42

Today is my birthday (actually it was yesterday but I didn’t get this post finished then). I’m a whopping 42 years old. There! I said it.

I honestly contemplated faking 35 years old.
But then I decided I should be proud to be 42 years old. I’m not a beauty queen or the picture of perfect health but I don’t think I look too bad for being the busy mom of 3 kids.

This post is really more for me than for you. I decided I want a snapshot of what I’m like today. That way, when I look back, I’ll remember what my life was like at this point. I’m probably middle-aged right now. I would be pretty happy to live to be 84 years old.

So here goes. This is me at 42 (in no particular order)…

1. I'm a working mom.  I worked part time when my kids were younger but once little Abi started school, I had to grow up and work full time.  Truth is, I'm a better mommy if I work.


2. Hannah is my oldest child. She is 13 and a pretty normal teenage girl. She’s the average first-born over-achiever who does all her homework AND extra credit. She gets straight A’s and has known what she wants to be when she grows up since she was very small. She wants to be a neo-natal nurse. She’ll go a long way in life and I’m very proud of her.

3. Eli is my middle child. He is an evangelist, stand up comedian, athlete and inventor. He is the life of every party and the class clown. He can’t be embarrassed but he can get mad. He gets great grades but doesn’t do any more than is required of him. He thinks he has been dealt the worst lot in life – the middle child with an older sister and a younger sister. He makes me laugh every single day!

4. Abi is my baby. She is the perfect girly girl princess. She is so sweet and loving. I love how soft and cuddly she is. She has to work really hard at school and it doesn’t come easily for her. She wants to be a pre-K teacher because she can use her first name instead of her last name, i.e., she will be Miss Abi to her students. She makes me smile and fills my heart with so much joy everyday.

5. We have 2 dogs (shih tzus) – Bella and Bogey. We got them because my kids were getting too big to be rocked to sleep at night and I needed something to snuggle. They are perfect snugglers!

6. My life is so pinkalicious! I’m beginning to appreciate a happy green now and then.

7. If I’m not wearing pink, I’m wearing black. A lot of black. It’s slimming, you know. And it goes with everything.

8. I believe life is all about accessories. In fact, I’m probably an over-accessorizer. “If they can’t see you from the highway, you don’t have enough on.”

9. Shoes, shoes, shoes. Especially summer shoes. My favorite shoes are black patent leather strappy shoes with a 3 inch heel. They’re really 2 hour shoes but I can stretch them to 4 hours. 6 hours would probably be too much. I call them my killer shoes but they are so worth it.

10. Some may think I have way too many shoes, but they are wrong. A friend helped me clean out my closet about 2 years ago and I threw away 54 pairs of shoes. It really didn’t make a big dent in my closet. I probably need to do it again but I don’t like the thought of parting with any of my shoes. Remember, I’m an over-accessorizer.

11. I have a recently developed love for and addiction to golf. I just can’t get enough of it! You guessed it – my bag, clubs, tees and balls are all pink. I may not be a good golfer but I look pretty dog-gone good doing it.


12. I am really a coastal girl who has been mis-placed in the Midwest. I don’t think there’s much of a need for the high temperature of any given day to be below 70*.

13. My kids say I’m most funny when I’m not trying. That’s their nice way of saying I mess up most jokes and funny stories but I’m great at embarrassing myself.

14. Sunshine and Vitamin D are my friends. My greatest weakness is tanning. I know I shouldn’t do it and I promise myself I’m not going to do it again but I find myself a golden brown every spring and summer. I hope I don’t regret it someday.

15. My favorite time of day is happy hour. A large diet cherry coke is my drink of choice. I have spoiled my kids with this addiction to happy hour. I know diet coke is slowly killing me but it’s my only vice besides occasional tanning.

16. I am passionate about breast cancer research and prevention. God intervened in a breast cancer scare for me 7 years ago. I will forever be grateful and will always support this cause.

