25 Random Things About Me

1. I am an open book, talk too much.....so if you ask, be prepared, I am very fluent in sarcasm! I am cursed with the gift of gab....and sometimes I can go on and on and on! And don't even get me started on my sense of humor.

2. I am ambidextrous, can write in calligraphy and even though it is dying art...I can still write in shorthand.

3. I can pick up things with my toes....partly because I am lazy, and partly because I love to have bare feet at all times. I cannot drive with shoes on (I know, it's illegal in most states) And when my hands were full carrying the twins it was a great skill to have :)

4. I have held many jobs over the years....first job, was McDonalds....yes, I wore the brown polyester suit with the visor!! After high school, I worked at the Department of Commerce where I developed microfilm and dealt with various Military Maps and Publications (even shredded documents); worked at a Jaguar/Honda/Nissan dealership and learned all the tricks they do when you buy a car; worked for Pulte Homes for many years before figuring out what I really wanted to do with my life (haha). My great grandmother became ill and I took CNA classes in order to care for her so she would not have to go to a nursing home. She died just before I was certified (but she was 2 months shy of turning 104). I worked at a nursing home and home health care as a CNA taking care of elderly and a very special patient with spina bifoda. Their lives and stories enriched my life in ways they will never know!

5. I left Stafford and went to college at age 24.....I was accepted to VCU and at the last moment switched to ECU. I came to Greenville, NC knowing only one person and thanks to Scott Robinson (and encouragement from Butch) I set out to be on my very own. It was very scary to leave all the comforts of family and friends...but an awakening of sorts. I think that going away to college is the best thing ever! I am glad I didn't go right out of school, because I would have received a degree in business or accounting...neither of which I'd want to do now!

6. I have a BS in Rehabilitation Services and a minor in Alcohol and Drug Education. I worked as a Substance Abuse Counselor at an in patient alcohol and drug rehabilitation treatment facility until I became a mom. I jokingly say, that I went to school to get a degree to become a mom :)

7. By far, being a mom has been the greatest job ever! It's the most rewarding and challenging job I have and will ever do! I am blessed to be a SAHM and am so grateful to have this time with my boys. They grow up so fast! They make my cup over runneth over, I am so proud of my kidlets! I am not looking forward to the day that they will spread their wings and fly....it will be bittersweet.

8. I always thought that the strongest bond that anyone could have was a mother/child bond. When I gave birth to twin boys, I felt that no one could love anyone more. Watching them together, I am in complete awe and know that the twin bond is even stronger than what I experience as their mother. The way they see each other, the way they interact....it is beyond words. It's as if they are an extension of the other....with a bond that is immeasurable!

9. I had the great honor and privilege of caring for my aunt Patty who was in need of a double lung transplant. She had battled Cystic Fibrosis and was on the wait list for Duke Hospital. She received her lungs on my birthday but had complications after the surgery. She stayed on the ventilator for 7 more months and died January 2000. She was in many ways like a second mother to me and I was blessed to have had that time with her.

10. I am currently pursuing a degree in Respiratory Therapy...18 credits to go! I love college, keeps me young....although I must say I am not always the oldest in my classes (but it does freak me out to be older than some of my professors!)

11. I have lost 11 children, each before my 7th week of pregnancy. By far, the most difficult thing I have ever gone through or experienced. It took a lot of time and soul searching to find peace that my losses...though painful, they each have shaped the person I've become. It has in many ways made me appreciate being a mother so much more and just how precious life is. Through all of these experiences, I have met and come to know some of the most wonderful women from all over the world. I love my Hannah's Prayer Gals!

12. I like to work with power tools....I can fix a toilet, adjust the hot water heater, change out pipes under the sink, and I love assembling lights and ceiling fans. I am Wendy from Bob the Builder! I love learning how to fix things around the house. We lived in a Victorian house that was 102 years old.....there was always something to work on.

13. I am scared of heights. I would gladly jump out of a plane....I do not care to bungee jump. However, with that being said....I will climb up a ladder to heights unknown, I just cannot seem to get down. Seriously, one time I was on the roof of our old house and I thought they were going to have to call the fire department to get me down.

