A Game

My friend, Mary Beth over at Annapolis&Co. tagged me in a little blog game, and it's always fun to learn new things about people.  So, here we go...

Eleven Random Facts About Me (Half of you people will already know these things)

1.  I tried to play the violin, back in the day.  My parents found a package deal and bought 5 violins for their 5 kids and we took lessons for a year or so.  I actually got pretty good at putting a little vibrato in there.  And then my violin broke, my bow hair fell out, we got too busy for lessons, and I lost my skilz. I still dream about taking lessons again some day.

2.  I love Larry Crabb books.

3.  When we were little girls, my twin and I always argued over who was better, the right-handed people of the world, or the left-handed people of the world.  I fought for the left-handed people of the world.

4.  Nathan and I carpooled to school together one year when we were little kids, then we went our separate ways and didn't see each other for years.  When he was a man grown, he came to my church with a friend to help with the youth group.  We lead music together and fell in love.

5.  I read in spurts.  I probably pick up my Kindle 27 times a day, reading a page each time.

6.  I am a homebody.  Cooking and cleaning is oh so fun/relaxing to me.

7.  Sometimes I sleep in the clothes I wore that day, and then I wake up, and go to the grocery store in those clothes.  Afternoon nap time is my shower time, so that's my clothes changing time.  Now you know.

8.  I love shopping.  But I usually return half of the stuff I purchase.

9.  My current favorite snacks are honey-sesame cashews from Trader Joe's, and coconut walnut chocolate frozen yogurt from Braums.

10.  My sisters and I love to sing together.  But it usually ends with Alyson yodeling.

11.  And lastly, yard work makes me so happy.  I'd mow, trim hedges, weed, and plant all the time if I could.  I guess it is another form of my cleaning joy.  It's the OCD in me that loves shaping things up.

And that's not all, because now I am going to answer a few questions:

If you could live anywhere, where would it be?  
I can't decide between Colorado, anywhere in Maine, or Italy.  My experiences in all of these places were so wonderful.  If it weren't for family, we'd plant ourself in one of those places.

What's been your most embarrassing experience to date?
Oh, there are many to choose from.  Recently, Lola prostrate herself in the library floor while the lady scanned all our books.  She was mad that we weren't doing the self check-out.  It started with body jerks and little noises, and worked herself up to rolling and yell-crying.  But Kate usually talks to and pokes strangers quite freely.  She has said something to an old lady about being old, and to a fat man about being fat, and to a black man about being black.  My kids make me sweat.

What is your creative outlet?
I've always loved drawing/sketching.  In the past few years I decided to try painting.  I also love to bake, sew, crochet, paint the walls, refinish furniture, and blog.

What did you eat for breakfast this morning?
 Granola

What makes a good friend?
I've always appreciated my friends who makes me pray with them, and tell me when my voice wasn't kind when I talked to my kids.  But also they make a point to give hugs and say, "I love you."

What has been the most important day of your life?
Oh my, there are so many!  The thing is, salvation just keeps happening, so I could say that it was that one day when I first really understood the gospel, and really believed that I was loved by a Holy God and a Loving Father.  But there have been days since then when my depravity became even more real, and then His grace even greater.  And then I had kids, and the important days have just piled up.  Marrying Nathan was pretty important, and that has really shaped me.  Each child has delivered new challenges and lessons.  There have been surprises of pain and surprises of overwhelming joy.  Sorry, I can't choose just one.

Do you prefer to love or to be loved?
Oooh, that's a tough one.  It depends on whether I am feeling selfish or not. :)  I actually feel very fulfilled in loving.  Yes, I love getting hugs and such, but I do really love loving.  And my language is making you food, sewing you something, changing your sheets, putting away your laundry, listening to your story, laughing at your joke.  I prefer all that.

Fear aside, what is one thing you wish you were brave enough to do?
Ok, don't laugh.
I would love to be Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables.  Or just sing in a musical.  That would be fun.

Who Inspires You?
 Why, Mary Beth is pretty inspiring. :)  Also, I've known women who have experienced hard times and much pain.  They have powerful stories, and they have each inspired me with their joy through those trials.  And even when they couldn't quite find joy, they had strengthened belief in God's goodness.  I still dream of being the lady who will smile and have a grateful heart even when toilets overflow or when cancer comes.

Do you feel most invigorated when you spend time with other people or being by yourself?
I find that coffee and myself are pretty invigorating.  But I know that after a good girls' night out, I just got a kind of medicine I didn't realize I needed.  Or if I choose a play date over cleaning, it really is food to the soul.  I need both.

Please finish this sentence - I wish I had known...
There was a time when I drove people away preaching theology at them and holding them to a standard of behavior to earn my love.  I wish I would have understood the greater importance of grace; my need for grace as much as theirs.  I wish I would have known that they needed love and hugs more than how-to's and admonishments to straighten themselves up.  I wish I would have known then, how much He loves the needy, unfit, and broken.