Twelve Things I Never Expected …
My niece had an interesting blog where she listed twelve things she didn’t expect she would be doing or have done by this time of her life. it got me to thinking what I would write about myself …
1. I would have never thought I’d have been the Executive Director of a non profit agency for twenty years and be in charge of a million dollar budget. I expected I would be a stay at home mother and full time housewife.
2. I wrote a book last year. I actually expected I would write a book some day … but the fact that I did deserves a spot on this list. I am starting my second book in less than two weeks.
3. How could I have ever dreamed I’d be blogging. The word wasn’t even in my vocabulary until a couple of years ago.
4. Who’d have thought I would feel so close to great friends I’d meet on the Internet … some I may never meet in person.
5. I thought I would always enjoy doing crafts … and I don’t. I didn’t expect I would love to crochet … and I do.
6. I didn’t think I’d be a senior citizen so soon and I certainly didn’t think I’d feel like one.
7. I didn’t think it would be so hard to write twelve things … It would have been a lot easier to write them thirty years ago when life was filled with more surprises. I guess what surprises me now is how predictable life can be now. I have the things I like to do and the things I don’t like to do and for the most part I do the things I like to do. I guess I didn’t know how nice it would feel to dance to my own song.
8. I didn’t realize how much I would still miss those in my family who have passed away. It isn’t a painful thing so much as a desire to talk … to run things past them and laugh at our funny memories. I think about them every day … sometimes I find myself holding a one sided conversation.
9. I didn’t think I’d be overweight. I should have known since it is in the gene’s (as well as the jeans) and because I love to eat … but I really didn’t expect it to be a problem my entire life.
10. I sure didn’t think I would have to ask my grandchildren to help me figure out the remote control to watch television. Now that just bites.
11. I didn’t expect I would ever consider voting a straight Democratic ticket … or if I did that I would ever admit to it openly. Old age frees up some of those inhibitions, I suppose.
12. Having never expected I would be able to take 120 pictures on a camping trip and not have to worry about the cost of getting them developed.
Hi Grandma Henke. This is good. Thanks for sharing a little of your “life’s surprises” openly. I’ll have to make me a list like this, because it amazes me how my perspectives, goals, and focus changes as progress in life. I’ll have to say though, that the thing that amazes me the most is me love for grandparenting. I have seen other people’s lives change as well as they become grandparents. I have a sister-in-law that was never fun to be around (you know the type). When she became a grandma about 10 years ago, she mellowed out so much. She is so positive and loving, and always talking about her cute grandbabies.
- Grandpa Shayne
This is fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this.
How are you related to Mike? I love Mike. He seems like a really down-to-earth, non-judgmental, fun guy.
My husband doesn’t know how to use the remote either. Perhaps the two of you could form a support group.
Ohhh. I just read your About page and realized that the spelling of your last name is not the same as Mikes. Doh. Sorry about that. Brent and Kim seem great too. Brent makes me laugh.
BRETT! I knew I got that wrong. Geez. 17 comments later….
LOL Natasha! I can tell you’re my kind of person! Welcome to my blog.
I like your list too. It’s definitely interesting to think about…how we are the same person, but changing all the time. I’ll have to write another one in another 10 years. It’s so hard to fathom!