The rules are list 25 random things about yourself… Can I really do that? I don’t know, but I’ll try…

1. I grew up in sunny Florida where you got to wear your “rare” sweater and/or jacket a few times during the year, and that was only in the morning on the way to school. By the afternoon, it was too warm to wear it. Yeah, I’m missing that weather these frigid days.

2. I am the poor middle child, abused and tortured by my older brother, ie, I have many memories of him telling me, “Renee, shut up. Stop singing. You sound AWFUL!” He wonders why I have a complex. I also had to deal with my baby sis being coddled… ie, all of sudden when my bedtime finally increased… she cried that she was scared to be in the bedroom by herself, so my parents let her stay up till I went to bed. So unfair. :)

3. I was devasted when my family moved to NC the summer before 7th grade. Leaving behind all my friends on the verge of going into Junior High and missing out on all the perks that came with JH at our school. Sadly, I never got to realize my childhood dream of being a cheerleader, lol! :)

4. I graduated a year early from High School. Not sure why I wanted to do that, really, but I know that my mom wasn’t going to let me, but decided I could in January. I only needed one year of English my senior year, so I had to take two English classes that semester. I had three straight periods of English. 11th grade English, then college English Composition, and then the ever popular English Grammar. Yikes! I do have to say, I never was so up on the rules of English!

5. I had a huge crush on my hubby my senior year of high school, although he didn’t seem to notice I existed. :) After graduating from college four or so years later, he finally saw the fabulous girl right under his nose! :)

6. I got engaged to Chris only two months after we started dating. I’m not sure what everyone thought, since I was the Ambassador good girl, and he was the non-Ambassador rebel. We got married five months later during my Spring Break the very first year I taught. My poor class had to go from calling me my maiden name which was bad enough to my married name. Needless to say, I answered to both and all variations.

7. I saw my first movie in the theater on my honeymoon. (I think I’ve used that one before in a tag… oh well.) Angelina Jolie and Winona Rider in Girl Interrupted. Complete with subtitles since we were in Cancun, Mexico. :)

8. I started working as an admin assistant a few months after we got married and didn’t go back to teaching until Haylee was about 16 months old. I 5th & 6th combo one year, 3rd & 4th combo one year, stayed home a year, and this is my second year doing 5th grade.

9. I got braces on when I was 24. Paid for it with our Flexible Spending Account. One of the best decisions I made. Wish I would’ve done it sooner. There is nothing like being confident of your smile… or at least not ashamed of it, anyway.

10. Okay, I think I’m getting a little too long-winded here. Does that count as a fact?

11. I play a little flute and a little piano, and I love to sing… My love of singing drove my abusive brother to #2.

12. Reading is a favorite escape, although I don’t take the time for it these days. There will be a time in the future when I don’t have my precious little ones underfoot (sniff, sniff), and there will be plenty of time for leisurely reading then, perhaps.

13. I love eating out, but I also love saving money and the two don’t really mix too well! Saving money on our groceries really makes me feel good… like I’m being a good homemaker and steward of our finances.

14. I love fabulously manicured, long fingernails. In college, my piano teachers were always on my case about my nails being too long. Ie… click, click, click. I was rotten and tried to get away with all I could. If we had the money, I would probably keep my nails in a french manicure.

15. I’m a big worrier. I try not to be, but if I let myself, I would worry myself away to nothing. That’s why it’s just not good for me to watch too many horrid, sad/bad ending Datelines or movies. I’m also a sucker for things I hear through an email or online. Haylee is still in a five point harnest car seat b/c of this youtube video although I found contradicting data just now when doing this search, so maybe I’ll relent and put her in a booster soon. Haylee and Wade both have/had their mattresses covered with these polyeurothane covers to prevent SIDS. I’ve been mocked quite a lot for this particular trait of mine. I do stand by the mattress covers, though, so say what you want! You can look it up. There have been no reported crib deaths when these covers were used. You can order one from the above site for $32 which includes shipping. They were only $29 in ’03 so they haven’t gone up much… :)

16. We went through about three years of infertility with Wade and finally had success with Reach Fertility Clinic in Charlotte doing the IUI for the second time. Hard to believe, since he is now 10 mo’s old and that time of our lives seems to blur. You forget the struggle in the midst of having our baby… in the flesh… in the here and now. I don’t know the purpose God had in allowing that time, but I do know that my heart goes out to other ladies out there going through similar struggles.

17. I hate clutter. It makes me crazy. Not a good thing when you consider that we live in a tiny two bedroom. :) At least I have my attic.

18. I hate rude people. Seriously probably my biggest pet peeve (and I have many!). The worst is the rudeness veiled in a smile.

19. Some people think I’m a push-over in the classroom. On the contrary, I expect quite a lot out of my students. I think we underestimate our kids today as far as what they are capable of in ALL areas–including behavior.

20. I like to watch Jon and Kate plus eight, though I haven’t really watched too many episodes. She is so crazy, and it is scary to me that I have so many oddities in common with her. She is anal about them getting their good clothes dirty for one thing… sigh, I don’t like stain-laden clothes on me or my chillens.

21. I have a weakness for hairspray and purses. I’m a product of the 80’s I guess. I can’t resist spraying myself stiff. :) There is just something about getting a new purse… Love it.

22. I am one of the lucky few blessed with an active, involved husband who doesn’t think that there are categories of responsibilities in our marriage. He is so involved with everything in our household, from washing the bottles to changing diapers to loading/unloading the dishwasher (a chore I hate!). He puts me to shame many times. I love him and thank God for him. (I’m assuming he’ll read this, so perhaps I’ll be getting points for this.)

23. Only a few to go. Man this is taking forever. I really love scrapbooking. I take no time for it these days, however. I haven’t even scrapped ONE page of Wade, but perhaps this summer? I have about 7 12×12 albums that I treasure very highly.

24. I love Haylee’s blonde hair/blue eyes, but I really hope that Wade has my dark hair with Chris’s blue eyes. I love that combination… (Like your girls, AmyQ.)

25. All right. This is my last one. It should be good. It should encompass me in a nutshell. Oh, the pressure. Can I deliver just the right, pithy quip to summarize this never ending post??

No. I don’t think so. Sorry. Maybe next time I’ll be creative.