Day Twenty-One: Homemade Coconut Milk

I love coconut milk, but the rest of my family isn't too enthusiastic about it. I won't buy it just for me, so I was thrilled when I came across a very simple recipe to make my own. I've been saving it up and finally had the chance to mix up a batch for the very first time tonight. In my opinion, it is delicious. I can already see the smile on my morning coffee's face!

Homemade Coconut Milk

Day Twenty: New Mattress

Tonight will be the first time in our married life that Jeff and I will sleep on a truly brand new, fresh-from-the-package mattress in our bedroom. The one we've been using for the last eight years (when it hasn't been in storage) was a floor model in the store, offered to us at a deep discount. And the mattresses we used prior to that time were all hand-me-downs. We are ridiculously excited, as the old mattress was quite lumpy and uncomfortable. Here's to a good night's sleep on our first brand new mattress!

Day Nineteen: Hiding

As my grandparents' home filled up with sweet well-wishers bearing carb-filled comfort foods, my crunchy, introverted self started to feel overwhelmed. And eventually, in a effort to find a piece of quiet where I could take a break, I found myself sitting on a stool in the utility room, hiding from the crowd and the noise. It was probably not my finest moment, but it was definitely a first.

Day Eighteen: A Hard Good-bye

Some firsts are quite hard. We had to say our final good-byes this afternoon to one of my favorite people in the whole wide world. My Grandaddy was an amazing man with a gentle and quiet spirit, and he will be greatly missed. I'm so thankful that I had a chance to know this man and to be here with much of my extended family as we said good-bye.

A handsome soldier

Grandaddy has been my best playmate since I was born

My sister and me with Grandaddy in December 2014

Day Seventeen: Memory Lane

I'm sure that I have looked through my grandmother's old photo albums but it's been so many years that I don't even remember doing it. My family and I laughed and cried as we walked down memory lane and had such a good time making fun of outdated hairstyles and clothes and "stinker faces."

My tough face from way back

Day Sixteen: Church

Today was the first time I attended church with several members of my extended family, in a bedroom in my grandparents' home. It was a truly beautiful experience, and I'm thankful I was counted among the congregants.

Day Fifteen: Flight to Abilene

I have been to or through Abilene, Texas hundreds of times in my life, but today was the first time I ever flew there.

Ready for take off

What a view!

Windmills and a rainbow aren't a bad welcome

Coming in for landing

Day Fourteen: Job Offer

Today was the first time I have been offered a job by a six-year-old. Clay keeps a store in his room, in which he sells his art for "pieces of American money." Since one of his official classes in school this year is art, he has been adding to his collection every day. Apparently, business is really picking up, because this afternoon he informed me that I could work in his store if I wanted...and if I had a "vest or some sort of uniform to wear." When I inquired how much the position paid, he quickly retorted, "That depends on how hard you work!" Shrewd boss, right there, folks. I haven't committed to the job yet, but I'm thinking it could be just the thing for me...if I can find a vest to wear.

Day Thirteen: Kickstarter

I received a very heartfelt and unexpected gift today, and it put me in a giving mood myself. I've heard of the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, but until today, I had never so much as looked at it, much less thought of providing financial support to one of the projects. Very shortly after I began looking through the projects to see if there was anything I felt good about supporting, a perfect project jumped out at me and enticed me to make a pledge: The Yes And Journal. It almost seemed like Providence. I sincerely hope this one gets off the ground!

This photo is not my property but was borrowed from the Kickstarter page.

Day Twelve: Grand Ole Opry

We had the opportunity to visit the Grand Ole Opry tonight, and it was spectacular! We didn't know most of the musicians performing, so listening to some of them added more firsts to my list. The lineup started with Riders in the Sky, who have been members of the Opry for 35 years and who have won two Grammys for their work on the Toy Story movies (Woody's Roundup and You've Got A Friend in Me, which they performed tonight). Other singers included William Michael Morgan, Nikki Lane, Jimmy Wayne, Dale Watson, Carly Pearce, Kristian Bush, and Restless Heart. The Opry has been in operation for 93 years, so it felt like being part of history. We had so much fun! And, if all that weren't enough, we got to do it on Jeff's and my 19th anniversary, though, unfortunately, we weren't able to sit together, since I was off in the handicapped section of the theater with my trusty helper, Ruth, while Jeff and the boys were up in the balcony. Still, being married for 19 years and celebrating in separate sections of a theater are yet more firsts for me.

Riders in the Sky at the Grand Ole Opry

My sweet seat mate

First time to be married for 19 years!

Day Eleven: Total Solar Eclipse

Well, I know I'm not alone among the population in collecting this first experience, but I'm so glad it fell during my Year of Firsts, because it was just so amazing, and it's a fun thing to have in my memoir of this year. We traveled to Nashville so we could be in the path of totality, and I can tell you it was worth it, even with the 10-hour car ride and the bum knee! It happened shockingly fast, but it was surreal to see dusk fall in the middle of the day and see the street lights come on and the stars/planets come out and hear the bugs start chirping like crazy. Not to mention the sight of the sun hiding behind the moon! What a special experience! We're already getting excited for the eclipse of 2024 and are thrilled that our home state will be included in the path of totality at that time!

Ready!

Raise your hand if you have a photo just like this.

