At the end of last school year, we talked about things we want to do and made a Bucket List. We weren’t able to do everything this summer but we have crossed some things off. And will cross off hopefully four more by the end of the month. We’re just a few weeks away from our first experience on the Disney Dream and are so excited. The Disney Cruise Line app allows us to regularly check the days remaining until we set sail on a 3 night Bahamian cruise.

This trip will be our first real vacation in years and as we focus on the next three years, we look forward to many more. 

If you’re curious on why I am so specific as mentioning more adventures in the next three years, it’s because a momentous occasion could happen at the end of this time period. Over the next three years, Rhi will have started high school and possibly finish and go off to college; I will have turned 40 years old and started a new decade of life; And most important, Barbara’s blueprint will have come full circle which makes me nervous of what’s next in the journey. 

The journey has always been about providing more than I had growing up and sharing new and exciting experiences. So far, I think we’ve done okay. Based on the above bucket list, so far we’ve crossed off the following:

• #4 – Meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse
• #5 – Pet a kangaroo
• #30 – Become a published author
• #63 – Visit Disney Store in Times Square

Living in Florida and not too far from Orlando, its a bit easier to get to see the mouse. During our first year living here, we spent a birthday in Magic Kingdom and celebrated the holiday season at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Seeing Rhi’s face light up each time was the best part of the trip. Oh and snoap – we got to experience snoap. For my northerners that aren’t aware, snoap is fake snow. Its made of soap bubbles and allows parts of Central Florida to have an idea of what a white Christmas is like. Correction – a happy white Christmas. Trust….we know that the snow is only really pretty for 1-2 days then it turns yellow and black and becomes gloomy Christmas. At the moment, I prefer snoap during the winter time! We also took advantage of Busch Gardens in Tampa. An annual pass at Busch Gardens was more within our budget when we first moved than trying to become Disney AP Holders. And being only 45 minutes away was helpful too. Busch Gardens is twice the adventure as it has rides for the thrill seekers and a number of animals. It’s not like any type of zoo we’ve ever visited. The once in a lifetime animal encounters are a great addition to the already amazing experience. Rhi has a love for animals, so I’m mindful of programs that can offer enlightenment on rare and/or endangered species. With this type of exposure and involvement, hopefully when the time comes to apply to colleges/universities she will be in a good position. Everything within the next three years will not only be fun, enjoyable, fulfilling, but will have a purpose towards the 3 Year Plan.

Number 30 on our bucket list is “Become a published author”. I’m smiling and laughing at this because I forgot I’ve already accomplished this. During grad school, I took a sports sociology class that required a research paper. My professor thought my paper was good enough to be published in a journal for sports administration professionals. Then that next semester, he published my group work in his book Modern Sport And The African American Experience. If anyone is ever interested in reading a perspective of a much ignored topic of African American women in sport please let me know. So that’s me checking this off our bucket list, but guess what…..this summer we got a letter. Rhi had an assignment in her English I Honors class last year that required the students to write a poem. Her teacher submitted hers for a contest and the America Library of Poetry will publish her poem in a special book of student poetry entitled Illustrious. 😁 So proud of her!

I mentioned Barbara’s blueprint earlier in the post. This is a special project that has been pulling on my heart for a while. Details are not ready to share yet. But when they are, I hope someone is touched by what is said and done.

Until next time….

~Kelli