32. Accept an invitation that is out of my comfort zone

In the middle of conquering number 32 on my list, i found myself experiencing a minor ephiphany (is that even possible?)! I'm getting ahead of myself, sorry, I do that. At first glance, this seems like a blow-off challenge - poor little 40 year old has to go to a party. BooHoo.
But let me explain.
I admit it I am a sociable person. I love people and I like to have a good time. BUT, i prefer to do it in my comfortable group of friends. I am infamous, i am embarrassed to admit, for accepting invitations and then cancelling last minute. I don't know why. I guess if i am honest, it is some deeply hidden feelings of self-doubt and inadequacies. How Oprah is that?! Whew! I feel a little better. Kids have made the situation even easier for me. When my daughter, Kate was born, my sister used to call her my "excuse." She was right. Many times over the last several years, I have used them as a reason not to do the things I was afraid to do. Pathetic. Sitting here typing that I see that. Help me Oprah Winfrey!
So while # 32 seems like a blow-off challenge, it wasn't. I was invited to a birthday party. For a 29 year old. A beautiful, intelligent, vivacious 29 year old.

I should probably hate her but I don't. She jokingly calls me her "life coach" although if she reads this, I'm thinking I might just be out of that position! The party was pink-themed. As luck would have it, pink is my signature color! The guest list was mostly unfamiliar to me, the names I did know, i didn't know well. And then it snowed. And then my mom didn't want to babysit. And yada, yada, yads, very easy to cancel. But I didn't. My mom changed her mind, the roads improved and luckily, I look pretty hot in pink!


At the party, I was chatting with one of my many new friends and explaining my blog. Talking about it, out loud, to a stranger. It sounded so stupid. Like I was trying to prove something to somebody. Like I needed people to know that I am not that shy, quiet girl afraid of her own shadow. It freaks me out when people act like they are still in high school, like the cliqs of yesterday ever meant a damn. But how am I any different? Am I doing this to prove that I am not that person, that now, i should be accepted into this or that group? How is that any different. The realization stopped me mid-sentence. This isn't about high school, about fitting in or being accepted. It's really, not even about Oprah (gasp!). It's about me. Me being me. For me. So if you are looking for a life coach, you might check somewhere else, because I am just getting started. Life begins at 40 baby and I am ready to start living!

Dear Oprah, maybe I should edit my list...

I realize that we have just begun this journey but I already see myself changing! Although, not "officially" on my list, I am pushing myself to try things I normally wouldn't. I know I mentioned that I grew up being shy - probably most of the readers here remember me as that "shy girl." That is if you remember me at all. I was seriously afraid of my own shadow, afraid to try anything new, afraid to step out of the box for even a minute. Now don't get too excited, I am not going to start a brand new kind of X-treme sport or start jumping out of airplanes but I am taking baby steps.

Today, i did something I have never done before. It is embarrassing to admit but I had never been sledding before. I have taken my kids numerous times and laughed as my husband raced them down the hill but I have always stood at the bottom, watching. As a kid, it was my fear of heights, of getting hurt, of the unknown. As an adult, those fears magnified. Ridiculous, I realize. But today, I did it. I climbed up the hill, sat criss-cross applesauce on a sled and slid over the bumps, over the ice to the beautiful glorious bottom, laughing the entire way. Over and over again! It may not have been much but somedays even a molehill can feel like a mountain!

Little Baby Lacy

Just thought I would mention I also keep a family blog - have for years! If you want to check it out, just click here!

Tomorrow is a new day and I hope to be crossing one more thing off my list! Come back soon to see which one it will be!

Number 42 - invent a new game!

With today's icy weather, I took it upon myself to invent a new game. It wasn't on the list but thought it was worth mentioning. Feel free to play along at home!

The David Payne Drinking Game
In honor of the 2010 “Big Time Ice Storm!”

