The Eleven Challenge

My friend Karen from He Leadeth Me gave me the following challenge.

 

The Eleven Challenge

 

 1. You must post the rules.

2. Post 11 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.

3. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post.

and then create 11 new questions for the people you tagged.

4. Tag people and link them on your post.

5. Let them know you've tagged them!

11 Fun (or not so fun) Facts:

 

1. I'm originally from South Haven, Michigan.
2. I'm kind of afraid of the dark.
3. I've recently been contemplating a tattoo.  Lol.  Seriously.
4. I can be very crafty when properly motivated.
5. I've broken my left wrist twice and my right collar bone twice.
6. I like to take pictures, but I'm hesitant to ask people to let me take their pictures.
7. I think I have a couple of books inside of me waiting to be written.
8. I often write very silly PotDs, Poems of the Day, and send them to my coworkers and closest friends.
9. I play WoW sometimes and have made a few good friends in such places as Lousisiana, Arizona, and Vermont.
10. I've lived in Houston for seven months and haven't found any doctors yet.
11. I have a favorite blanket that I've had since I was...well, I don't know how long.  I stole it from my mom's when I moved out.  It has a rubbie...it's in my lap.

Karen's Questions:

 

1.  What is the best book you have read recently?

I used to read a ton, but less these days.  The only books I've read recently are Stieg Larson's, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and The Girl Who Played With Fire.  They were good, but not my usual style.

2.  If money was no object, where would you go on vacation?

Ireland, Italy, an island, New York, Washington DC, to name a few.  And I'd want a spa day in the vacation package.  =]

3.  What is a memory of a grandparent?

Grandpa Robbins telling me about how the pool table was able to sort out the white ball to the right place.  It involved a little tiny fat man in the table who bounced the balls on his tummy in the right way...

4.  Who was your favorite teacher and why?

Mrs. Small.  She taught me math for two years in high school, Algebra II and Trig/EA.  Her dad died when she was 16.  She "got" me.

5.  What was a book you remember reading as a child?

Are You My Mother?, Nancy Drew, Boxcar Children, Clara Barton, Mrs. Piggly Wiggly, The Littles, anything I could get my hands on.

6.  What is something you remember doing with a sibling?

I remember rocking and singing to John.  He loved me to sing to him.  And I loved getting him to giggle.  I also enjoyed having him say "sit" and "frog", because it sounded like cuss words when he did.  lol.  My mother just loved that...

7.  What is something that frightens you?

Disappointing my family, my mom and brothers specifically.  Sometimes I hesitate to do what I think is the right or best thing for me because I'm afraid they will disprove. 

8.  Are you a mountain person or a beach person? Why?

Mountain.  Beautiful views.  Lots of reasons.  I'm not a big fan of water.  It's connected to my fear of the dark.  I prefer my water in a pool where I can see clearly that there are no monsters.

9.  What do you look for in a friend?

Loyalty.  Compassion.  Not judgmental.  Loves John.  If you can't love John, I don't want to be friends.

10.  What helps you to worship your creator?

Music and singing.  My favorite worship was during praise team rehearsal when I went to Southeast.  Doyle pastored me much.

11.  How do you feel about public speaking?

Call me crazy, but I love it.  I love motivational speaking.  I love doing professional development.  I've enjoyed speaking at Ladie's Day type things.  I love teaching my peers.  I even enjoyed TAKS training.  Crazy, I know.  Writing and speaking would be my dream job.

I have tagged the following people challenging them

to answer on their blogs, but I would love to hear in the

comment section from all of you.

 

Renate, Buttercream Dreams and Other Yummy Things

Allison, Walking Through The Doors He Opens

 

My Questions

 

1.  What's your favorite dad memory?

2.  What's your favorite comfort food, show, item, etc.?

3.  What's your favorite cause?

4.  What do you want to be when you grow up?

5.  Describe your favorite vacation.

6.  Who was your favoirte teacher and why?

7.  Do you remember any of your school counselors?

8.  What's your favorite thing to do with your kid(s)?

9.  Your favorite place to shop and why?

10.  If you could do one year of your life over, which would it be and why?

11.  Who inspires you and why?

Slumber Party

Sparkly nails

Lots of kisses

Apple cider

Fancy dishes.

Hot chocolate

Christmas lights

Watching “Tangled”

Late, late night.

Morning hugs

In my bed

Photos snapped

In my head.

Secret notes

Tender care

Left for me

Everywhere

Precious girls

Life’s uncertainties

All that matters

Precious memories.


I wrote this a few weeks back and forgot to post it.  I had such a great time having all of my sweet nieces over during the holiday.  I really am blessed with 8 precious nieces and nephews who love me very much.  I love and enjoy them all like crazy.

Stats

My blog stats say that someone in the Netherlands reads this fairly often.  I've never been there and don't know anyone there.  How cool is that?  Cool that someone reads it, not that I haven't been to the Netherlands.  =]

Reminder

have a new phone.  It has a feature called “Reminders” that allows you to make a “to do” list and put a check mark beside the items as they are completed.  I love that part; it’s so satisfying to see those check marks.  Here is what is currently on my list: 
                *get car inspected
                *renew car registration
                *talk to credit union
                *returns to Target
                *returns to Walmart
                *laundry
 
I was thinking about the items on my list this morning when I got a Caring Bridge notice that something had been posted.  So, I went in and read the latest news about my friend Johnna.  The doctor says she is in a vegetative state.  Her husband asked for prayers and is waiting two days to make any final decisions.  Heart breaking.
 
I have another friend I keep track of through Caring Bridge.  She has cancer.  She is actually in Houston at MD Anderson this week seeking further treatment options.  I pray they have good news for her.
 
I can’t help but go back to my list and look at it again.  It has some important things on it.  Things I need to do in order to not get a ticket.  Things I need to do in order to have clean clothes.  Important things.  But nothing that REALLY matters is on that list.
 
So what DOES really matter?  I thought about that question the whole time I was getting ready this morning.  I think the answer can be summed up in one simple word, relationships.  A simple word but a difficult reality because relationships are hard work.  But what else matters?
 
My car can be “renewed” and running, but if I don’t have anyone to go see, it’s worthless.
 
You can spend your life at school, C-Scoping, preparing, setting up and organizing, but if you don’t have relationships with your students, you are wasting your time.
 
You can build the car of your dreams, but if you haven’t cultivated a relationship with someone to share the dream with, what is the point?
 
You can work your fingers to the bone and make a fortune, but if you don’t have anyone to share it with or spend it on or give it to, then why?
 
You can have the perfect organizational system with time management principles in place and ultimate efficiency  achieved, but if all of that extra time isn’t used on people who matter, well, that’s pretty inefficient.
 
You can have the schedules done and the changes made and the letters of recommendation written, but if you don’t stop to enjoy your team or your kids, you’ve missed the point of being a counselor.
 
What matters is that all of the family was together for Christmas this year.  The presents didn’t matter too much, but the presence did.
 
Getting my nails done regularly doesn’t matter, but the relationships with my girls does.
 
The middle of the night purchases on Thanksgiving didn’t matter much, but the time spent with family, laughing until my sides hurt, did.
 
Another great feature about my “Reminders” app is that I can make more than one list.  I think it’s time to add a list based on what really matters.