14. I almost drowned in a pool when I was 12. My cousin jumped off the diving board and landed squarely on my shoulders preventing me from being able to swim up. An angel rescued me after realizing that my cousins squeals were out of panic but said that at first she thought we were just playing in the pool.

15. I love antiques. I enjoy the character and uniqueness of them. I go to auctions and estate sales and wish I could afford to fill my house with them. I think it is in part to my love of history and the nostalgia of it all.

16. I breed African Malawi Cichlids.....not by choice...by neglect. The dirtier my water is the more these guys like to breed. These fish are mouth brooders. Yes, I have learned way more than I wanted to know about fish. The first few times we had fry, it was exciting...but goodness....I have way too many fish in my 55 gal tank! We like to call it the circle of life tank :)

17. I love the beach, everything about it. The sand, the surf......the sound! My dream was to get an ocean front place....and this summer we purchased a small condo on the ocean side. It is one of my favorite places to go (Emerald Isle NC). I am going to get certified in scuba diving this summer. I love to snorkel. I could spend hours building a sand castle with the kids or hunting sea shells. I enjoy it even when it is too cold to get in the water. I can also catch fish in a shrimp net :) which is one of first things the boys want me to do once we get settled on the beach.

18. I have a bucket list. It has way too many things to list on here and the list continues to grow. I don't know if I will ever get to the end but it has been an adventure so far!

19. I collect anything Disney. I love Mickey Mouse. So much so, my entire Kitchen is Disney themed. Yes, I can make you Mickey waffles, princess waffles, Mickey eggs, Mickey toast, Mickey pancakes and a smoothie with my Mickey blender. It is one of my favorite rooms in our house. I even has a Disney Christmas Tree and it is full of all the Disney Characters!! Just like Walt....it all started with a little mouse (not a real one....someone gave me a plastic figure of Mickey answering the phone when I was a receptionist). I have a rather large collection that is boxed up as there is not enough room to display it all! Walt Disney World is still one of my favorite places to go :) I think in part because it is "magical" and you can't help but feel like a kid again. My favorite ride has always been It's A Small World.

20. I also collect Pez Dispensers, Bar Taps and Christmas Barbie Dolls. How random is that?

21. I descend from royalty....seriously, come on now...as if you didn't know I am a princess! I am really into genealogy and found many interesting "characters" in my family tree. I am related to Bartholomew Gosnold who was the very person that introduced Captain John Smith to Pocahontas. This is one of the reasons we are planning a trip to Jamestown this spring :) I would love to go to Otley Hall in England to visit where my family once lived. I have met distant cousins online and enjoy hearing the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation.

22. I love photography. My dream job would be a photographer for the National Geographic or Conde Nast. I see so much through the lens of my camera. Last year I finally went digital. Jury is still out on this one. There is something about a film camera that I enjoy. I would love to have a dark room in my house (and am considering changing the mud room into one). It would be nothing to me to take 30 rolls of film during a one week vacation. You do not want to know how many SD cards I have or how many CD's, external hard drives I have for just photos. I think I killed our last computer due to photo overload.

23. I will write a book one day. So consider yourself warned....you might be in a chapter already......hahaha!

24. I was informed by a former classmate that she thought I was a good girl in high school. I had to come clean that my senior year I was detained on a military base for being a minor in possession of alcohol. Oh yes, and did I mention I was in a car with my high school sweetheart and 3 of his friends who were all male? Let's just say I was lucky the judge was lenient due to the wrath of my parents and a very nice attorney in the court house gave me free advice to plead "no contest"!! I was on restriction for the first 3 months of my senior year. Missed a lot of football games, homecoming dance, etc. But I did graduate with honors!

25. My youngest twin was diagnosed last year with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. PDD NOS is part of the Autism Spectrum Disorders. We are constantly running to and from therapies and there are days I don't know if I am coming or going. Watching him learn and progress is a true joy. Having a twin brother helps a lot with his advancement and development. I am now part of the parent advocate group in my town. We take each day as it comes....living in the moment!

26. I have terrible run on sentences, need spell check wherever I go...and I use the "....." feature way to much when I type!