1. Every time Marc Dillard “rolls up on an accident,” take one drink.

2. Take three drinks any time anyone uses the word “bullseye” in reference to OKC.

3. Take one drink anytime a highway closes.

4. Take 2 drinks every time an interstate closes.

5. If David defines sleet, take a drink.

6. Take 5 drinks every time an anchor mentions where you can still spend two thousand of your hard earned dollars to buy a generator.

7. If an attractive young intern is standing on the side of a city street checking to see if the roads are frozen, take a drink.

8. Every time an anchor asks you to send in weather pics, take 3 drinks then take a picture of your drunk ass and send it in.

9. Take one drink for pics from any town with a Native American name.

10. Take 2 drinks every time David says “I-44 corridor”

11. Take 2 drinks every time David says “major ice storm.”

12. Every time David says “Big time ice storm” take three drinks.

13. Take one drink and roll your eyes, every time David says or shows 100% chance of precip today.

14. Take 2 drinks for “wide-spread” power outages.

15. Anytime someone says “ODOT” take a drink.

16. Any mention of sand, salt or pre-treating the interstates earns you one drink.

17. If David asks you to “hang on,” take a drink.

18. Take a drink if you are asked to stay home unless you HAVE to get out. Running out of alcohol does not justify getting out. You were warned to stock up people – let’s be responsible!

19. If David explains what the “pink” means, take a drink!

20. Anytime your city’s temperature is mentioned, take a drink.

21. If you lose power, take 10 drinks and use your i-phone to update your facebook status.

22. Every time David says “Hobart” take a drink.

23. Take 2 drinks every time David says “watch out!”

24. Anytime someone says “Slick and Hazzardous” add “that’s what she said” and take a drink.

25. If you see your child’s school closed for the rest of the week finish the bottle. Game over.

Number 4 - volunteer for a church ministry...

CHECK! Yay!! I am officially crossing one of my 40x40's off my list! Sunday, Jay and I taught our very first Sunday School Class at church. We had observed the week before but I didn't want to cross it off until it was official.
Years ago, I taught Sunday school for my small little church in Edmond. Now I go to one of the biggest churches in the city. What a difference! I got a little freaked out when they tried to "mic" me to teach! Luckily, I have a loud voice and we had a great bunch of kids that were good listeners!
We had 23 (yes twenty three!!) kids in our combined 4th and 5th grade class! We are teaching the early class so I was surprised to have so many kids! The curriculum is called "Grapple" basically it uses bible teachings to help pre-teens grapple with their daily lives! The lesson this week was how is the Bible different from any other book or is it? We got into this lengthy discussion on the Twilight book series and whether or not they were appropriate to read. I am telling you, I have never felt more exhilerated! Everyone was so grateful that Jay and I volunteered to teach this class but I am telling you, we were the ones who were Blessed! We are teaching on a rotating schedule and just committed to teach till summer but my hope is we will continue and follow this group as they move into confirmation and youth group over the next couple of years, Brooke included!
I wanted to say thanks to everyone participating in this, I hope you all are finding great rewards and our continual support of one another leads us all to the "BIG O!" Of course, I'm talking about Oprah - what did you think i meant??

Posing a question...

Dear 40 yr old friends,

I have a question. I am sure that I am not the only one noticing ummmm, certain changes as the big 4-0 approaches. But today, I had something happen that is not just puzzling but extremely disturbing to me. I was cleaning the kitchen and loading the dishwasher when I noticed we are now out of butter. Without thinking I grabbed the empty butter dish, rinsed it out and started to place it in the dishwasher. You can just imagine my horror!! I took a deep breath and tried to regroup from this near disaster. So it is with baited breath I pose this question to you, my almost 40 and fabulous friends! When you turn 40 is it required you start saving butter dishes and lids that you will NEVER use only to be discovered years from now in a cupboard you had forgotten about or is that a 50 things at 50 requirement?

Thanks in advance from your fabulous at almost 40 friend,

Jenn

(oh and by the way OPRAH)

Ground Zero

the list continues...and The Oprah Effect!

