhausted and bleary-eyed this morning. Mark thought it would be romantic to wake me up at 2:30 this morning to wish me happy birthday. It took me two and a half hours to fall back to sleep. Becca was up at 6:30. Yeah. Love you too, hun.

There are, of course, many things that I want to accomplish. Things that I am working on now, or things that are on the back burner for a while. They include:

• Get in great shape, and improve my eating habits. I also want to encourage Mark to eat healthier.
• Learn to play piano.
• Build up a residual income to pay the bills so that I can focus on my family and writing for pleasure. I would still like to publish a book someday.
• Travel to someplace not in North America. Probably Europe.
• Take some classes at a culinary school. Ideally, go to at least one of the Culinary Institute of America’s week-long boot camps.
• Increase our family size to 6. Four kids, plus Mark and I.
• Buy a house, make it a home.
• Finish a crochet project; learn how to knit.
• Improve my cake decorating skills. Learn to make flowers.
• Go parachuting and para-sailing. Not on the same day.

Again, this is the short list. I have spent enough time thinking about the past and planning out the future for today. I have a birthday to celebrate.