~35~

 

 

 

 

This past year was filled with emotion….ups and downs. I learned that my daughter has a bleeding disorder and watched my husband be rushed into emergency surgery. We went on the most memorable and fun family vacation to Florida. We baptized our sissy belle. We spent so many “regular” days together…laughing, loving and dancing. One week in May pushed me to my emotional limits (Camy’s diagnosis and MSW’s surgery happened the same week). In August, we decided I would resign from my job. A week later I was offered a too good to be true offer to stay. I stayed and then announced as a National Teaching and Excellence award winner. Yes, it is fair to say that while not everything in my 34th year was traumatic or bad….it was a year that I emotionally and psychologically grew the most. I would also be remiss not to mention how my faith deepened too. I love more, I laugh more and I appreciate it all so much more after those experiences. Today, I gladly leave my 34th year behind me and move on to 35.
35 is a big year for me….a benchmark. Since I was 31, I have been talking about “when I turn 35...” So many goals I wanted to achieve by 35. I’m on track and happy to be where I am at 35. I still have so much to learn, though. A list of 35 unique things about me in celebration!
1. I sleep with 4 pillows. If I don’t have them, I don’t sleep. Yes, I travel with them.
2. I am becoming almost fanatical about being organic. I buy as much of our food organically as I can. I don’t use chemicals as cleaners and am very conscious about our water, etc…
3. If anyone had access to my google searches they might send me away to the funny farm. I can find all my answers with google searches.
4. I like living in San Antonio but dream of living in Alabama. My favorite Northeastern city is Boston and I could probably live there too.
5. I love to bake but rarely eat sweets so most of what I bake is given away.
6. As organic as I want to be, I still have my hair highlighted regularly.
7. I love my children more than words can describe, even when they drive me nutty.
8. I really love teaching. I get so excited to walk into my classroom everyday and spend a lot of time thinking and planning my lectures.
9. I personify almost everything. My car has a name as well as my ipad, etc…
10. I can recite the preamble to the US Constitution.
11. I am passionate about my faith and politics but keep both very personal. I don’t feel the need to convince anyone to believe in my beliefs.
12. When my friends and family are happy…it makes me in a good mood and happy.
13. I am becoming an early to bed, early to rise kind of girl. I can probably thank my children for this. Amazing how much you can accomplish before 7:30 am.
14. At 35 I have finally found my amazing core group of friends. I know exactly who I can count on, who can make me laugh, who I can go to for prayer, etc…
15. I love to craft and DIY projects. I have 10,000 projects I want to accomplish.
16. I love twinkle lights, Ferris wheels and hot air balloons.
17. My dream vacation is to Italy and Greece….specifically Tuscany and Santorini. It will probably be 10+ years before I take this trip but I am already planning it.
18. I am Methodist but have a very deep interest in Catholicism. I wish I could have a rosary. 
19. I fix everything I possibly can with my glue gun. Yes, she has a name too and it is Rita.
20. I love to garden and my favorite plants are my plumeria and hydrangea. I would like to include my peony on that list too but the truth is that she has never bloomed. Peonies are my favorite flowers.
21. I love music and have a soundtrack for my life. If I had to name my all time, very favorite, could listen to it 100 times and anytime song it would surprise you. It is Pachelbel's Canon in D major. There has never been a sweeter piece of music.
22. I love chalkboards. Maybe it is the teacher in me? I have them all over my house and office. They contain quotes, scripture and music lyrics.
23. I’m an avid reader. I average about 5 books a month…for leisure, work, learning, parenting, etc…
24. My perfect day is sunny, 85 degrees and dining outside.
25. I always have a vacation in the works. I love to travel and experience new things.
26. On my trip to Italy, I am going to take cooking classes!
27. I don’t like to text. I do it and answer text messages but I’m not a fan. MSW wishes that I would text him sweet notes more often and I should do that for him.
28. I take baths not showers. I cannot go to sleep without bathing. Does not matter if it is 4 am, I will bathe before going to bed.
29. I have been on a 5 year break from my doctoral program. I will eventually finish…one day.
30. I love meeting new people and being inspired by others. I love a good success story and always root for the underdog!
31. I see everything through the lens of my camera. I look at something and think of how I would frame it in my camera.
32. I have increasingly bad vision. Come to find out, I had gestational diabetes with Camdyn’s pregnancy that did a number on my vision. I am scheduled for Lasik next January. I have an overwhelming fear that it is going to result in blindness.
33. I am OCD when it comes to being clean and organized. This applies to me, my house, my children and so on.
34. I make all the beds in the morning and fold down the covers each evening…I should start leaving a mint too, huh.
35. I’m very disappointed in my abs. I had no idea that a c-section would do such a number on them and I am determined to get them back this year!