My Top 10 Life Experiences

Life is complex, full of highs and lows. I recently have been giving a lot of thought to some of my favorite life experiences so far. There are specific days that will forever hold a special place in my heart.

We each have moments where life takes our breath away. Here are ten of my favorite life experiences. I’d love to hear what some of yours are.

Disclaimer, these are not in any particular order.

Even at a young age, we can understand the importance of particular moments. One one the most profound moments of my life happened when I was 3-years-old. It was a windy day in May when I first met my little sister, Kaitlyn.

I remember thinking she was so small and wondered when she would be big enough to play with. I had understood the baby was in mom’s belly for so long but to see this little human being was really exciting to me.

Quick shout out to my father for letting me dress in those epic 90s style pants and for doing his best to tame my wild hair. Messy hair, don’t care.

Fast forward three years. I am now 6-years-old and ready to meet my newest baby sister, Amanda.

One of the best things about meeting Amanda was sharing the moment with Kaitlyn. I remember dad picking us up from school and then driving to Grand Forks. We were both so excited. I liked the feeling of being a big sister already but knew this was new for Kaitlyn.

The same feeling struck me again when we met her. What a small human! I would sing to Amanda as a baby and loved the company of our newest baby sister.

Amanda, I have to apologize if you’re reading this. I couldn’t find a photo of our first moments together when I was writing this post.

I don’t have a photo from this moment, because when it happened we were out on the ocean, but it was amazing.

In 2016, our family went on vacation in Florida. My sisters had gone out paddleboarding. I was splashing around near the beach and decided to swim out to meet them.

As I approached, Kaitlyn pointed out that there was a dolphin and her baby (calf) swimming around just under the paddleboards. I crawled up on Amanda’s paddleboard (that was a bit of a struggle) and watched as they swam directly under us. They swam with such force!

My dad caught on to what was happening and made his way out with the Go Pro. We did our best to capture it on camera but it was seriously such a random, cool experience. You can see the video here. Just fast forward to 5:45.

In 2017, the solar eclipse path of totality went through parts of the United States stretching from Oregon to South Carolina. Jordan and I ventured to Nebraska to experience this phenomenon and it was absolutely breathtaking.

The road trip itself was quite a bit of fun. We traveled in his van. Along the way did some hiking and exploring of various state parks and wildlife management areas.

We parked the van up on a hill to watch the solar eclipse take place. It was around 11:50 in the morning and lasted roughly two and a half minutes.

The first interesting thing that happened as it began to grow dark, is when the birds circled around the pond and then landed. Birds sleep on the water so since it was getting darker, it must have felt like bedtime.

The second thing that happened was the crickets started to come out. It truly was starting to feel like a sunset.

Finally, when it was dark, you could see stars…IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY! It was absolutely breathtaking. I cried.

As the eclipse ended, it felt like a sunrise. Slowly the sky began to light back up as if someone had turned the lights out. People who parked nearby us clapped and cheered. It was incredible.

I know normally death isn’t probably something you find on someone’s top ten experiences in life. My grandma passing away was difficult and saddening. However, being with my grandmother as she passed away, really strengthened my understanding of life and death.

My grandmother was in the hospital and the family had all gathered to say their goodbyes. She was still alert for most of the day, but it was a long day for everyone and my aunts and uncles needed some well-deserved rest. We knew there was a chance she may not make it. I stayed to be with her along with my aunt and uncle. We slept in the room but at times, I was the only one in the room with her. I talked to her. I’ll admit, it was odd for me at times, because she no longer was responding, but she was alive. I was 27 years old but felt some childlike fear. I wanted my parents there with me. At times I felt confused, afraid and ill-equipped. I’d never seen someone I love so close to death.

Early the next morning, something changed. Her breathing quickly changed. My aunt had just come in as grandma took her last breaths we held her hand and told her tearfully, “it’s okay to be with Jesus and grandpa now. We love you.” As she passed, I no longer felt afraid. I suddenly felt calm. Any pain that had been in her body now escaped her. She was free. She was now with grandpa and Jesus.

It was a profound moment for me and one that makes me realize that life really is precious. Family is precious.

Have you ever bought yourself a house for your birthday? I have!

Three years ago on my birthday, I closed on my house and moved in. It was the start of a chapter after a very difficult year.

