25 Random Things

This is a Facebook note, actually, but I thought I'd put it here since it will be imported anyway. You are supposed to write 25 random things about yourself. I love reading everyone else's, so I was eager to do my own. Here we go:

1.My favourite flavours are vanilla and almond.

2.My best talent is test-taking. That stood me in very good stead until I graduated from college, but since than (and especially since having kids) has been fairly useless.

3.I can't believe it's been over 11 years since I graduated from college and got married.

4.Frank and I and our children have lived in Germany for about 2 years in total, and during that time visited Switzerland (Frank's relatives) and the Netherlands (my relatives).

5.I am having a hard time writing facts about myself rather than my kids.

6.My first baby, I gained about 20 pounds and he was born 6 weeks early. I was fine but he had a long recovery. My second baby, I gained about 30 pounds and she was born two weeks early, and we were both fine. My third baby, I gained about 40 pounds, she was born two days after her due date, and she was fine but I had a very long recovery.

7.I am learning the value of balance rather than extremes (see above and below).

8.I have always wanted and tried to do the right thing, and nevertheless I have some big regrets. I think the more earnest you are, the harder it is for God to get through to you when you're wrong. That's not to say you shouldn't be earnest – I think humble is the word I'm looking for. Sometimes I feel like I'm not sure about anything anymore – except that God exists and he loves me.

9.When Matthias was a baby, I thought I was addicted to getting mail, because I could hardly wait to go check the mailbox at noon every day. Later I realized it was the fresh air, sunshine, and exercise I was really craving!

10.Frank “gave” me 10 goldfish for our 10th anniversary. But it was unintentional (a rescue), and the fishtank didn't come for another week. A year later, there are six left.

11.I homeschool my kids, and celebrate each of their achievements. This past month, Bethany figured out that she can read, and lost four teeth. Matthias found out that he can memorize times tables if I make the stakes high enough, and Carrie Ann can count up to 9 (“three, four, six, nine, two”). She loves being “up-dy down!”

12.I've had two concussions in my life. The first time I was at swimming lessons practicing the front crawl, supported by the swimming instructor. We each thought the other was watching for the edge of the pool, and I swam right into it. The second time was last October. I went to have an ingrown toenail cut off, and as the doctor was anesthetizing my toe I sat up, fainted, and fell sideways off the bed, hitting my head on a chair leg. It was quite a shock for him, and when I woke up I was back on the bed with two strange faces peering down at me. I said, “Where am I?” then thought “I sound like someone in a movie!” As soon as the doctor answered I remembered everything... Anyway, I also learned that it's much harder to spend a week in bed when you have three small children than when you are 11!

13.Last summer, I prayed to God for a sign that he loves me – and in the next half hour I saw an incredible rainbow! God has answered a number of prayers in the last year – both mine for others, and others' for me. He wants us to pray for eachother!

14.I only fought with my mom twice, that I remember, as a teenager. Both times it was over doing dishes. Now I am being repaid in full by my own kids, who love to fight about it when it is their turn to wash (except Carrie Ann, but she makes more mess than she cleans).

15.I absolutely love pictures and cute stories and little videos of my niece and nephew. I am amazed at my sister-in-law's ability to keep her blog up to date.

16.I really enjoyed getting up to date with old school friends when I joined Facebook. I used to think, “I wonder how so-and-so (fill in your name here) is doing?” and now almost all of my old school friends, and grown cousins, are on Facebook. Neat!

17.I like using public transportation, but trains are my favourite and I've gotten tired of flying. In Creston, the bus system is, well, it's a small town.... I usually walk.

18.The new lightbulbs remind me of swirly ice cream cones.

19.I don't participate in anything that requires you to send it on to everyone you know/a certain number of friends. So I won't tag anyone in this note, but if you are reading this and want to write a “25 random things about myself” note, please consider yourself tagged!

20.I started a photo/story web page nine years ago when we moved to Creston (to help keep in touch with Mom). Over the years it became a photo gallery instead, and when my siblings started blogging I joined that as well.

21.I am amused to note that the older my friends are, the more philosophical their 25 things are. I must be getting old...

22.Ever since I was a child I wanted a big philodendron draped over my window, and for a number of years, I did. (Frank killed it with fertilizer, but I saved a clipping so it is growing back again now – but not yet big enough to drape over the window.) I also love ficus (fig) trees, and have one in my living room which is almost as tall as I am.

23.When I was a kid I wanted waist long hair, like my art teacher (Mrs. DeBree). Unfortunately, my hair doesn't grow that long, and it looks best when the part by my face is chin length. So I keep it shorter.

24.I love to sing. I can't play piano really well, but I can sight-read (singing) not too badly and I love singing alto. Some of my best memories are of choirs (in highschool, and the Oratorio at Calvin). I loved Frank's folky-religious music and early Renaissance preferences when I met him. A friend once said, “You just like Frank's music because you're his wife.” I retorted, “Maybe I'm his wife because I like his music!” Together, with some friends we have recorded one tape (just before Matthias was born), and with Frank's encouragement I have even written a couple children's songs.

25.I have my own Bible reading plan – I read one chapter of Old Testament history (currently in Leviticus), Old Testament writings (currently in Jeremiah), New Testament history (Acts) and New Testament writings (Romans) plus one Psalm and a couple Proverbs every day (well, almost every day). It is interesting to see how the passages juxtapose and reflect on each other, as well as how they speak to my life at unexpected moments. Like the time I was thinking of being induced with Carrie Ann, and the whole chapter (Hosea 9) was about miscarrying wombs and dying children. Needless to say, I turned down the offer of induction. Two days later she was born naturally and the verses were about holding and kissing children (Hosea 11). Amazing!