15 Day Challenge: [Day 15]

Wow! It's here. I can't believe I made it either. I'm hoping this will become a new norm for me: consistent blogging. Anywho, here you are: [Day 15], the final day.[Day 15]: What's the best compliment you've ever received?
Oh you guys have really stretched me...the best compliment?
Ummm....
I guess I'll go two ways with this: physical and character.
Both were recent, thankfully, because, otherwise, I would have no clue what to post here.
Physical: I've been told by a couple of people I have a firm butt.
Character: the doctor I worked for, his partner who worked in the same pod as us, my nurse supervisor, and the DON have all either told me I was an excellent worker who truly cared for the patients or have asked to have me back. That to me pays a huge compliment to my character, thus the best compliment towards it I have received to date.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 14]

[Day 14]: If you were only allowed to watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? 
Well...I would have to say Father of the Bride, Part II.
Why?
Because I love Steve Martin and Martin Short. And they make for many laughable moments in that film. Plus, it's just a heart warming movie. And I especially relate to it now that I have my own little one. I even find it funny how my husband noted the actress who played the daughter had likely never been pregnant because of the way she moves, sits, etc. throughout the movie as she "grows" and Diane Keaton had. Funny observation but only half of it is true. I found the info to confirm that on this and this page.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 13]

Wow... [Day 13] is already here? Time is passing too fast, though I didn't need a 15 Day Challenge to prove that. Why? Because my daughter is enough of a reminder. Be looking out for a 4 Month post at some point today. Unless, of course, I end up posting it way late, in which case, you would be looking for it tomorrow. Haven't taken pictures yet so it definitely won't be here until this afternoon. But it will be headed your way within the next 24 hours so watch out :)[Day 13]: List your favorites: song, quote, food, vacation spot, photo
So I know I could pick from any faves I have, but I decided to stick with the ones listed originally. Otherwise, I would have a hard time roping in my scatter-brained mind and never get you any. Thus here you have it:
SongReally? I mean seriously. Let's just start this out with the hardest thing to ask a musician: favorite song? I don't think I can give you a single favorite song.
I mean I love Yo-Yo Ma's performance of Bach: Cello Suite #1 in G, BWV 1007, Prelude. Then there is also NeedtoBreathe's Washed by the Water, Lay 'Em Down, A Place Only You Can Go (just to mention a few of theirs). Oh and The Civil Wars Dance Me to the End of Love. Or what about Coldplay Spies, Paradise, Fix You, Strawberry Swing, Swallowed in the Sea (you know, all of their albums :])? Hmmm...you know I also really like The Cab's High Hopes in Velvet Ropes. Or Kari Jobe's Find You on My Knees and Here. And Jesus Culture's You are My Passion. And Bethel Live's God I Look to You featuring Jenn Johnson. Oh and Ascend the Hill's version of Be Thou My Vision. Can't forget my and my hubs songs: Jason Mraz's Lucky and I'm Yours as well as (and this is probably #1 of the three) Aqualung's Brighter Than Sunshine.
Yep. I could keep going but I did that to prove you can't ask a musician that (or maybe you can but at least not this one). Music to me is all about mood, connection, experience. It all depends on where you are. That will decide your "favorite" in that moment. But a singular favorite of all times. For me, that is just not possible.
Quote I have a lot of these too, but there is one I consistently go back to. It is from C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters. Let me just say, that book is filled to the brim with a gagillion amazing quotes. I was reminded of such as I went a searching for what I'm about to post. Anywho, here is my go to quote:
"He wants them to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there He is pleased even with their stumbles." p. 40 Good quote, no?
FoodOooo la la. Well, I have to say if it is cooked right I would have to say steak. I love me some really, juicy, tender steak. With mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin or twice baked potatoes. And asparagus or my mom's strawberry salad. Yep. Steak it is.
Phew!
Glad that was easy :)
Vacation SpotWell, considering most of our family vacations were at the beach, of which I'm not a huge fan, and the only real vacation my husband and I have been on would have been our Honeymoon, I'm not quite sure I'm qualified to answer this question.
I do know I love to ski. I've been a few times. And I love it. I could see myself choosing that as my fave, especially since I prefer for it to be cold and you have to wrap yourself up in some good ol' toasty blankets. 
Williamsburg was fun. And I would love to go there again.
And I do remember enjoying D.C. when we went in my early teen years.
But I think I would prefer a vacay in the mountains. Or at least on a Cruise, because I remember that being quite fun too.
Ahh...for sake of answering the prompt: mountains/skiing
PhotoBad question to ask a newly budding photog and a photo junkie. I mean, I could smother my living quarters in pictures. Literally. If it didn't become so overwhelming, I would do it.
I guess let me share a few. One of which you've recently seen, but I love it so much I must post it again:

