Twenty of the Most Random Things About Me

Happy Friday, friends.  I am woefully behind….not only in visiting my friends, in joining and enjoying the link-ups but also in responding to comments.  I have been a bit (quite a bit) under the weather this week.  I thought I might have some food poisoning as the pain and symptoms began not long after eating; however, I have felt unwell much longer than I would have expected.  Who knows?? But I am hoping to get a bit caught up today.

Typically, I join the Five Minute Friday linkup on this first Friday of the month.  I didn’t think my brain would be completely alert enough to make a coherent post; however, the prompt today is a rather fun (and easy) one.  The word is TWENTY.  I don’t plan to set a timer today but, without further introduction, here are twenty random things you may – or may not – know about me.  Just for fun!!

1 – my first “real job” was as a police dispatcher.  I was young and rather immature:) It was fun but I am glad that I did not stay terribly long.  Well, three years – which was longer than I should have stayed.  On a positive note:  I met my husband there.

2 – my first “job” (other than three weeks at Burger King or the bit of babysitting I did during high school – earning an amazing 25 cents an hour!!) was at a farmer’s market.  Only interesting because not only I am the least likely one to be working outside.  Where you get your dirt under your fingernails.  But also the fact that I loved it!!  Still not a dig-in-the-dirt kind of girl but I loved the stocking and selling veggies fresh from the field!

3 – I once (very much) wanted to be a dairy farmer’s wife.  I was completely smitten with the idea of living on a farm and raising my family there.  My best friend’s grandfather (a farmer) was all for it – even began looking for eligible farmers!  It was the makings of a summer romance novel…..mail order bride for a dairy farmer.  I totally got spooked and closed that dream with a quickness.

4 – I have never broken a bone or had stitches for an injury.  And, now, I have probably just jinxed myself.

5 – I do not do well around blood.  Or large amounts of blood.  Past experiences tell me that I will most likely pass out.  Thankfully, none of my children ever had too many accidents requiring stitches.  The one time my son needed them (as a teenager), I made his older sister take him to the ER.  Pitiful I know but it was not an emergency….just a cut too big for a bandaid – ha.  I also cannot stand the sight of stitches!  Clearly, you do not want me around in an emergency!

6 – Two of my children are natural redheads.  Bright red hair….which, apparently, you can only have if you are of Irish descent.   The red hair comes from my side – so, I guess I am Irish.  Or at least some part thereof.  But I never would have known until they were born.  My family never really discussed “our heritage.”  I’ve never once heard it mentioned.

7 – I am right-handed.  Who knows if I might have been left-handed.  My mom was fanatical about children using their right hand.  Go figure.  Something else that I did not know until I had children.

8 – My mom was also, well, fanatical about our not speaking with a southern accent….which is a bit of a shame because I rather enjoy a sweet southern accent.  She is from a family of Southerners (and great Southern cooks…just saying) but decided somewhere along the way (in her mature early teen years) that dropping the accent made her more mature.  Adult and polished.  Sounds funny now but she was serious.  She worked hard to “untrain” her voice – and refused to let us talk like all the cousins:)

9 – I have one brother.  Not exactly from a big family…but I am blessed that he and I have a great relationship.  Interestingly, he and my son look (and act) very much alike!

10 – I am afraid of dogs.  This I have mentioned before….just recently, actually.  I am also not a fan of snakes.  I have been known to panic in a large crowd and am rather creeped out walking outside at night alone.  The older I get, the more easily I am unnerved.

11 – Airport security is the most unnerving of all.  For no real reason, the whole process makes me hyperventilate.  Just ask anyone who has traveled with me.  It is not pretty.

12 – The aforementioned makes travel less and less enjoyable.  I used to love to travel.  Sigh.

13 – Speaking of travel, I get seasick.  The patch behind my ear does help (and I highly recommend them) but travel by boat/ship is not that much fun either.

14 – My earliest memory is from age four.  I vividly remember moving into our new home and, taking a break during moving, we had a picnic lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the floor of my new bedroom!!  It was magical and, apparently, unforgettable!

15 – We did not have pets growing up.  My husband had not one but two dogs when we got married – and, hence, my first two pets.  We have had pets (mostly dogs but we did have a parakeet and even a bunny when the kids were young) on and off since then.

16 – My first car was a stick shift.  I bought it soon after I got that first job at the police department.  I quickly figured out that I needed a way to get to said job.  I bought the car on my own.  Was rather impressed with myself.  Took my dad and my brother down to the car lot to see it.  They were getting ready to leave and I asked who was going to drive my car home (I mentioned I was a bit young….) because it was a stick shift and I had never driven one.  As in, never.  My dad said, “well, you bought so you are doing to drive it” and he drove off.  It was a long and choppy drive home.

17 – I bought my first home – a super cute condo – when I was 21.  I made a lot of silly and immature decisions back in those days but this was not one of them.  I have never paid rent and I still think that is a prudent and wise financial decision.

18 – I love writing.  I love language and words.  If I had a superpower, it would be to speak multiple (as in many -but at this point, I would settle for two!) languages!

19 – I hate tomatoes.  I know, everyone who reads this blog knows that already.  But I could not write any type of list without including it.  I eat tomato-based products – bring on the ketchup! – but raw tomatoes are just gross!!

20 – Later this month, on July 21st, I will have my spiritual birthday.  Will remember the day that I became a Christian.  Forty-eight years ago!!  What??  How is that possible?  That truth humbles and amazes me.  I am so grateful for God’s amazing grace…and His free gift of salvation.