My Answers To Your Questions

* What makes you smile more than just about anything? I know three things would be Allie, Jack, and Cooper, but what else?

Okay, surely there is something besides this, but this is what I though of first... I smile (laugh uncontrollably actually) when I see people experience something scary or something embarrassing.  One time my brother and sisters and I were at 6 Flags, and we were riding the Conquistador (a ship that rocks back and forth pretty high).  This kid was sitting across from me on the ride (facing me), and every time that the ship would go up he would hold his breath and each time that it would come down he would scream bloody murder.  I laughed so hard that I cried.  Really.  Then, there was the time that I saw the lady slip on some ice when I was a kid, and I absolutely could not stop laughing.  I know, that is terrible.  I am a horrible person.  But some things just strike me as funny.  Oh... and the boy and the lady were just fine, don't worry.  (Okay, I answered this question last week.  Tonight Allie & I watched America's Funniest Videos together, and yes... I was right.  I laughed until it hurt as people tripped, fell, and screamed.)

 * What is your favorite thing to eat?

Again, not sure... but at this moment I am going to say warm chocolate chip cookies or warm brownies.  I love me some lasagna too!

 * What is your favorite tree?

Magnolia

 * Who was your first best friend?

I don't have hardly any memories before 4th grade... at that point, I had a best friend named Amy Saucer.  We were in the same class at school, so she had to write Amy Sa. on her papers, and I had to write Amy Se.  

 * What is your favorite restaurant?

The Grotto in Highland Village

 * What has been one of your most embarrassing moments?

Can't think of a recent one... I remember as a child walking up to a man, and hugging his leg thinking that he was my dad... then looking up and realizing it wasn't.  Also, there was the time that I was walking into high school, and the wind blew my skirt up over my head.  And, yes... there was a boy behind me.  His name was Bubba.  No joke.

 * What has been one of your favorite life moments?

The births of my kids have been my top 3 favorite moments of my life.  Other than that...it would have to be the night that Corey gave me a special box that contained a letter from him to me.  The whole night was super-romantic.  I'll have to tell you all about it sometime.

* Do you know how to do logarithms?

No, thank goodness!  What is a logarithm?  

 * What was your favorite toy as a child?



I don’t have many toy memories.  Maybe my dolls…

 * Which do you prefer: card games or board games?



I like both, but I think that board games win.

* Do you prefer communicating through the phone, internet, or face to face?


The Internet works best for me when I am exchanging information… it is quick and I have a record of what I am supposed to bring, where I am supposed to be, etc.  Relationship-wise, I am definitely a face-to-face gal.  Lunch, coffee, or just hanging out at home are the things that I like to do with my friends that know me best and that I know best.


* If Cooper had been a girl, what would "her" name have been?



Emma Alyse after my sisters, Emily & Sara Alyse

* Which would you rather have: a Sonic drink or a Starbucks?



The hardest question so far… I’m going to go with Sonic if we are just talking about the drink.  (Especially during Happy Hour)  For a chat or a date, I love me some Starbucks!

* If you could play any instrument well what would it be?



Piano, hands down.  I have always wished that I could play the piano.

* If you could go on any reality show which one would it be?

I love the idea of Amazing Race, but I would not be up for the nasty food challenges… or the height challenges… So, obviously, I would not be a good reality tv contestant.

* What qualities do you appreciate the most in Corey?



He is the hardest worker I know.  And although I am the polar opposite, he is a risk taker.  Also, the man almost always knows why he believes and acts the way that he does… he has thought most everything that he ever does through.  Which makes him right almost all of the time…  Seriously.  He is also a man of extreme integrity and commitment.

*What is the best memory of your life? 

I am not sure of exact memories, but the best times in my life have involved being pregnant with and having my babies.

*What did you think you'd be doing in your life by this time in your marriage when you first got married, or did you even think about it? How is it what you thought it would be? How is it better than what you thought?

I knew (or at least I hoped) that I would be a stay-at-home mom at this point in my life.  That is all that I have ever wanted to be.  I never knew how hard that it would be or how exhausted that I would be or that that exhaustion would last for years.  I never knew that the emotional part of parenting would be even harder than the physical part.  I never knew that I would not even be able to verbalize how much I love my kids.  I never thought that I would be a homeschooling mom.  I never thought that my kids’ age differences would be so spread out.  I never thought that I would only get to have a baby girl one time. I never imagined how quickly life would pass or how hard it would be.  I never knew how completely in love I would be with my little family or how happy I would feel when I was with them.

*Other than being a wife and mother, what is your dream job? 

I have always loved the idea of helping pregnant teens.  Also, photography tops the list too.