I walked into my new home feeling empowered, excited and ready to begin a new chapter in my life. I won’t lie though, it also felt overwhelming and anxiety-ridden.

I was 25 years old and buying a house by myself. It was a huge decision, but the right decision. Having the support of friends and family meant the world to me.

Looking back, I am proud of myself for having the confidence to make that choice. In buying my home, I learned a lot of amazing life lessons about being self-sufficient. I didn’t have internet for the first six months and spent time reading and just reflecting on life. I learned to forgive myself and others for some heavy things that weighed on my heart. I struggled but conquered loneliness. I learned to better cope with my anxiety. I used the pink toolkit given to me by my parents, to fix my own things around the house. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but I was giving it all my best effort.

Three years later, I still love my little house. I love who I share it with now (my amazing husband and dog!) but grateful for the time I had to myself.

I know everyone says their wedding day is the happiest day of their life, but it’s true. Marrying Jordan was the happiest day of my life.

He is my best friend and although we are quite opposite, we’re truly an amazing team. I’ve never met someone I can be so silly and honest with. This might sound strange, but I am so grateful that we are a couple that “fights.” We have had disagreements, misunderstandings, and differences in our personalities that make it difficult for us to find common ground at times. However, through all that, we have learned to really communicate, forgive and love one another despite how we might feel. I went into our wedding day knowing we’re both committed to a lifetime of loving one another.

Our wedding day was a celebration of bringing two imperfect people together as one. It was a reminder to us that God’s love is abundant.

The wedding day was cold. I used to say I’d NEVER get married in the winter, but honestly, I wouldn’t have had it any other way!

I started running in high school. When I joined the dance team my sophomore year, it was important to cardio train. I’d run along a path near my house and at first, I was slow. I remember thinking at the time, I’ll never run more than a mile!

Then college came and I found running was a great way to manage stress. I started to add a mile or two. I completed my first 5K (just over 3 miles) in 2010. A few years later, I decided to run my first 10k, but I told myself I’ll never run more than 6 miles!

In 2017, I decided to stop telling myself “never.” Around the time of buying my house, I decided to spend that year training to run a half marathon, 13.1 miles. In 2017, I completed my first half marathon at 2 hours and 9 minutes.

The funny thing is, I don’t remember it hurting. I don’t remember negative thoughts. I felt so much positivity during the run. I thought of all the highs and lows in life and how they’ve pushed me to be a better person. It was truly a fantastic experience to complete the finish line.

I have mixed feelings about this one but I think it’s an experience worth listing.

Let’s start here: In 2006, at the age of 15, I won an American Idol-style singing contest in Fargo, called Fargo Star. I won an all-expense-paid trip to South Carolina to audition for American Idol as well as recording studio time to create a demo.

Here’s where the mixed feelings come in to play. The American Idol thing didn’t work out. Everyone asked about American Idol and every time it came up, I felt like I had failed. I was embarrassed. However, winning Fargo Star opened the door to other experiences. I was asked to sing at a local coffee shop. I sang for a local women’s music showcase. I eventually sang the National Anthem at a Minnesota Twins game. All in all, I think those are some pretty amazing opportunities for a 15-year-old!

Is my demo CD something I’d want the world to hear now? Probably not. However, my amazing dad came with me to the studio to be my keyboard player and I think that day was special to both of us. What kid wouldn’t think it’s cool to record a song in a real studio?!

Did I act like I was the coolest? Probably. Did classmates tease me? Sadly, yes, some. There are things about the experience that are a little embarrassing but in the end, I think kids who have the confidence to do what they love should be encouraged. It propelled my love for singing and I went on to enjoy years on the worship team and eventually met my now-husband. So, it all worked out!

I can’t find a photo from that day, but my dad took me flying with him when I was 9 years old. It was a very special day. We flew to Grand Forks, then Rochester and back home to Fargo. Reaching high altitudes made me pass out, but I do remember as we came into Fargo, we saw Northern Lights in the sky. It was a beautiful and amazing experience to share with my dad who is still a pilot.

Have you traveled somewhere beautiful? Experienced a natural phenomenon? Seen an amazing wild animal? Won a contest? Endured something difficult but amazing?

I’d love to hear from you below!