Oh, Me!

Wouldn't it be great if we could go back and educate our younger selves on what to do and be just so we would be better prepared as to what was coming. Beth at Not a Bow in Sight had this brilliant idea to write a letter to our 20 year old self. At first, I thought this would be a fun thing to do, but I have to say it has been a very thought provoking and somewhat painful letter to write. In fact, I only am going to post about half of what I wrote because, as much as I love you all, somethings are just between me, myself, and God. If you blog, I encourage you to try this yourself and link up to Beth's site. Here is my letter...

Dear Me,

Hey, chick! It's you writing, just 15 years older and 15 pounds heavier. Things have changed quite a bit. You have have to dye your hair blond now. It's not naturally that color anymore and it's even getting a little grey. Your eyes are starting to show a few lines and well, enjoy these days while you can eat anything and not gain a pound. That's going to change, too.

I thought I might write and give you few pointers for the next few years. I know you are planning a wedding and will marry in the spring, but if you could put down the planning book and lend me your ear for a moment, there is much we need to discuss.

First, you are way to concerned about how you look and how the opposite sex sees you. You are not defined as to how much attention you receive (or in our case) don't receive from men. God has given you an amazing man that you will be marrying soon. HE thinks and will continue to think you are the most beautiful woman who walks the face of the earth. Start believing him now. Let that be enough.

Secondly, stop trying to be other people. Stop copying others and be who God made and wants you to be. He wants us to be unique and different for a reason or we would have all be created to look and think the same. Celebrate your different-ness. Thrive in your own gifts and ideas and don't worry about whether or not you fit in. All that matters is that you live a genuine and transparent life that glorifies God. THAT is what draws people to you.

Third, it's OK to be emotional. It does not mean you are weak. It does not make you fragile. It means you are human. Go with it.

Let's talk about singing for a minute. When you are standing in front of a microphone, get over yourself. I don't say that to be harsh, but you are truly wasting time trying to entertain. Not that there is anything wrong with entertaining, but you will soon find it to be unfulfilling. Remember who gave you this talent and spend your time learning how to give it back. Granted, the compliments given to an entertainer are nice, but at best, short-lived. The blessings given to a worshipper, however, are eternal.

Speaking of worshipping, live and breathe every moment for Jesus. Talk to Him constantly. He is your Best Friend, your Love, your Hope. Don't wait until you are in your 30's to read His Love Letter to you. You will miss out on so much. Start now and commit to doing it everyday.

Your doctor will be right when she told you that you would have problems getting pregnant. Don't freak out over this. You will be frustrated and will be become more familiar with a basal body temperature chart than you ever would have imagined. You will take fertility drugs and you will have a two precious boys (and praise God, not at the same time). Then God will intervene and there will be a nuclear-surprise, natural pregnancy in which will result in a angelic little girl.

Let me stop here and say your pregnancies are going to be VERY hard on your body and your body will in turn try to "expel" your babies way before their due dates. TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY. DON'T be up and about when you are supposed to be on bed rest. Don't feel guilty, pre-term labor is not your fault. DON'T let inexperienced nurses give you catheters.

That being said, do adore the miracle tininess of your preemies. They grow so quickly. Do enjoy the bumps and thumps they give you while in your belly. Every time you get a stomach gurgle for the rest of your life, for a split second, you will put your hand to your belly and think there is a baby still there. Just enjoy, enjoy, enjoy. Your kids will be the light of your life.

Just a couple more things, then you can get back to your wedding planning.

Love and appreciate your friends. They will be vessels from God in your times of need and rejoicing. Return the favor to them.

Get a good camera and learn how to take good pictures BEFORE the kids come. (Ya know those three years we talked about you trying to get pregnant - That's a great time!)

And lastly, God is going to ask you to homeschool your kids. No seriously, He is. Stop laughing. I mean it. Save yourself a week of sleep and don't fight it. It's useless. You're going to do it and you will even like it (sometimes).

So that's about it. I could say more, but you need to go through some stuff to get to where I am now. It's going to be OK. You will come out for the better, I promise.

Your loving self,
Me2

One

I have total "Blogger's-Block" (I think I read somewhere where someone called it Blogstipation!), and am struggling to find something to chat about! (Wow! Be sure to write this date down because that's something you will hardly EVER hear me say!)

I actually do have something I want to share, but I'm going to wait until after Sunday so I will have some pictures and video to go along with it. (And no, I'm NOT pregnant!)

In the meantime, I received one of those "tell-about-yourself-and-pass-it-on" type emails that I usually ignore, but I liked this one because it forces you to compress your ideas into one word.

ANSWER USING ONLY ONE WORD


Where is your cell phone?
Sitting

Your significant other?
Amazing!!

Your hair?
BIG

Your mother?
Wise

Your father?
Sleepy

Your favorite thing?
Family

Your dream last night?
Bizarre-o!

Your favorite drink?
Cold

Your dream/goal?
Wisdom

What room are you in?
Office

Your hobby?
Singing

Your fear?
Separation

Where do you want to be in 6 Yrs?
Free

Where were you last night?
Asleep

Something that you aren't?
Angry

Muffins?
Pumpkin!

Wish list item?
Lens

Last thing you did?
Shiver

What are you wearing?
PJ's!

TV?
Definitely!

Your pets?
Loved

Friends?
Precious

Your life?
Blessed

Your mood?
Joyful

Missing someone?
Hopie

Drinking?
Punch

Smoking?
NO!

