100 Things... That I'm Sure You Could Live Without Knowing About Me

O.K. Lynette (and the five other people who read my blog!) here's a little more about me.

1. I cry very easily. I used to see that as a sign of weakness. Now, I embrace it.
2. I would rather laugh...and do it quite heartily and often.
3. When I do laugh, my entire face joins the party and my chubby cheeks squish my eyes and wrinkles abound...not the most photogenic experience. Again...I've embraced it.
4. I have always had chubby chipmunk cheeks. Doesn't matter what I weigh...chipmunk cheeks.
5. My grandma would always say "Give me some Cheeks" and kiss all over them when I was a little girl.
6. I think and sort things out the best while talking. Sometimes, I will call a trusted friend and say..."I need to think some stuff through. Can we talk?"
7. I was voted "Most Talkative" in high school.
8. I was also the Homecoming Queen my senior year and on the Homecoming Court my Sophomore year. Does that matter? Not at all...but it's an interesting tidbit that may surprise some of you. I'm not really the typical "Homecoming Queen" type-girl. Especially because back then, I should have been voted "Most Likely to be Riding Really Fast on the back of a cute boy's motorcycle with my hair blowing in the breeze". Boy, how time's have changed. God's grace is good.
9. I love this sleepy little railroad town where I have spent most of my life.
10. Summer is my favorite season. Love to swim, ride bikes, feel the sunshine on my face, watch my boys play ball.
11. I love parts of every season and see the gifts from our Creator in each one.
12. Love Christmas.
13. I miss my mother everyday. And with each new season, her absence washes over me anew. But, today...she dances. And someday I will dance with her.
14. I am a mother of twin daughters, although with none of the pink frills and lace and matching accessories that should adorn my life. My sweet Faith and Grace are in heaven. Dancing their perfect dance with Jesus.
15. I am the mother of three sons...only two of them fill my house with baseballs and light sabers...legos and golf clubs. And really big shoes. For my sweet Thomas lives in heaven's glory...and dances with his sisters and his Savior.
16. I first stood over the grave of my children when I was 21 years old.
17. I was shocked when my son became a teenager...Shocked when he started high school.
18. Shocked when he talked with a man voice.
19. Shocked that I am no longer the mother of "littles". My "littles" are getting big. Fast.
20. Part of the joy of having children is getting to do fun kid things myself. Like going to the zoo, the fair, going down the water slide, or the kiddie roller coaster. I scream and giggle when I go down a slide or ride my bike down a hill fast.
21. I hate big roller coasters and being up really high. Don't understand the attraction to something that leaves my stomach in the air as my body drops at alarming speeds to what seems like certain death. And back up again. No ma'am...no thank you.
22. Deep belly giggles are my favorite sound.
23. Followed closely by the sound of a newborn baby cry.
24. I love lab puppies...but they grow up...and chew everything.
25. Don't like inside animals...allergies and hair...and germy messes on the carpet. Can't do it...no thank you.
26. I worked at McDonald's for six unpleasant months while in high school.
27. I have worked as a waitress...
28. A home day care provider...
29. A Toddler Teacher at a day care center...
30. A Study Hall Monitor/Safety Patrol Advisor/English as a Second Language Tutor/ Teacher's Aide at our local school.
31. Two years in a row, my safety patrol won prestigious awards and we were honored with trips to Washington D.C.
32. My children were little at the time, so I brought them, along with my mother-in-law so that she could help care for them. James spent his first birthday on an airplane! It was a blast!
33. I stayed home with James for a couple years. Took online classes and earned my Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education.
34. Taught Preschool (James was in my class) at a Christian Daycare/Preschool Center.
35. Currently work as an Educational Paraprofessional working one-on-one with Special Needs students at our local elementary school. Love the kids.
36. Although I have worked off and on part time and full time throughout our marriage, we have never left our children with babysitters or in daycare. We worked opposite shifts, brought our children with me to work, worked at home, or enlisted grandma for an hour or two.
37. In my heart, I am a stay-at-home mom. I don't work in the summer...and that is when I feel the most like myself.
38. I have had four pregnancies and five children. Two laugh deep belly giggles and sometimes sass me (with a man voice) daily on this earth.
39. I have ridiculous nausea and extreme vomiting when I'm pregnant. It lasts the entire pregnancy...but the first five months usually land me in the hospital for dehydration a couple times.
40. Since my pregnancies...especially the twins whose twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome wreaked havoc on my body...I have tummy troubles, back discomfort, and I pee a little when I sneeze or laugh too hard!
41. I will always have a stretch mark filled mommy pouch. Always. 10 pounds overweight or nice and trim...it will be there.
42. I love to sing. Always have.
43. Loved to be in musicals and play a character...love the thrill and magic of the stage (as long as I'm playing a part). Hope to do it again someday when I have time. I played the part of one of the children in Annie Get Your Gun, The political activist mother in Mary Poppins, Minnie Faye in Hello Dolly, and The English Teacher, Rose in Bye, Bye Birdie. Loved it!
44. Won Female Vocalist of the Year.
45. Sang in church, weddings, funerals, at women's events, local community events.
46. Sing a mean Star Spangled Banner. Sing even when afraid and overwhelmed...when I get the choice to sit it out or sing...God has spoken to my heart to sing. So I do, with much prayer. Not always perfectly (so please don't have high expectations - when I'm on, I'm on - but when I'm off, I'm OFF!)...but I do it.
