They're just words

The words of my life:

Cancer
Down syndrome
cricopharyngeal Achalasia
stroke
epilepsy
narcolepsy
trauma
seroma
breasts
gastrostomy tube
PTSD
RAD
side effects
inframammary fold
tissue expanders
implants
chemotherapy
mammogram
MRI
PET scan

Twenty words or terms that carry so much weight, at various points of my life dictating daily activities. While these words have certainly been the roots and stones causing me to trip along life's path, they certainly do not dictate my direction.

As I encounter each of these obstacles I am reminded that God allows for life's lessons and learning to happen. It is my job to pay attention to what He is showing me. There are some lessons I will recognize in the moment, others that will take years and come to me in an "Ah ha!" moment. I am sure there will be plenty of lessons I struggle to recognize. In my head exists a list, and on the day I stand before the Lord I will whip out that list and say, "Umm God? Ok, you know that one day when I was standing in line at the grocery store and…? So yeah…Umm ...What exactly was the purpose of that little incident?"

What are the words of your life that cause you to trip and stumble?

Have you.....?

I've seen this on several other blogs this week, so I lifted it! LOL The things I've completed are in bold.

1. Started your own blog (Here you are!)
2. Slept under the stars (Gotta love the army for that one.)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii (When I was 11. Need to go back so I can truly appreciate it.)
5. Watched a meteor shower (again, in the army)
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disney World (when I was 7, and Angela's Make A Wish trip last year)
8. Climbed a mountain (Army stuff again)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo ( LOTS!)
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (Watercolor painting. I posted a picture here)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (Listeria, while pregnant with #1)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables( I ssoooo miss my big garden!)
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. (Had a pillow fight doesn't every kid?)
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (ssshhhhhhhh)
24. Built a snow fort ( DuH! This is MinneSNOWta)
25. Held a lamb (Lambs, goat kids, foals, held 'em all.)
26. Gone skinny dipping ( I'm not spilling!)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse ( a few)
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset ( Ixtapa w/Dean)
31. Hit a home run (I used to be athletic. LOL)
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language ( ASL)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (ARMY again!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke ( I'm a secret addict. When I'm drunk I know EVERY song! LOL)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt ( When I was 7)
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (Ixtapa with Dean)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud (When I was 4 I got STUCK in a puddle! LOL)
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (We still have one by us!)
55. Been in a movie ( I was an extra in "Hermann, USA")
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies ( only I ate them before I delivered them! >GASP<)
62. Gone whale watching ( While in Hawaii! LOL)
63. Got flowers for no reason (Pretty sure they were from Dean. >wink<)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (I'm 0+, what are you?)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (sadly, yes. A time or two!)
68. Flown in a helicopter (Go Army!)
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (Every girl should have a Mrs. Beesley!)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square ( But it wasn't long enough, and I didn't SEE enough!)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone (Remember my "naked in my robe" post? LOL)
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (Ummm HELLO!)
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book (Well, published IN a book. Does that count?)
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox (While 16 weeks pregnant with #2!)
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Prince, Whitney Houston, Shaquile O'niel, more I'm sure )
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby ( Ummm yeah, three of 'em!)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (Did you see my post about THAT?)
100. Read an entire book in one day ( "A Cup of Christmas Tea")

Tagged

I've been tagged by Christina over at Kwisteena's KWasiness. (Sorry this has taken me so long Christina!) I am supposed to define my life in six words. Hmmm....

In no particular order:

1. Interesting
2. Blessed
3. Humorous
4. Busy
5. Sometimes Chaotic
6. Diverse
--
Now I'm supposed to tag five more people...(the rules are to describe your life in 6 words and tag 5 more people, leaving them a comment on their blogs so they'll know they've been tagged).

I now tag

Tom over at Narrow Ridge
Kathy at Adventures in Homemakerland
Amy over at Larkin's Place
Michelle at Rhett's Journey
Alyssa at What's Happening at the Hoovers