{30-DC} Final Day: Day 30: Part II: 20 goals you want to accomplish.

I admit that I feel a little neurotic about that Part I post....I realize that most of it (most of my self-consciousness) is in my head.

As for this last part, I think twenty goals is....a bit overkill. I'm going to keep them pretty basic, even day-to-day, in nature. Because I think 20 big goals would just have me sobbing in a puddle on the floor. Pretty overwhelming.

1. Clean my master bedroom today

2. Put away at least three loads of laundry today

3. Make time to read the awesome book I've started, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane.

4. Have friends over for dinner this week

5. Organize the hall closet before next week

6. Attend Relief Society meeting tonight.

7. Paint my fingernails.

8. I'm starting to run out of goals. This is definitely overkill. Time to get reeeeally basic.

9. Get up from the computer.

11. Breathe. (Actually, this IS easier said than done, considering my allergies are really raging today.)

12. Eat dinner.

13. Sleep.

15. Skip #14.

16. Be more selective about blog challenges, reading them through to the end before commencing.

17. Greet Phill with a big fat peanut-butter-tasting kiss (Nature Valley granola bar, thank you very much) when he gets home

18. Laugh (already done)

19. Repeat #18

20. Call it good

GOOD.

{30-DC} Final Day: Day 30, Part 1: A picture of you today

I had some fun trying to get a good self-portrait for today, using my camera remote. Some of the photos were hilariously off--like focused on my shirt instead of me, or just completely off the mark altogether. Some of them were revealing in the in-between moments they caught--like my stressed out face, or my mad face (the remote was wigging out), or my pensive (and somehow sad) face. Totally appropriate, considering today I've been pretty all over the place, emotionally speaking.

Anyhow, what I'm getting to is this: I'm going to post two pictures of myself today. One that shows all the flaws that I'd rather hide--roughness of my skin, zits (my skin has been absolutely hellish for the last several months), forehead wrinkles, dryness....and then another photo where I've taken away those things that really bug me.

I know you know that I edit photos of myself and present my best-edited face to the world. I'm not opposed to putting my best face forward, not mine or anyone else's. I know I'm not hideous. And I know that many of you who read this, see me in daily life and know that I'm not near as pristine as the photos I try to produce. But I'm trying (really) hard to be more comfortable with the things I cannot change about myself. My wrinkles aren't going anywhere. My zits--well, I'd LIKE to bid them good riddance, but they seem mighty comfortable here on my face. The thing is, I don't really want to depend on my looks to help me feel emotionally sound. I'll take good care of myself however I can, but I know, too, that how I look is not the most important--OR the most interesting--thing about me.

And I forget this. All of this. Especially on days when I'm having a bad hair day and hormonal skin and ill-fitting clothes and body issues. Which is why I'm posting this. To remind myself as much as to tell anyone else.

This is actually a good day for zits....I usually have four times this amount. 

{30-DC} Day 29: In this past month, what have you learned?

I know this is random, but I have learned....wait for it....that I actually like Oprah! I know. I'm shocked, too.

No really, after being so set in my slight distaste for most things Oprah (it really was slight), I saw THIS (not a full version--maybe it's on Hulu) and could only conclude that I have sadly misunderstood where she was coming from. And seriously, this cleared it up--in a huge way. I love what she's after. I love what she stands for. I think she is a great force for good.

{30-DC} Day 28: A picture of you last year and now--how have you changed since then?

Brand-new Penny in my arms

This photo is from April 2010.

For one, we don't have sweet Penny Lane anymore. I still miss her from time to time, but I'm also still sure we made a good decision in giving her a better place to live.

Two, I look pretty pale in this photo because I was still somewhat recovering from my septum surgery and couldn't stand much time in the sun. (Felt like my nose was baking, inside-out....so weird.) At this time, April 2011, I can say I do have a smidgen more color to my skin than in this photo. Gladly.

I can honestly say that I'm happier than when this photo was taken. It's not so much that I was terribly unhappy, but I feel like I just had so many unresolved feelings that I was trying to sort out. I still have some, but to a large extent, I feel more peace now than I did then. I know myself a little better. I feel a little more forgiving of myself and a little more in tune with what my purpose is.

With continual heavenly help and some earthly angels, I've overcome specific heartache. I've written some posts I'm proud of, this one in July 2010 being one of them. I have watched my children grow and felt the bittersweet joy of mothering them; how fast that time has gone. I have had answers to prayers, some of which have come in the simple form of just helping me know where I want to go with my work.

Pretty good year. :)

{30-DC} Day 27: Why are you doing this 30 day challenge?

Because I figured it would give me a good temporary framework for some blog posts!

Because several of the questions intrigued me.

Because I wanted to see if anyone else would, and I was curious about their answers.