How could I not love this? I mean, my wonderful hubs did this on his own. Such a sweet man and he's MINE :)

This is from my second ultrasound. It's special to me because it was the first time I saw Zoë move. She was rocking back and forth and her little feet were bobbing around. So, so sweet!

Holding my sweet pea for the very first time. She snuggled with me. Agh I love her so much I feel my heart bursting!

Let me tell you just how mad I am this picture came out fuzzy. Seriously. Because that precious grin, oh that precious grin! All mine (and her dad's) :)

So I cheated on a few of the answers. I just couldn't pick one :)

How about you? What are your favorites?

15 Day Challenge: [Day 12]

Linking up with Sar again over at Life of Love. This challenge is getting close to it's end. I can barely believe it!Let me forewarn you: this post somehow becamse ginormously long :) (and yes I know that makes absolutely no sense but whatev)[Day 12]: What are you most looking forward to in the next six months?
Oh geez! I'm not quite sure how to tackle this question. Honestly, my mind starts reeling, for several reasons, when I read the question. I don't have any big plans or events coming up that I'm looking forward to. Where my mind goes becomes a fork in the road: my hopes and dreams I would desire to come to fruition and the changes I know we're headed for but I'm not so sure I'm jumping for joy over.
Let me explain.
My husband works his freakin' tail off. No joke. He has a full time job working for FedEx Office and manages part-time at a Wingstop here in town. On the days he works both jobs, he works 16 hours straight. To say he is exhausted is an understatment. It spreads both of us thin. And I wouldn't be able to stay at home with our sweet girl if he wasn't willing to work that hard.
For several months now, he has been searching for a way to provide for our little family with a single job. And searching. And the economy sucks. And searching. With nothing to show for it. FedEx has offered him "promotions" but they are all lateral moves, none of which will help him get a foot in the door to move further up. He's applied to different positions throughout the company and still has found nothing.
Thus, my first hope and dream: 1) I pray constantly for God to answer, all the while allowing me (and Ben) to be content while seemingly stuck, is a job that will provide for our family. One sole job. A job that will provide everything we need, including more time as a family.
That is another desire: 2) more family time. We enjoy what we have. And the bit we do have is such a blessing. It could be way worse. I am very much aware of this. However, with both of us being stretched quite thin, the time we do have isn't very quality at times. God has been very gracious and allowed us to make the most of it (usually), but it would be nice to, at times, not feel like every waking minute has to be spent with Ben because of how often he is gone.
That takes you down the left side of the fork in the road.
If you're feeling up to it, let's wander down the right.
You see, in March we welcomed a beautiful baby girl. My sweet pea. My pride and joy. My cuddle bug. Sugar britches. Smiley girl. Zo-Zo. Blue eyed heart stopper.
A 100% healthy little bundle.
And with like most healthy little bundles, there is a lot of change in just the first weeks and months, not to mention year. Within the next six months, she will be 10 months old. NO NO NO NO (told you I wouldn't be jumping for joy)!!!
*sigh*
I want her to grow. Really. I do. It just makes me cry thinking about it. I'm tearing up as I type this.
But 10 months? Seriously?!
Ugh.
By that time, we will be learning to eat by ourselves, which means solids will have been well under way. We more than likely will have gotten our first tooth, if not more than one. Rolling will have passed and crawling started. Possibly walking. Sitting up on our own. Repeating one syllable sounds such as "da da", "ma ma", "ba ba" (I think you get the idea).
So much change in so little time. In a way, I'm looking forward to all the change. I want Zoë to learn the world around her and I am always intrigued watching how she interacts with all the newness to her world. It's fun and sweet and exciting. However, it is such a bittersweet.
And so there you have my glimpse into the next six months. Only time will tell what will actually come to pass.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 11]