Your car?
Dependable

Something you're not wearing?
Shoes!

Your favorite store?
TARGET!!!

Your favorite color?
Coral

When is the last time you cried?
Monday

Where do you go to over and over?
Church

Five people who email me regularly?
Hubby, Hope, Sparrow, Mom, & David

My favorite place to eat?
Ruth's Chris! (OK, I know that's two words, but for this one there is NO substitute!!)

Favorite place I'd like to be at right now?
Beach!

So there ya have it! A few facts that you may or may not know about me to fill a little empty blog space! Hope you are staying warm!!!

Time to play tag!

I've been "tagged" by Jennifer.


The rules go something like this:

1. Include a link to the person who tagged you.
2. Mention the rules.
3. Tell six unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag six bloggers by linking.
5. Leave a comment for each blogger.

So here goes, my "unspectacular" goofinessisms are as follows:

1. Hmm......., Umm........, Well........., Let me think....Ah! Ok, let me first say if you are grossed out easily you might want to skip #1 and head to #2. On the other hand, if you are a mommy (especially a mommy to boys) you will soooooo get this! I am a stickler for clean ears. Nothing irritates me more than seeing my children with what is commonly referred to in the Balentine household as "cheez-puffs," hanging around in my little ones ear canals. We have a weekly ear-check every Saturday night to make sure those little buggers are pulled out and ears are squeaky clean and ready for Sunday morning church.

Now before I get comments on how you should never put q-tips in the ear canal of anyone much less of a child, know that if it's "way down there" I just take them to my fabulous Ped. and let him do it.

Yeah, I know it's icky, but some one's gotta keep those ears clean, so they can hear me tell them to clean there room! Hmmm, their rooms are currently trashed. Wonder if I cleaned ears well enough last night. (Note to self - check ears in the morning before breakfast.)


2. I don't tan. I remember when I came to this sad realization when I was 16. I've always had fair skin. Even when I thought I was tan, I still was pasty, ghostly white. I lay out, I burn, I peel, I look spotted and then the nasty cycle starts all over again. Mom used to encourage me back then by saying it was "peaches and cream" colored.

ANYWHO, I was coming out of my junior year in high school and was determined to make an amazing impression my senior year. I decided it would be a great idea to lay out everyday in the summer so that in August, when school started back up, I would be the Golden-Brown Goddess of ECS! God has a funny way of humbling us when we carry higher opinions of ourselves than we should.

I had once heard that if you rub butter on yourself when you "lay-out" you would get this amazing tan that would last for weeks. I don't think I have to finish the story for you to imagine the outcome. Needless to say after weeks of peeling and multiple bottles of aloe-vera I arrived to school paler than ever and somewhat spotted from the schluffing. Sooo, I gave up trying to be a sun-kissed blonde and now am content with my "Pimples, um, I mean, Peaches and Cream" complexion.


3. There are certain things in life that just go together. Salt and pepper. Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire. Hot summer days and a cold glass of lemonade. Perri and Bows. And close to the top of the list for me would be Frostys and french fries. Can't have one without the other...has to be both! And not separately, but dipped in each other. I've been doing that before it became somewhat acceptable, so, I'm tellin' ya if you haven't tried it, stop right now, take a trip to Wendy's, then come back and read the rest! YUMMYLICIOUS!


4. I have weird fear of heights, mainly open air heights. Like, I have no problem going to a high-rise building and looking out a window. No biggie. Balconies, say past the 6th floor, however, give me hives. And -don't--even---get---- me----started----- on----- Ferris (starting-to-hyper-ventilate) wheels (breathe 2,3,4, breathe 2,3,4, inhale, exhale)
.....must...move..on....turning purple....


5. So here's one thing that most people might be astonished over! I am a slammin' belcher! (probably not something everyone would be so proud to announce) but, I gotta say I've got skills in the art! I won't do it in front of just anyone, only those who promised to be my BFF and ever. Seriously, it's impressive.

6. And lastly, I don't get "Facebook" and I don't understand "texting". I mean, really, what's the point of either???? Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but can't you just pick-up the phone and do the same in less time? I personally think it's just two more methods of depersonalizing and avoiding contact with each other, but that's just me. I have friends who are dating on Facebook!
PA-LEASE!!!!! Come on, someone enlighten me here!!


OK, now I get to bestow this lovely effort on a few on my buddies and hereby officially "tag" the following people (Sorry - I don't know that many bloggers, so I only have a few)

I choose:

Sparrow
Jennie
Melissa

Tag! You're it!

Getting to know me?

Welp, I gave in. I tried to fight it. I must say I gave it a valiant effort, but I am so intrigued by the idea of blogging that I am going to try it for awhile. Probably I will get out one post on a month, but hey, it's something. So here goes...my very first post!

A few factoids about me:

• I'm married to the most caring and wonderful husband in da whole wide world. (Almost 14 years married and 17 years together!)
• We have three extraordinarily beautiful and precious kidos (sorry- can't help but to brag just a little) - Daylor 8, Duglin 6, and Perri 4 - all of which are homeschooled.
• My absolute PASSION is worshipping my CREATOR! HE is SO good!
• I love all animals, but especially my dogs, Harmini and Sundae.
• I express myself best when I am singing.
• I have the most amazing family and friends.

So, I look forward to sharing what's going on in my life with you. I would love to know what is going on with you as well! Hopefully, I will remember to keep up with it! Talk to you soon...