the end of the month.

It feels like it was a hundred years ago, or maybe it was just last April, that Kara tagged me to do a blog questionnaire. I was outrageously flattered that she tagged me, which maybe sounds ridiculous, maybe not. Anyway, I tried to play it cool, saying I'd get to it "eventually" when really I had every intention of filling the thing out right away. Except that I didn't. I filed it away in my mind as something to do when I had no idea what to blog about. But even when I had nothing to write, I still failed to use that questionnaire...thing. Well, I'm going to do it now.

Eleven things about me:

1.

In my high school art class I pretty much did whatever I wanted. I mean, I did the assignments, but in between those projects I would just do my own thing. I loved having access to so many supplies. It was a happy time. I remember one day I found a board, I like the size that it had been cut to, so I decided to paint it. It was some messy, colorful, abstract type painting, and to this day, I think it is my favorite piece. But I get a little knot in my stomach when I remember my art teacher getting after me, because apparently that board had been cut specifically for someone else. (How was I supposed to know, it wasn't labeled, which it should have been.) I'm also sad to say that it is currently sitting in my sister's basement. Every time we've gone to visit, I forget to bring it home with me until it's too late. I miss my painting.

2. I celebrated my 8th birthday in Costa Rica. We were living there at the time, we stayed for about 10 months, my siblings and I even attended school. 10 years later I took my little sister (then 8) for her first time. We stayed for about 3 months.

3. I'm the 3rd child of 8. (And there's only one boy in that group.) The oldest and youngest are 20 years apart.

4. 2 of my babies were born at a hospital (one with medication), and 2 were born at home. I love home birthing and would prefer never to do so in a hospital again.

5. I had never been to Colorado until the day my little family moved. It is a very strange experience to pack your bags and drive to your new home that you've never seen in a place you've never been. I thought to myself a few times "what if this place doesn't even exist?"

6. I've never been pulled over (I know it is bound to happen someday...) But I have had a couple of accidents and I realized the other day that each of my little accidents has involved a Subaru. I love Subarus, I have no idea why I keep hurting them...

7. This boy of mine is ridiculously cute. (All of my babies are, but he's currently the one who I take the most pictures of....)

8. Speaking of boys, I don't think I've mentioned that having sons scares the crap out of me. I have 6 sisters. Girls are familiar to me. Boys are foreign territory and the fact that I have 3 terrifies me. Boss is sure that E will be our only girl, and I freak out a little bit every time he suggests this. (Because I want 10 children, and to have 9 boys would be insane.)

9. I can name all of my teachers from pre-school to the 6th grade. There were two male teachers at my elementary, but all of my teachers were women. (pre-k: Hobbs & Winder, k & 1st: Dixon, 2nd: Westphal, 3rd: Miller, 4th: Singleton / Hadden & Kelly-Buxton (I was moved to a new class part-way through the school year), 5th & 6th: Cummings)

10. I haven't had a hair cut in 2.5 years, but I used to cut my own hair. I loved having it short. I loved doing the cutting myself and would do so frequently. It was a huge stress reliever to me on more than one occasion, the most memorable of which was December 25, 2005 -- the night that Boss kissed me for the first time. That was a weird night...

11. When I was in high school I taught myself how to play they hymn I Stand All Amazed on the piano. I would practice it every morning on one of the pianos at the seminary building at school. After weeks of practicing came the moment of truth, when I played it in front of my seminary class. There are a few hymns that I consider my favorite, but this one is my #1. This kid plays it so much better than I ever could, and then some. Enjoy.

photo challenge day 28:
the braid!

Now that I've posted every day this month, I think I am going to take a little break from blogging. From social media entirely, actually. Just for a week. See you later!