[Day 11]: What's one thing you would never change about yourself?*sigh*
Whoever came up with these prompts are striving to make me better about talking about myself. And I guess knowing myself better, too. I like the prompts, thus I do them. I'm just not used to talking about me.
As I sat and thought about this prompt, there were two things about myself I would not change which came to mind. I'm going to give you both as they both literally hit me at the same time.
The first thing I would not change about myself is how loyal I am to those I love. I give them my all. And I would die for them if I was asked to.
The second thing I would never change about myself is I know what I want and believe and pretty much stand firm in attaining/following those. I am not cut-throat about either of them but I do make sure I am heard and if it matters enough to me I'm going to voice it. If I'm the one that has to make the decision, you're going to have a hard time to sway me from doing what I want. If you're talking with me about your beliefs, I listen and genuinely seek to learn from them because I am human and, as long as it isn't contradictive to scripture, there is a chance you might change my mind.
However, it is never an instantaneous event. It may not be for a long while before I realize I agree with you. And if I never do, then I have at least broadened my horizons on knowledge which in turn can become wisdom.
I know I technically cheated with listing two, but I just was not able to pick between the two and since they both happened to come to me at the same instant I decided they could kind of be one ;)
What's one thing (or two if you're like me) you would never change about yourself?

15 Day Challenge: [Day 10]

So, I'm linking up with Sar again. Here is Day 10. A bit later in the day than I have been posting but we were out on the town with some friends who are visiting. Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show for it but a sore back from carrying a baby without the carrier because she had decided she'd had enough of the stroller and I forgot the carrier. Oops!

[Day 10]: What's your most embarassing moment?
I didn't have the easiest time coming up with a story for this which, I guess, means I'm not embarassed too easily. That or I don't hang out with people who embarass me too often. OR I slip it away into some abandoned corner of my mind and never remember. I think it's the first though. Thus, the story I have to tell you is more just funny but hey. Funny is good too, right?
It takes place during my senior year of high school in my first period class. I got along with that group of people farely well (I don't remember who all was in my class) and we were all sitting around during some free time we had that day.
I don't remember exactly what I was doing, but I had somehow missed out on an entire conversation about a prank they thought would be funny to play on somebody. They weren't sure it would work but were laughing pretty hard about it. Enough that it caught my attention.
I looked up and asked them what they were doing. Robin, one of the girls in my class, made a statement about how hard it would be to roll a quarter up and down your nose. I, the gullible person I was back then, looked at her with a "Are you serious?! That's stupid and stinkin' easy!" look. She proceeded to hand me a quarter so I could prove I was right.
Well, in the process of showing everyone how silly she was, I put a pretty black line up and down my nose from the sharpie she had put along the outer edge of the quarter.
Of course everyone laughed and I wondered why they thought it was funny I could roll a quarter on my nose. Robin proceeded to explain what had been going on and what I had just done.
I honestly do not remember exactly how I reacted but thinking about it now I laugh at how gullible I was.
And that my blogging friends, is the best I could come up with for an embarassing moment.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 9]

[Day 9]: Describe the best day of your life to date.
So, there is really no way for me to widdle my life down to one best day. Thus, you will get a few (they are in no certain order) :)
#1Definitely the day my hubby asked me out. We had gone to see our church's Youth Music and Drama's production of Les Misérable and IHOP afterwards. We had ridden together with his sister and brother-in-law to both places which landed us back at their place around 11 pm. I'm not really sure how the conversation started, but Ben and I had a good hour and a half long convo standing outside our vehicles. I will never forget how as we hugged to say goodnight, he held on to me and asked me to be his girlfriend. That made for the best day ever and it started at 1230 AM :)
#2Our wedding day

SO. MUCH. FUN. (not to mention I have the sweetest :) can't you tell by that pic?)

