"5"

I am currently in a hotel room in Pleasanton, CA, a room I am sharing with my parents who so graciously are here to help me with the Scrapbook Expo this weekend. Oddly enough, I find I actually have time to surf the Internet aimlessly. I can't remember the last time I did that! Anyhow, I had not visited Heidi Swapp's blog in a while and I always like to see what's going on in China, so I logged on. It turns out that she is recommending a book called "5" to anyone who wishes to be inspired. Basically, it asks the question (paraphrased here): "What do you want out of your life in the next five years." Good question.

I may just have to spend the $15 and get the book after this quote:

“…This is your life, your one-and-only-life, and you don’t want to miss any part of it. So, what is it going to be? You decide. Starting today, you can make the next five years the most exciting, satisfying, productive and amazing years of your life so far - or just another five years.”

I am a Type-A planner by nature, but being married to an active duty Marine has made me learn how to adapt, quickly change plans and to "roll with the punches," the latter being the most difficult for me, especially when the punches hurt! But, then again, the Sagittarius in me has always taken on new adventures and opportunities as they came up, whether they were planned or not (mostly NOT!). I never want to miss a fabulous opportunity!

Now I find myself wondering, "What DO I want in the next five years?" Looking back on the last five, I never would have thought I would have a full-time scrapbooking career in the spring of 2003. I was living with my inlaws in rural Illinois with my 11-month-old son while my husband was overseas in Japan and Iraq for 15 months. While a scrapbooking career seemed a lifetime away, it was, in fact, something I dreamed of and wished for. I just needed the right opportunities to come along, take a deep breath and jump in to them when I had the chance.

So, how does that translate in to the next five? I'm not sure. Definitely answer the opportunity knock. Absolutely work hard and do the best I can do at what I am doing. Enjoy the people in my life. Take time to notice the blooming flowers on the hills that were on fire six months ago. Appreciate your spouse. Make your children laugh. Stay out of the cubicle farms. Never run out of Sweet & Low. I have plenty of thoughts, ideas and dreams, big and small, as to where I would like to be at the end of the next half-decade. I better get busy, because the next 5 years starts .... NOW.