Behind the Blog - Part 2

So...I didn't mean to spread these out quite so much. Oops! But, I started a short little "Behind the Blog" series a week ago and totally spaced on posting Part 2 on Tuesday! So, better late than never -

Part 2

What are you really good at? What are you really bad at?
I’m really good at: baking, writing (says my Mom), doing (other people’s) hair, and I think I’m a good listener
I’m really bad at: math, directions, interrupting Ryan when he talks (but I swear I’m a good listener!), running (plan to work on this)

Have you ever been in a car accident? What happened?
I’ve been in a couple of fairly serious accidents, but the worst was my freshman year of high school. It was the Friday that Spring Break started and we got out of school early so my Mom picked me up. As we were sitting on the two lane road to turn into our neighborhood, we were suddenly airborne. We had been hit from behind. My Mom checked to make sure I was okay and told me to stay in the car until police and paramedics arrived. In the minutes between impact and the arrival of the first responders, a white pick-up truck pulled up alongside us on the grass. Two men hopped out, grabbed the guy out of the car that had hit us and tossed him in the backseat. The driver of the pick-up motioned for me to keep my mouth shut (you know, finger to the mouth) and then made a threatening gesture. Being 15 and terrified, I did just that as I watched them drive off. Once the police and paramedics arrived and got us out of the car, the man hunt started for the driver. (For the record, he was never found.) As it turned out, he left his wallet in the car – and he was NOT the owner of the car that had hit us. He and his buddies in the pick-up had just stolen BOTH cars from a neighborhood down the street and were fleeing the scene. The guy driving the car that hit us was looking down while driving and did not see us stopped to turn. He hit us at 55 mph. My Mom’s minivan was an accordion. The back was smashed completely up to the front seats. Had we been in a smaller vehicle…well I might not be writing this today!

Why did you attend your college?
I hate writing this because I know at least one of my parents (Hi Mom!) reads my blog…but if I can’t be honest on my own darn blog, then what’s the point? I went to college because it was important to my parents, mainly my Mom, and because it’s what you are “supposed to do” after high school. Sadly, I have yet to finish a 4-year degree. But maybe someday?

Describe your morning routine today.
My alarm went off at 6am. During the summer I sleep with my wet hair tied into a bun, so when I wake up its still damp, so I blast it with the blow dryer, then plug in my Chi straightener. While it’s heating up, I make coffee. Then, I straighten my hair while listening to the news. After my hair is done, I sit down at my make-shift vanity and do my make-up (still listening to the news). Then brush my teeth, get dressed, put on my jewelry, pack up my lunch and snacks for the day and hit the door at 7:40am. Yes, those seemingly easy tasks take almost two hours. I have a lot of thick, curly hair. It takes a while. Haha.

Have you ever snooped through someone else’s things? Did you find anything interesting?
Yes…when I was a teenager, I did a lot of snooping through my Mom’s stuff when she wasn’t home. I know this sounds weird, but I went through a stage in my late teens (like senior year of high school) when I had this fascination with knowing who my parents were before my brother and I came along. It felt important for some reason. So, I would look through old pictures she had in a drawer in her closest, then I’d try on her old clothes and jewelry (she still had some stuff from college in the back of her closest). I know, I know. I’m totally weird.

What do you think happens when you die?
I believe in Heaven. I have to. If I don’t, then it’s too hard to think about the loved ones I’ve lost. Thinking that there is a place where our souls will meet again allows me to grieve those people. If I thought that they were just “in the ground”…well I couldn’t handle that. I can barely even type it.

Are you superstitious?
Ryan would say I am. Some of it is just habit.

Do people think you are younger or older than you actually are?
People usually know how old I am, give or take a year. I think I pretty much look my age. Minus the gray hair. ;)

How did your parents’ relationship influence you?
Wow. This is complicated. Haha. My parents got divorced in 2006, and it was HARD. I know, when divorce is ever easy, but the circumstances around it made it really tough. I really try not to air that stuff on the web so I’m going to leave it at this – their relationship during my childhood taught me a lot about how to be friends with your spouse, which is so vitally important, in my opinion.

What were the three happiest moments of your life?
Funny, the first three that came to mind all involve Ryan!
1 – When Ryan & I moved in together
2 – When Ryan proposed
3 – Our wedding day :)