We had plenty of laughs (I handed our pastor a ring pop as Ben's ring at first and it got the best expression, caught by our photographer), some sweet, sweet moments, and a lot of fun dancing away. Then we drove off in his awesome '87 GMC Sierra Classic (also a great moment our photographer captured) and headed for our Honeymoon. Oh and by the way, if you have a wedding in Baton Rouge, The Gatehouse sets you up for reals! Great job on everything AND they send you away with awesome food. Ben and I were sad we couldn't bring the leftovers on our flight with us :( Ahhh...special day. Married my best friend, which still amazes me considering we had only known each other for a little under 2 years by that point.

#3

March 13, 2012. Funny how when not pressed for the date I can remember it but anytime I call the peds office I stumble :) That would be the day sweet Zoë Grace graced us with her presence. I'll never forget the doctor holding her up and saying "It's a girl!" Funny I remember those words sounding really slow because I feared being one of those people who had planned for a girl after a sonogram saying such only to be told it's a boy in the delivery room. She was (and still is and always will be) so precious to me!

Here she is just minutes out of the oven :) Love my baby girl so much!

And there you have the three best days of my life thus far. I'm sure I will add to them but I'm also sure I could never just pick one.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 8]

[Day 8]: Describe "the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly" of yourself.
Oooy, the challenge is asking a lot of me, because you see, I don't typically sit around and list good or bad about myself. However, if I'm inclined to do one I can locate faults quite easily. Beat myself up a bit? Yeah, probably. But alas, here is [Day 8]:
The Good

• In most situations, I tend to show a lot of patience. And personally, I wouldn't say this about myself (due to one of my ugly traits I'll be listing), but I have heard that as a compliment for a very long time. And I have seen it in myself, but like I said, I downplay myself a lot.
• I am empathetic/compassionate. I am able to listen and enter into a situation with someone whether happy, sad, mad, etc.
• I am extremely discerning. It's uncanny at times. Definitely a God-given gift. Not that I'm not human and don't make mistakes in my discernment, my infant daughter would tell you that if she could talk ;), but I typically can see into a situation and see quite clearly what's going on behind the curtains.

The Bad

• My mouth can get carried away with some awful language at times. And the bad part of "the bad" is sometimes it makes me feel less stressed after saying it.
• I have a terrible pet peeve with bad drivers where I talk to them like they can hear me and chew them out. 
• Sometimes when I talk I rabbit trail terribly and have a tendency to get distracted in the middle of conversation. It's so bad my husband thought I didn't like him or was bored when he first met me. 

The Ugly

• I have a temper like no other. And if you set it off, you better watch out because this woman would desire a punching bag in those moments. Being 1/4 French and 1/4 Italian does not help either. No! I don't actually get physical with my anger. My mouth starts getting a bit too active :)
• I was informed the other day, by my wonderful iron-sharpening-iron hubby, I have a tendency to quickly jump to judgements when watching a situation. I don't mean to. Honestly, I don't mean anything by them, as in I'm not holding on to it and thinking were I ever to actually meet that person this would cloud my impression of them, but without thinking I make them. For instance, the other night on our date, Ben and I were sitting in our car when this situation arose for a parking spot. This one chick was acting quite ridiculous in that she was speeding through the parking lot and started cutting off a vehicle which had been waiting for the spot much longer than she'd ever entered the picture. I made a statement about how she's a crazy  ***** and went on with why that was my assessment. Hubby lovingly pointed out what I did. Ooops! 
• I allow people to walk all over me. Like, even walk all over my motherly intuition or making decisions for my daughter WALK. ALL. OVER! It's horrible. To the point that I get angry about it (HA! Told ya so in my first "ugly" bullet). 

So there you have it. Wow, I'm feeling a bit uncovered by this. Not that I have anything to hide. I just typically take time to "warm up" and start sharing anything about myself. Good exercise in getting out of my comfort zone.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 7]

Saturday is cleaning day and I am happy to say it's all done! That's a record for me with a baby in tow. Normally it's an all day event and sometimes completion never sees the light of day. As in, I'm feeling good if the bathroom is cleaned OR the floors are vacummed. Yup. That's how it is around these parts since March. And she isn't even fully mobile. *sigh*

I'm also dog sitting for my mom this weekend. I captured a really cute pic of Zoë with Cody.

