My 100 Things

I have had a blog for working on 3 years now, but was never very diligent about it. I also didn't learn about all the fun stuff that is part of the bloggy world. Now, with this new blog I'm learning, and finally being consistent about posting.


Now, with my 100th post, I want to present more of those things that make me who I am...the person behind this blog. Here you will find a lot of things about me...how I grew up, who I am related to, things I have done, things that have been done to me, and things that I believe very strongly. This is ME...or at least part of me...I can't fit it all in 100 short facts...there is more to me than this list....but I have to save SOMETHING to write about!

1. I am the oldest child of 2 oldest children....and both of my grandfathers were only children.


2. I have 3 living siblings.


3. I lost 1 sibling when he was 5 months old. He was born with a heart defect.


4. I married an oldest child.


5. I have moved 16 times in my 39 years of life.


6. I have lived in 4 different states.


7. Because of my chemical sensitivities, there were fears I would never be able to have any children.


8. I have 6 children.


9. 4 girls, ages 4, 5, 10, and 14


10. 2 boys, ages 8 and 11


11. They were born in 3 different states.


12. I was scared of having boys, because I didn't think they would be any fun.


13. The first child was a C-section...she was stubborn.


14. I also had a miscarriage...on election day in 1992.


15. The 5th child was born at home.


16. That was planned.


17. A week after that birth, my husband deployed.


18. I love being a military spouse.


19. I get very upset with people who claim to support the troops, but are unsupportive of the jobs they have to do.


20. I love having a large family.


21. I get irritated with people who ask if we know what causes "that"...being children. I LOVE having children, and I love the activity that creates children, and I am a relatively intelligent, college educated, married woman. Of course I know what causes "that"....don't insult my intelligence.


22. I would love to have more kids.


23. That is not going to happen.


24. I was homeschooled for kindergarten.


25. I was also homeschooled for portions of my highschool experience.


26. I also attended two different church schools.


27. I went straight to college from high school....at a Bible College.


28. I spent most of my childhood attending Mennonite churches.


29. I couldn't wear makeup.


30. Or jewelry.


31. Or pants.


32. I made some of my dresses.


33. I learned to sew complicated things when I was 12 years old.


34. I love to sew.


35. I also love to paint.


36. I used to write poetry.


37. I also wrote fiction when I was in elementary school.


38. I have never had anything published.


39. I also play the paino....for my own enjoyment.


40. I love photography....though I am not very good at it.


41. Both of my brothers, my father, my uncle, and my grandfather are all good photographers.


42. I draw...mostly for my children's enjoyment.


43. I would love to be able to use my skills to earn some money.


44. I sing, too....


45. I sang in the choir for all 4 years of college.


46. I would love to use this ability again.


47. I played softball on the college team.


48. I haven't played since then.


49. My brothers and I used to go on LONG bike rides.


50. I had planned to hike the Appalachian Trail with my aunt after high school...that never happened.


51. I lived for 5 years on a dairy farm.


52. I lived for the remainder of my growing-up years on a 300-acre farm...my parents still live on that farm.


53. I homeschooled some of my children for 4 years.


54. I have worked as a secretary/receptionist.


55. And a short-order cook.


56. I cook well, but it bores me to tears.


57. And a switchboard operator.


58. I LOVED this job.


59. And an overnight cashier at Walmart.


60. I think that anyone who lasts working at Walmart for more than one year deserves a medal.


61. And about 10 other jobs.


62. Now I work from home...I LOVE working from home!


63. I started my first blog in April, 2005.


64. My husband and I were separated twice... the second time he filed for divorce.


65. God miraculously restored our marriage both times.


66. I am a HUGE advocate of counseling...the RIGHT counseling. Not all counselors are created equal. Keep looking until you find one that both of you can trust.


67. I was pregnant and/or nursing for a grand total of more than 13 years.


68. I LOVE being pregnant....I feel WONDERFUL when I am pregnant.


69. One of my passions is being a support to young moms, especially breastfeeding mothers.


70. Another of my passions is supporting military spouses.


71. I have several other passions...co-sleeping, attachment parenting, AT LEAST delaying vaccinations, homeschooling....


72. I also love chocolate...DARK, DARK chocolate, but will eat the other kind of chocolate if that is all that is available....


73. My favorite animal is a horse.


74. My favorite flower is an iris...a DEEP PURPLE iris.


75. My birthstone is my favorite color.


76. You guessed it...my favorite color is purple!


77. My favorite drink is blackberry wine.


78. My other favorite drinks are coffee and HOT tea.


79. I get migraines....but not quite as many, if I drink a glass of wine before I go to bed.


80. My reading habit gets out of hand on occassion...at times, I have had as many as 15 books which I was in the middle of reading...all at once.


81. Currently, I am reading 4 books...I haven't gotten to the library here yet...


82. I have a piano that has been moved all around the country...and not played nearly enough.


83. I also have a piano that resides in my parents' home...a baby grand piano. It is more than 100 years old, and a BEAUTIFUL piano. None of the rest of my siblings still play.


84. I love my computer....and I am the least computer literate sibling in my family.


85. I read fast.


86. I type fast.


87. I am slower at both than my mother.


88. I hate watching TV...it is such a waste of time to me...as are movies.


89. I grew up without watching ANY TV or movies...


90. I saw my first movie when I was a senior in high school...it was "Chariots of Fire."


91. I have been through a lot of painful situations in my life.


92. I was abused as a child...physicallly and mentally.


93. I have been an outsider all of my life.


94. My oldest child was taken from us for one week when she was still nursing.


95. Our finances have always been tight.


96. There have been times when I didn't think we would have anything to eat.


97. Marital issues were a huge part of my life for the first 10 years of our marriage.


98. I believe that everything I have been through has made me who I am today.


99. I believe that everything I have experienced has been for a reason.


100. I believe that God will use everything I have experienced for His praise and glory.