17. My favorite food is anything carb.

18. I love Disney. I’m especially fond of Mickey and Minnie. I know Disneyland and Disney World are overpriced and may be over-rated but I don’t care. I love all the characters and the escape from reality. It truly is the happiest place on earth.


19. I need to lose 20-30 pounds but I don’t want to work hard enough to do it. I love carbs way too much. I think my weight fluffs my wrinkles so it helps me to look a little younger. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it!

20. Walking is the perfect exercise. I try to get out and move every day I’m physically able to do it.

21. As I was jamming in the car one day last week, Abi told me I was made to dance. I’m glad someone finally recognized it! I think everyone should dance like no one is watching.


22. I’m a sinner redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ. I will forever be grateful for the price that was paid for my soul.

23. I have lots of favorite worship songs but my favorite today is “Better is One Day” by Chris Tomlin.

24. Psalm 51 is my daily prayer, most specifically verses 10-12 and 17 – “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me…The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”


25. I’m a crafter wanna be.

26. I have the most fabulous friends in the whole wide world! If you’re still reading at this point, you must be one of my fabulous friends. I love doing life with each one of you :)

27. The scripture I always refer to when going through a difficult time is found in Isaiah 43:1-4 – “But now, this is what the Lord says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by my name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you.’”


28. My dream car is a convertible pink Beetle. I’d really love to have a restored Karmann Ghia but that would be a 2 seater. I can get all my kids in a Bug. My pink convertible will be decorated with lots of happy hippy flowers.

29. My favorite pop song is “Just the Way You Are” by Bruno Mars. It’s so sweet to have a song written just for me :)  It’s the ring tone on my phone so I can hear it regularly.

30. I was created to minister to women, both in the church and in the community. These scriptures were prophesied over me in 2004: “The Sovereign Lord has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.” – Isaiah 50:4 and “I have put my words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of my hand.” – Isaiah 51:16.

31. Bling!


32. I’m a type A organized personality trapped in a disorganized body.

33. My love language is quality time mixed with some physical touch. I had no idea physical touch was on my radar but it is becoming more prominent for me as I age. Weird.

34. My lifelong best friend is Annie. She is my accountability partner, confidant, reality check and escape from reality (isn’t it funny the same person can be a reality check one day and an escape from reality the next?), soft shoulder to cry on, compassionate ear and inspiration. I couldn’t do life without her.

35. I’m not a huge TV watcher but I do love American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. My only problem is I hate it when someone has to leave the shows. I cry almost every week. I wish everyone could be a winner. Sappy, I know.

36. The greatest influence in my life is my mommy. She doesn’t get enough credit. She is an amazing, patient, God-fearing, strong, Christ-following, smart, calm, thoughtful, kind, hard working woman. I want to be just like her when I grow up. She has aged incredibly well and looks like she should be my sister instead of my mom. I wish I had a good picture of the two of us to post. I must change that!

37. I don’t travel lightly and I don’t plan to change my style.

38. We bleed Shocker black and gold.

39. Mitch just told me yesterday (publicly) that he thinks my greatest weakness is that I’m non-confrontational. I think he’ll regret saying that by the end of the week.

40. My hero of the faith is Mary of Bethany. I love her story as recorded in Luke 10:38-42. “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’ John adds a description of Mary’s extravagant worship in John 12:3 – “Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she proud it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of that perfume.” I want to always remember to sit at the feet of Jesus in extravagant worship. Help me, Lord, not to be distracted by all the work that needs to be done.

41. We live in an old 2-story house with lots of character (remember, that reads lots of imperfections and unfinished projects). We have a working elevator. It would come in handy but there is a rocket in the basement that stands up through the elevator shaft so the elevator is stuck on the 2nd floor until the rocket gets moved to the Cosmosphere. I’m amazed how many locals have stopped by the house and say they remember playing in the elevator as a kid. It’s our home’s claim to fame.
42. I’m not really much of a cook. I’m probably more like Debra Barone in this category. I have some friends who love to cook and who are very good at it. I’ll leave the cooking to them.

That's all!  42 totally random thoughts about who I am today, March 7 (or 8), 2011.