I know I'm a bit biased, guys, but I think she's a doll! Oh and notice she's donning a lovely teething bib due to excessive drool and some spit up :) Keepin' it real!

Now on to the15 Day Challenge: [Day 7]

[Day 7]: Recommend a book for us to read. Why do you think it's important?
Oh geez. Really? You should see all the books I own, not to mention a majority of them I have read. Yes, some of them I haven't but I fully intend to eventually :) Grrrr...even cheating by listing one nonfiction and one fiction won't help me. BAH!
Ummm... think. think. think.
You know what. This is way too difficult for me.
So I'm just going to recommend the series I'm finishing up right now. Most people are familiar with it as some amazing movies were made a few years back. 
The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien
I'm currently on the final book: The Return of the King. Some people may not enjoy it because of the detail Tolkien takes in describing scenery and other seemingly nonimporant facts, but for me it really helped to visualize where everything is taking place (not to mention, my hubby is a LOTR nerd and bought the books that have maps in the back of them).
Oh and should you decide to read it and you have any questions about it, here's a very helpful website: The Encylopedia of Arda. You can also thank my hubby for that :)

15 Day Challenge: [Day 5]

[Day 5]: If you could have dinner with any five people, who would they be?
Wow...this is a hard one for me. I don't generally sit around wanting to be with people. You see, I'm an introvert, and as such, I get my energy from being alone. I'm NOT saying I don't find enjoyment when I'm with people or even that I have no desire to be with them. It is just a very occasional moment I find myself even wanting to be with someone outside my bubble. So I never really sit and wish for dinner with people. At least, that is how I take this prompt (I'm thinking not my immediate family, hubby, daughter...and even then sometimes I don't want dinner with the either :P). Anyway, I digress.
So...five people? Hmmmm...
Well for starters, I would honestly have to say Christ. This may seem very cliché or even "the right sunday school answer", but I honestly would enjoy an actual opportunity to have dinner at a table with him now. Not just wait to see him once I'm in heaven. To be able to converse with him, listen to him, probably get angry at him for correcting me, and then realize I can be a better person if I listen. Yes, he is definitely one of the five.
Then I would have to say Beth Moore. Doing several of her bible studies and even watching some of her video sessions for said studies have always made me want to get to know her better. She seems very fiery, full of passion for the Lord, and full of insight and wisdom. Not to mention she seems like she is a very sweet natured woman.
Ummmm...can a band count as 1? Because otherwise I would be over into six total...I'm going to cheat...well, actually, I'm going to not cheat and list another musician but had I been able to list a band as one it would have been NeedtoBreathe. A single musician though I would have...gah! Never mind. I can't just pick one musician. That just doesn't work for me because a gagillion of them pop into my head!
Moving on...
The last three are authors: Karen Kingsbury, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis. Karen Kingsbury has written a series (well, it actually is 4 or 5 series tied together) I have followed almost since it's beginning. I think she might have been on the third book when I started and ever since I have found myself waiting for the next book to come out after I finish the most recent. In between, I found myself reading more of her works. A stand alone novel she wrote that I love is Like Dandelion Dust.
J.R.R. Tolkien. The man is a genius. And full of wisdom. Plus, talking with the man who wrote LOTR? Yes, thank you!
C. S. Lewis - I love everything of his I have read. Some of it non-fiction. Others fiction. And plus, J.R.R. Tolkien was an influence in his life. 
Buggers! THAT was not easy! Not at all!! Because even now, (now that we've got my mind juices flowing in that direction) I can think of people I left out. HAHA! Told you it wasn't because I don't like people. It's merely because I don't sit around thinking about it.

15 Day Challenge: [Day 4]

That's right. I'm still making it in the 15 day challenge. HA! Like it's almost over...I've got a LONG. WAY. TO. GO! BUT I thought I wouldn't have stuck with it by this point. Something in my life would have taken precedence and then I would have forgotten and then I would have found myself lying in bed thinking about the fact I forgot and be too tired to care :) However, that is yet to be the case. So...here's to day 4!