21. Go dancing at a country bar
22. Host an "open forum" for Brooke and friends and their moms before they start middle school next fall.
23. Go fishing
24. Create a signature cupcake recipe
25. Design Brooke's school yearbook (obviously this is ongoing but totally deserves a spot on my list!)
26. Start a Prayer journal
27. Read Minute Meditations for Busy Moms
28. Lose weight (with a goal of 40lbs)
29. Visit the Oklahoma City Museum of Art
30. Have a mammogram
31. Re-enter the workforce
32. Accept an invitation that is out of my comfort zone
33. Plant a vegetable garden
34. Go to or host a scrapbook party
35. Visit my friends in Kansas
36. Get together with some of my '88 classmates!
37. Go to a GHS football game
38. Make a will
39. Take the girls to a baseball game
40. Get an Oklahoma's Drivers license and become an organ donor

OK, ladies and gents, it's official! My 40x40 list is complete! I am ready to hit it and start crossing some of these off! I am so excited that so many of you are joining in this blogging circle. I think a lot of us feel the same way, that we are beginning something life-changing. I hope so. A good friend of mine (even though she is just turning 35) suggested we all start adding OPRAH to our blog. She thinks Oprah would be intrigued by so many woman with really just 2 basic commonalitites, going to high school together and turning 40, are coming together to share their lives, encourage one another and better themselves. Wow - that really is up Oprah's alley! So....here it goes, my number 41 - let's take this to Oprah! You know her staff crawls the web looking for stories, why not ours? If you want to mention Oprah in your blog, go for it! That will help her producers find us and of course, we can write a letter too! This is exciting already! Go team Oprah!

ps. just thought i would add, the Oprah thing is truly just for fun, this is not why i am doing this. My real goal here is to challenge myself to be a better person, mom, wife, daughter, sister and friend.

The list...

Let me just start by saying, there are excuses and there are reasons. This is a little bit of both. I have the daunting task of designing my daughter's school yearbook. Although I have spent 20 years around some of the world's most talented graphic desigers, I have never done ANY of the actual design work. I consider myself a terribly creative person lacking any useful skills whatsoever! So this is indeed a challenge. I have 24 pages due the end of this month and up until Saturday I had exactly ZERO of them done! Proudly, i now have TWO complete. So while I am quite proud of that fact, I am a little disappointed that my 40 things list did not get complete! Because time is clicking away, I am going to share half my list today and will have the other half by the end of the week! A friend of mine was calculating my time the other day and apparently I have to complete more than one per week to make it before my October 27th deadline. With that being said, I give you the first half of Jenn Lacy's 40 Things by 40 Years List!

1. Run (or walk) a 5k
2. Submit a short story for publication to atleast 3 national periodicals
3. Feed or prepare meals for the homeless
4. Volunteer for a chuch ministry
5. Join a Sunday School class or Mom Group at church
7. Go to a movie alone
8. Take my children camping in a tent
9. Cook a 4 course dinner for 4 friends
10. Take my family to my grandmother's grave.
11. Host a 40 is fabulous slumber party
12. Play Blackjack at a casino
13. Take dinner to a sick friend or neighbor
14. Surprise my husband
15. Have budoir photos taken
16. Go skinning dipping
17. Take a dance class
18. Spend a day taking landmark photos
19. Kiss in the rain
20. Take an Oklahoma wine tour


So there you go, dear friends, I am ready to start my journey. I am so excited to see so many friends joining in - what a great adventure we are beginning! If you haven't signed up, it's not too late! Leave a comment or send me a facebook message and I will help you get started!

Forty and Fabulous

This is my quest to be forty and fabulous! It would be much easier if someone had a plan all mapped out for me or perhaps a book entitled - Jenn Lacy, So Your Turning 40 - here's how to be (more) fabulous!. Wouldn't that be nice? I can't complain too much, this was my idea afterall. So my plan, dear readers, is to spend the weekend compiling my list of my 40 goals. So if you see me standing alone, writing in a notebook at Brooke's soccer game or Lillie's birthday party, please don't stare and don't interrupt, it's official 40yr old business!