Day Ten: Andrew Jackson's Hermitage

We spent the morning at Andrew Jackson's Hermitage, which was my official first for the day. The grounds were beautiful, and the mansion was lovely. And, it was interesting to learn more about our 7th president.

Additionally, I less enthusiastically added the handicapped experiences of being ferried out to the mansion in a golf cart and viewing the mansion itself (first floor only!) from a wheelchair, for a couple of other firsts. It certainly gave me new eyes with which to see how difficult and inconvenient life can be for people who are under the same obligations I experienced today.

The Hermitage

The face on the 20

Day Nine: Uncle Tom's Cabin and Audible

I am embarrassed to say that I have never read Uncle Tom's Cabin. I'm also a little embarrassed to say that I only just started using Audible before our summer trip, but I have only listened to one of the Great Courses and have never just listened to a book. But with a ten-hour road trip on the agenda for today, I got to (mostly) knock out both.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Day Eight: Homemade Face Mask

I'm not much one for beauty treatments, but in the name of Firsts, I decided to give a homemade face mask a try. This recipe (though I substituted coconut oil for the honey, since I have dry skin) was so simple, and I had the ingredients on hand. Plus, I truly got a kick out of seeing my green face in the mirror. It made me want to proclaim, "You wouldn't like me when I'm angry!" I'm not sure if it improved the quality of my skin at all, but a smile always improves a person's face!

Feeling a little green

Day Seven: Origami

I've had an origami book on my Kindle for quite a while. It's something I got for free at some point and thought the kids might enjoy. When I came across it this afternoon, I had my inspiration for today's first. Though it didn't offer step-by-step instructions with pictures like I was hoping, it did have some interesting history and background on the various origami techniques. In traditional origami, the folding of cranes was sometimes regarded as a type of prayer, the aim of which was to teach concentration and patience. Hmm. I happen to be in need of an extra measure of patience at the moment, so I decided to go ahead and try the crane, even though it was rated "medium" for difficulty. And, I decided to use the instructions I found on origamiway.com, since the site offered clear steps and pictures. My crane still needs a little work. But so do my patience and concentration. So perhaps I will keep trying until I start to see improvements.

My first attempt at origami

Day Six: New Accessories

Apparently, sometimes I get to pick the first, and sometimes it gets to pick me. After my antics yesterday, my first for today ended up being the acquisition of some lovely new accessories. I can honestly say I have never owned a knee stabilizer or a pair of crutches before. X-rays show that nothing is broken, but the MRI tomorrow will tell the ligament story.

Accessorized

Day Five: Ripstik

I was having a hard time thinking of a first for today, but when the boys went outside to ride their Ripstiks, I decided I would go with them and get them to give me a lesson. They were thrilled to have me playing outside with them and to be able to share their skills with me. They were excellent teachers and were very patient with me. I finally did manage to stay on for a few seconds, but my victory was short-lived, because I hit a little crack in the concrete and went sailing. It was immediately clear that the lesson was over. The boys were so sweet and concerned and helped me hobble into the house and get iced up, since Jeff had taken Ruth to practice. Clay even offered me his special Spiderman bandaids. Maybe there are some firsts that 40-year-olds are not well suited for...

Sweet teachers and caregivers for old Mom

Day Four: School Uniform

This year the kids voted to have school uniforms in our homeschool. Not in the sense that we all match, but rather that we all follow a certain set of standards, which approximates business/business casual attire. Since I attended public school while I was growing up, I've never worn what I consider to be a school uniform, so this is new to me. But, I've always believed that the way a person dresses makes a difference in how they perform, and based on our first day in the school uniforms, that does seem to be the case.

Day Three: Homemade Jam

Because food is such a big part of our family life, I suspect it will figure prominently in my Year of Firsts. I had thought a while back that I wanted to try my hand at making jam but was concerned about finding a recipe that wasn't full of sugar. I was so thankful when I came across a truly sugar-free recipe, on the Living Healthy with Chocolate blog, that relies only on the sweetness of the fruit. It's already making me excited about breakfast in the morning!

Sugar-free strawberry jam 

Day Two: Bikini

Ok, so I technically wore a bikini on my honeymoon. But that was almost 19 years ago, and I wore a cover-up pretty much the entire time, so I think I can still count it as a first. Plus, I definitely haven't worn a bikini since having kids, so there's that. For most of my 40 years, I have been anywhere from somewhat to very uncomfortable in my own skin. I've always seen the flaws (and probably exaggerated them in my mind), and I've always been embarrassed by them. I also spent entirely too much time worrying about what other people might think. But, as I've gotten older, I've learned to appreciate me for who I am, and I've trained myself to ignore the temptation to compare myself to people I know and people I see portrayed in the media. I've also learned that most people aren't thinking anything of me because they are much too busy thinking of themselves. That's why I decided it was time to don a bikini again. My body is not perfect, but it's not something I need to be embarrassed of.

Day One: Palafitos

Today, I am 40, so it's time to get this party started! And, I might as well start with something amazing. From the moment I heard that such a thing as overwater bungalows existed, I have wanted to stay in one. For one reason or another, it has never worked out. But way before I decided to celebrate this big birthday with a Year of Firsts, my incredible husband planned to surprise me with a trip to the new Palafitos (overwater bungalows) in Mexico. It was the perfect gift and a great way to start my Year of Firsts. Here's to being 40 and to having new experiences!

Home sweet palafito

Breakfast in Paradise

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