[Day 4]: What's your favorite childhood memory?
Ooooy! There aren't a ton of memories I call to mind. I have a few, but aside from those my mind isn't flooded with a gagillion memories. I had a wonderful childhood; don't get me wrong. However, when I think of my childhood I typically think more about how I know my parents loved and cared for me. That is what I remember. However, the stories I do remember are wonderful and we have family videos and tons of pictures to make up for what I forgot :) Here is one of my faves that I can remember (without help from any of our "family media"):
My younger sibs and I used to build indoor forts with any loose articles and lots of blankets when we were little. One of the best forts we ever built was a maze underneath all the blankets which covered pretty much the entire floor of our family study. The room had to be a good 30x15. Something in that general arena of ginormousness (you know, to a little kids mind it was ridonculously big!). We would play hide and seek in the dark in just that space. The best part was we had a rule you could move around but had to stay in the study. To make it even harder, the fort only allowed for us to crawl through it.
So you're playing hide and seek in the dark, a majority of it in a maze fort, and you could pretty much only crawl around.
So fun!
Makes me think I will have to try something of the sort with my kiddos once they are in that phase of life :)

15 Day Challenge: [Day 3]

[Day 3]: Tell about an article of clothing that you're deeply attached to.
Believe it or not, my article of clothing I'm attached to is quite a new article. Bought for and worn the first time on my Honeymoon, which was a year and nine months ago. But it has a lovely story.
You see, my best friend and I went shopping for my honeymoon clothing together. And found lots of great dresses and shoes and accesories. But there was this one dress. Oh and she is a beauty! And sexy but cute. And freakin' comfortable, ladies! One you could hang out in ALL. DAY. LONG! Not to mention, if you're brave enough, you might even want to find a way to wear it in winter because you just long to wear it. THIS is THAT kind of dress.
Here is a not so great photo of it but at least you will have one:

This dress was on a manikin. We both immediately loved it, so we went searching for said dress on the racks of dresses.
Nada.
Up and down.
Nothing!
Up and down.
We hung our heads.
So my bestie decided to see what size was on the manikin. Neither of us held our breath as usually manikins usually end up with a pretty small size dress, of which said size does not fit me. But we wanted to see. Just in case.
Wouldn't you know said dress was my size. To the tee (at least by the number presented). We moaned that the dress size I would need to try on would be on the manikin. What store clerk would really desire to strip the manikin?
So we bemoaned the fact and headed back to the dressing rooms to try on the hundreds (ok I exaggerate but there were a lot) of other dresses we had picked for me to try.
But that dress was stuck. In both of our heads.
And that's when my bestie got the most wonderfully, mischievous, great look in her eye. I didn't quite understand it at that point but would you know I was oh so glad it came to her? She left shortly after I saw the gleam in her eye to find a different size of a dress I was trying on, only to come back with a different size AND...
THE DRESS!!!
Niether of us could stop laughing after she told me she had decided to strip the manikin.
And oh the dress fit perfectly!
Still one of the greatest memories I have :)
And now, I'm dreaming of the day my body will (boy am I really crossing my fingers) go back to the way it was pre-Zoë. You see, breastfeeding kept my rack enlarged to much more than it was pre-baby. And so I fall out of that wonderful dress now. I long to fit into. To feel the comfortable fabric against my skin. And love the way it fits me. Comfy and cute.
Hopefully, I will one day see that dream become reality. But if not, at least I took almost every opportunity given to wear it.
Oh and by the way, I'm not attached at all ;)

15 Day Challenge: [Day 2]

Ooooy....I'm sleepy. Keeping up with a baby is going to make sure to keep my life movin'. No, no. She's not scooting or rolling around or anything of the sort. But when she's awake, she's talking like no body's business! Cutie patootie! And just caring for her wears me out.

Mom, thank you for taking the time to stay home and raise all 4 of us kids! I know I didn't thank you enough growing up :)

Ok so on to day 2 of 15...

[Day 2]: Write a [few] six word memoir[s]

Blessings in disguise typically equal unplanned

There are so many parts of my life that fit this but the most recent would be the birth of my daughter. She was such a surprise to me and my husband. Those close to us know this. I know everyone talks about how you're never ready to be a parent, even if you were planning on it at the time, but I was overwhelmed with the idea of being a mom wondering how I was going to do caring for another being, knowing I was not ready and never would be. Though I thought I would have asked for her to come a little later in my life, I can't imagine life without her now. Another reminder that God's plans are far greater than my own. Makes me think of the following verse:

Isaiah 55:8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, 
Nor are your ways My ways," declares the Lord.