I haven't made it this far in life without making some pretty good friends along the way. Thanks to the beauty of social networking, I have reconnected with some High School buddies! While we may not have been close 20+ years ago and our paths have all been different, many of us find ourselves in a familiar place, standing in front of a mirror and wondering, who on earth is this almost 40 year old face staring back at us? So of course, I have invited my friends, some new and some ummmmm....."not new" to join me! I expect my sidebar to be filled with 40 yr old bloggers soon. Please check them out, I imagine they will be filled with many triumphs, perhaps a few tears and plenty of smiles!

In the meantime, I think i am going to make a cocktail to get the creative juices flowing...

Cheers, Ya'll!

October 27, 1970..

I was born. It was a beautiful fall day in Killeen, Texas. The jewel-toned leaves fell softly to the ground. The heavens rejoiced at the arrival of earth's newest angel. Oh who am I kidding....I have no idea what happend but the Killeen, Texas part is true enough. My father was serving in the United States Army at Fort Hood, Texas. For as long as I can remember my father has introduced me as his daughter, Jennifer, the one who was born in Texas, but don't hold it against her!

I grew up with a younger brother and younger sister. We didn't stay in Texas long. No, my parents were and also will be sooners. Growing up, I was a good kid. I was too afraid of getting into trouble so I rarely muddied the waters. I was shy. Painfully shy. People that know me now will call me an out and out liar but it's true. So now I ask you.....

Would this face lie to you?

I think not.

I was shy but always competitive and extremely goal-oriented. From the time I was born I knew I was destined for one of two careers. Choreographer. Or Nun. A serious car accident my senior year in high school ended my dance career abruptly. As far as the nun thing? Well.......turns out I'm not what you might call "nun material." AND.....as my mother always reminded me, I'm not Catholic. So there you go. I remember once being described as "having a flair." Not sure what the intended meaning was but I took it as a compliment. A flair for the dramatics, maybe? I did spend a semester in college as a music theatre major. That ended when I figured out they expected me to sing. Turns out, not such a good idea. Eventually I turned my aspirations to writing. Through a round about way, I ended up in communications. I think I took every speech class the university offered. Turned out, I wasn't so shy afterall.

I remember having an assigment once where we had to write a paper about our goals. What did we envision our life looking like at various stages in our life. I wrote about my life at 25. I wanted to have just been married and be a crazy successful writer. In actuality, I was very single (and loving it) and I WAS working for the state's largest newspaper (in advertising). My paper also took me five more years down the road into my magical crystal ball to see my life at 30. I was still so happily married, 2 kids, a boy and a girl (obviously!) and now a pretty successful author by New York Times standards (as if any other standards matter). Actually, when I was 30, i was still working at the state's largest newspaper - (for a newspaper a lot like the New York Times, except it was small, not well-respected and in Wichita, KS), Atleast I was very happily married and a proud momma, not to a boy and a girl but 2 girls, the second one not being born until I was 35.
I don't know why I never looked beyond that 30th year. I guess I thought what was the point, by 30, I would be ruling MY world. Yeah, cause that's the way the world works, right?
So here I sit. 39 years old. 39 years and 3 months wondering what to do next. Where will this road lead me? I've taken several right turns in the last couple of years. My family and I have moved home to Oklahoma, my career is on hiatus. My dream of becoming a best-selling author has faded into becoming the best mother I can be. So I had an idea. This shy girl from Killeen, Texas (go ahead and hold it against me, i can take it!) has some things to accomplish and it starts right now. Over the next couple days I am going to be compiling a list. 40 things to accomplish by my 40th birthday. I am going to be realistic - you won't see any, "i want to cure the common cold, bring peace to the world or even run a marathon but I AM going to challenge myself to break these binding ties, to be a better me. I hope along the way, to meet new friends, learn a thing or two about myself and prove once and for all, life really does begin at 40!