47. Don't watch a lot of TV. Sometimes American Idol, Fox News (especially during election time...but not so much lately. Lately, I don't want to know.), Disney Channel, and the "new" classic movies like the Notebook or You've Got Mail.
48. Love to sing with my husband playing the guitar. We do children's worship together. That is one of the most precious answers to prayer that I hold in my heart.
49. I prayed for us to go to church as a family for 10 years. One of my favorite images today is that of my son's looking down at their father's hands folded in prayer at church beside us on Sunday morning. Sweet grace....washing over me.
50. We were married and parents when we were 18.
51. We built our house when we were 19.
52. We have been married for 15 years. Each passing year our love grows deeper and sweeter. It is one of the greatest gifts of my life...laughing with this man.
53. I fell in love with him because he could always make me laugh. Folks...when I say always, I mean always. Even when you would not think it remotely possible...in the darkest moments.
54. My sons have his sense of humor.
55. I am a full-boy mama...love the sports....to watch, not play. Love the healthy competition. Love baseball when my boys are playing. Love watching them steal the bases or slide into home. Football when the Browns are playing. And golf, when Tiger (or my family) is playing. Have such respect for the boy world. It intrigues me.
56. Learned to golf a couple years ago.
57. Another example of dancing instead of sitting it out! Which I am tenderly learning to do.
58. I generally refrain from trying things that I may not be good at because it drives me crazy not to be good at something. I feel I must master it.
59. I stayed at the golf clinic long after everyone else left. Blood was dripping from my hands and I just kept swinging. The instructor got me a band-aid so my club wouldn't slip (on my blood) and I kept swinging.
60. I'm still not very good at golf, but I love it. Very humbling...and quite an outside of my comfort zone victory. I've met some great people on the golf course.
61. For the one out of ten times I hit it well, I continue fighting the good fight on the course...
62. With my pink golf clubs...
63. In a little golf skirt, of course.
64. If you can't be good at something, you better at least look cute doing it!
65. I love the beauty and serenity of the golf course...and spend a great deal of time there...either golfing with my family....or waiting for my oldest son to finish his round. The shades of green...the trees...the rolling hills. It is like fine art to me.
66. I am not remotely athletic and I was the "girly girl" that the boys groaned about when it was my turn at bat in gym class.
67. Although I love grace, I am not graceful (physically). At all.
68. I have always wanted to be a writer.
69. Love words.
70. In 2004, had a short story published in an anthology published by Family Christian Stores, called Encounters With God.
71. Started a non-profit ministry in 2004 and created the Dreams of You Memory Book.
72. I'm hopelessly disorganized. And kind of a messy.
73. I began writing a book about God's beautiful grace as He has carried our family on this journey through our losses a couple years ago. Most of it is finished. I would love to have it published someday. I haven't tried yet.
74. We also would like to make a CD of our music to offer comfort and hope to those who grieve...someday.
75. Politics intrigues me a little. I like to educate myself. Vote family/biblical values.
76. But, I don't place my faith in the workings of the world or the "false" wisdom of it. At all.
77. I love this country. My step father taught me to honor this land because of the sacrifice of brave men who have fought for our sweet freedom.
78. I expect my sons to show respect for our flag, our veterans and our country. Because of him, we never miss a memorial day parade. And we stand with our hands over our heart when the flag passes by.
79. I am so thankful that I am saved by grace through Jesus...and grateful to live a life that is bathed in his beautiful sufficient grace.
80. Love Him with all of my heart.
81. I have two brothers that I grew up with, one brother that I have seen a handful of times, and three step brothers. Two sons and a manly-man husband. For some reason, God really wants me to understand men/boys. I adore them.
82. Besides...I have never mowed a lawn because of them. I plan to continue that streak.
83. I long to pursue full time work in our ministry as a family...but for now, I'm balancing a job in the mix. I'm not always very good at it. Not very good at juggling so many things. I am good at my job. But in my busy life, I forget things and mess up...a lot.
84. I adore my girl friends and have several. Love to talk with, laugh with, pray with, cry with and thoroughly enjoy my girls. Wish we had more time for all of that. For now, we squeeze it into life.
85. Love to ride my bike...which is an old-fashioned style with the big seat (comfortable for a mama bottom) and brakes with the pedals, no gears. Love it.
86. Love to read a good book.
87. Love Doritos, Pepsi, and chocolate covered M&Ms, and McDonald's sweet tea...way too much.
88. Love home...love my little house(most of the time).
89. I miss when I had more time to clean and care for my home. That's saying a lot...for a messy like me.
90. I like to be fashionable, but I don't spend a lot of money doing it.
91. Some of my favorite dresses were purchased at Wal-Mart.
92. Love getting dressed up...wish I lived in the 50s sometimes and could just make myself and my house pretty and love on my family everyday. Sigh...
93. I love the simple pleasures.
94. Love the beach, but hardly get to go there. Hope to go again soon.
95. Have been blessed with friends that are so dear and would walk through anything with us...closer than family some of them. God is good to us.
96. Spent a lot of summers camping...in a tent. Now, I need an airbed at least. Still have a tent, though. It's a lot more work in this stage of life than when I was twelve!
97. I love being Mrs. Gerken.
98. Love seeing a child blossom through learning and growing.
99. Love doing bible devotions with my boys.
100. I'd way rather be almost 34 than almost 15.

Whew...I did it. Thanks for enduring that fun little activity. You are a trooper if you read to the end! Love to all....thanks for reading.