The 15 Day Challenge: [Day 1]

So I was reading one of the blogs I've recently started keeping up with (you can check her out here) and she is participating in a 15 Day Challenge. You can participate and/or get more info by clicking the button below. I decided it would be fun for me to try, especially since the "rules" are lax. So here we go...

[Day 1]: list 15 fun facts about yourself
1) I was on the news when I was a baby because of some new change they had made at the hospital I was born in
2) They thought I was deaf when I was born because I happily slept through the NB hearing screening all thanks to selective hearing. Unfortunately, I don't always control the selective hearing and as such found myself in trouble for it when I was younger and still get in trouble due to it today. 
3) I wore these awesome Chuck Taylor Converse with the Robert Indiana LOVE logo on them as my wedding shoes. The shoe background color was blue and the LOVE logo was in red and tiled over the entire shoe. Unfortunately, I don't have a digital photo to show you :(
4) I've been told my accent sounds like I'm from the midwest. I apparently also have enough of a northern dialect that someone from Minnesota, who talked like they were from Minnesota, told me I sounded like I was from there as well. Either way, I apparently am not too southern when it comes to my dialect.
5) My unattainable, dream car (not to mention I could never reckon with spending that much money on any vehicle) is between a Porsche Cayenne or the new Range Rover
6) I hope I don't become a mini van mom. Please understand I don't have any negative thoughts against moms who do in fact (or did) drive a mini van. I just would rather drive an SUV. That's it plain and simple :)
7) I'm married to a man who can talk more than me and people that says A LOT! I love this fact simply because it's women who typically have more words than men. My husband who is a customer service person at a FedEx Office can talk my ear off even after a long day at work.
8) I'm shy and quiet until I get to know you, which is why many people look at me like I'm crazy when I say I can be quiet
9) I love to read. I get overwhelmed knowing there are so many more books out there too read and that I also have books I love so much I want to reread them. AGH!
10) I play the piano and would love to own a private studio some day. We would have to move to a place where I can fit a piano in our home first, though. Which is a goal I have to achieve.
11) I'm am deathly afraid of heights and quite claustrophobic. Because I'm claustrophobic and didn't want to have panic attack during an MRI, I was given Valium. People - be ye warned it doesn't always calm everyone down. I thank God every day they gave me ear plugs and a black out eye mask. I was awake until 1:30 AM after I took that little pill at 2:30 the prior afternoon. NO FUN!
12) Since I mentioned I have selective hearing, I thought I would also mention my hearing is highly sensitive. My husband likes to say I have "super sonic hearing". For instance, the day we were waiting for my brother-in-law to arrive home from his deployment, I heard the sirens of the escorting vehicles WAY before they were ever in sight. We guessed they were probably still a good 2 miles off when I heard them considering it was at least another 5 minutes before the rest of my family heard them and a little after that before we were able to see them. 
13) I'm a SAHM and LOVE IT! Sure I feel like I could throw in the towel some days but the good days far out weigh the bad. Not to mention, as I watch her reach all the different milestones babies reach, my heart bursts with joy knowing by nurturing her I am helping her to discover her world around her. 
14) I truly enjoy baking and decorating, though I'm beginner at the decorating at best. It is even a stress reliever for me (AND you get to eat something yummy after all the stress-relieving work :])
15) I'm relatively new to staying on top of blogging but I'm enjoying it and curious to see how much I can keep up with the 15 day challenge. It may prove difficult considering I never know what my day will be like with my 3.5 month old but it's worth a try to me!
And there you have it. My 15 fun facts. I'll end by saying 1) I cannot believe July is already here and 2) it is hot and humid down here in Louisiana and I'm not looking forward to the rest of the summer. I have a baby who is too young for sunblock and fairer than Snow White. No swimming pool for me because I'm not about to damage her skin this early, which is a major bummer. Oh well. C'est la vie!