*What book is your favorite? 

I don’t know about this one.  I like books that are about real life, real emotion, real struggle… real human experience.  I’m not really the "wrap it up with a bow at the end" kind of reader.



*Do you have a gross restaurant experience? Explain.  

Thankfully, I cannot think of it if I do.  



*Have you thought about what you will do when your kids go to college? What are your plans?   

Cry, sleep, go on vacations with Corey



* Do you have a favorite Bible Study? What is it, and why?  

The most recent, best one that I have done was Beth Moore’s book, Get Out Of That Pit.  Also, 8 years ago I did one by a lady in Waco named Mercedes that was phenomenal.  Life changing.



*What is the most exotic food you've eaten?  

Does a Blooming Onion from Outback count?  Trying weird food is not my strong point.



*What is your position on Heinz ketchup?

Don’t care.  Sorry - I know some of you are passionate about this… for a few different reasons.

*If you had three wishes (small or big) what would they be? Are these the same three wishes you would have made ten years ago? 

1. Contentment 2. A housekeeper 3. That my kids would find contentment at an early age

And no, 10 years ago I had very different desires and perspectives.  

* What is your perfect day?



In my world right now… this is my perfect day (and I get it most Mother’s Days): Sleep late, breakfast in bed, gifts from my kids that they have chosen and/or made, watching a movie from my bed, taking a hot bath while I read a magazine or book, a nice dinner out (where the kids behave – okay, that part might be a dream).  Oh, and a Sonic drink and a Snickers is part of the picture in some way.  In my dream world: I am not sure what my perfect day involves, but I know that it is with my family while we are on vacation.

*What would you change about your relationship with your family? What do you appreciate about it?



With my little family… I would not change much relationship-wise.  Of course, I would love for things to be more idealistic… it would be nice if I never lost my temper, if the kids never fought, if Corey and I always agreed, if I was never moody, if the kids always obeyed happily… but this is real life.  I am happy to say that in our family it is okay to not be okay.  It is okay to say how you are feeling.  It is okay to be insecure and stressed and frustrated… and unconditionally loved.

In my "big family"... the things that I would change mostly have to do with expectations and communication.  Those areas are definitely a work in progress in my life.  Although those things weigh heavily on me at times, I am beyond thankful for my family.  We love each other and are very involved in each other's lives... even though we are all very busy with our own "little families". 

*What is your favorite thing about having a sister still in her twenties? 

Watching “her” (and the other sister and brother) discover love for their babies that I have felt for 11 years.

*How did you come about owning such a big dog? How did your dog get his/her name?


I think that I had only seen them in movies, but I always thought that Old English Sheepdogs were so cute.  One day, I saw that our neighbor actually had one.  We instantly went outside to talk to him about it, and soon after that we went to the breeder that he had gotten his “Rags” from and got our “Milly”.  Her “realatives” all had those froo froo show-dog names, so we gave her one too.  Since Allie was our only little one at the time, we called her "Allie’s Millionaire".  i.e. Milly

 

*If you could redecorate your bedroom, what would it look like?

I would definitely get nice furniture.  In almost 16 years of marriage, we have always had hand-me-downs, garage sale finds, and things that we assembled ourselves.  When we moved I got a new comforter that is beige and black, but if I could I would get some really, really high thread-count sheets too.

*What is your favorite flower?  

I was just thinking about that today.  I think that it might be Texas wild flowers.  From the store… I love roses and mixed flower arrangements.

Have you ever cursed? This week? :-)

Are you kidding me?  Of course.  Sometimes there is just not a word that works for the situation except $%^##$%^

*What is your dream vacation with your hubby?  

We love the mountains, but we have never been to a beach.  We really want to do that soon.  We have always talked about going to Italy and the Swiss Alps too.



*What is your dream vacation for your family?  

At this point… Disney World, hands down.  We really, really, really want to take the kids there while they are all still small.  (A Disney Cruise would be oh-so-great!)



*When you are old, will you color your hair, or let it go gray? Will you wear it long or short? And will you go to the salon to get it rolled? Ha

Have you seen me lately?  I don’t just have highlights because I like them… they cover the gray (usually), I will probably keep it long enough for a pony-tail when I am hot, but not too long.  The beauty shop thing… maybe not to get my hair “set”, but I really would go once a week to get it washed and styled if I could.  I love that!

What is the most romantic thing Corey has done for you?

The night he gave me my box (see above).  Really, I’ll have to make an entry for that story. 

How's your relationship with God today?

Pretty good. He gets me.  I am learning to get Him.

What puts you in a good mood? 

Help with the kids, rest, a date, special treats, time alone, time with Corey, time with friends