Sitting in the living room with my two girls, a congested Joanna napping on me and Vivian on the couch, who also has a cold as well, eating strawberries watching The Wonder Pets and thinking how incredibly lucky I am to have them as my daughters.
Growing up, death was a constant topic in the house because of my Dad's job and where we lived. He sells tombstones, cut's death dates and set headstones for my uncle's monument company. My childhood years, up until junior high, we lived directly behind the company. I spent a lot of time playing on the headstone displays in their show yard and playing in cemeteries when I tagged along with my Dad. So without control, death is on my mind often.
As a mother, I think about my girls not having me around if something were to happen. You never know when God calls you Home. This is a big reason I like blogging. Not only the girls have something special for them to read when their older, but just for them to know how much I love them and cherish our every single moment. The good days and bad days.
So this is for my girls. 34 random things. Why 34? I figured I would do 34 for my age. In 3 short months I will be another year older and creeping up to the age of 40. 4-0!!! I can't even fathom. I definitely don't feel 34 honestly. It is true when they say, "age is just a number."
Here's to 34!
1. I love music. Music helps my stressful days. My current favorite song that I can listen on repeat is Coldplay - A Full Sky of Stars. I really do love that song!
2. Mississippi will always be my 'home.' Even though I haven't lived there in 9 years, every time I return it feels as if I've never left. I hope we'll return back one day!
3. I love the mountains more than the beach. Even though we live in a beach town, I long for being in the mountains. The love began when Memom and Papa took us to the Smokey Mountains every year to camp on our family vacation.
4. Even though the mountains is my top vacation spot, hands down the best vacation we took was out west for 2 weeks. Mommy, daddy, Memom and Papa flew into San Francisco and visited 9 National Parks. Yosemite, Arches and Canyonlands, Zion, Great Basin, Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, Death Valley. Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam. I dream of taking you girls there one day.
5. Movies I can watch over and over: Clueless, Sweet Home Alabama, Music and Lyrics, Legally Blonde, Age of Adeline, The Holiday, You've Got Mail, Sleepless In Seattle. I enjoy "chick flicks."
6. I'm not a fan of cooking, but enjoy baking. I have a serious and unhealthy sweet tooth!
7. I don't like to drink my calories, that's why I mostly drink water. I also enjoy drinking a nice glass of wine or a beer every now and then.
8. I remember my childhood vividly. I truly had the best childhood thanks to Memom and Papa!
9. I secretly wish there was no internet simply because we are constantly on it. I remember constantly playing outside and not seeing anyone attached to their smart phones, tablets and laptops.
10. I'm a morning person and not a night owl like daddy.
11. I hate my handwriting! I wright like a 5th grader.
12. As a child, I loved stargazing. I once wanted to be an astronomer.
13. When 9/11 happened, I was driving from Cleveland to MS Delta Community College for class. I heard the news on the radio. None of the teachers allowed us to turn on the news and had to see what happened once returning back to Cleveland.
14. I was saved by our gracious Lord in 10th grade
grade at a concert that was being held at my high school.
15. I loved growing up in a small town.
16. I took dance from age 3 - 4th grade and then again in 6th grade.
17. I was a cheerleader in elementary school, then again in 8th grade and 10th grade. I went to public school all of my elementary days, private school 7th and 8th grade, public school 9th and 10th grade, homeschooled 11th grade, back to private school my senior year. The year I homeschooled, I went to 2 proms :)
18. I once ran away from a train when playing on the railroad tracks as a child. Never do that girls!
19. I taught myself how to do flips on the trampoline. Spent hours learning.
20. I am deathly afraid of lizards and frogs.
21. I've attend several different colleges. Holmes Community College, Jones Community College (only attended one day of class), MS Delta Community College (received my liberal arts degree), Delta State University (summer classes), University of Southern MS (half a semester) and finally received my marketing degree from MS State University. I did a lot of bouncing around, but finally finished.
22. I lived in Knoxville, TN for a semester before attending MSU. I worked the front desk of a hotel.
23. The Golden Girls reminds me of Saturday nights at your Great Grandmother Sanders.
24. As a child, I was going to stay a week at grandmama's house and I was scared because her house was so old. I wrote a letter to your Memom and while writing it, I was in tears. She noticed the tear drops on the letter and picked me up early. She was only 25 minutes away. She bought me a trampoline.
25. I prefer raw cookie dough over the baked cookie.
26. Your daddy and I met at MSU.
27. Fall is my favorite season.
28. My favorite Disney movie is The Little Mermaid. That was my first Disney movie to see in the movie theater and owned on VHS.
29. The very first movie I saw at the movies was Jewel of the Nile. Guess Memom wanted to see that real bad :)
30. I'm afraid of tornadoes. Once me, memom and papa had to drive down the road to take cover under a bridge that was underneath the road. Very scary.
31. I only want the best for you girls.
32. I said I was never having children because I was afraid of the pain that I would endure. Yes, it was painful but that pain went away immediately as I had both of you in my arms.
33. You two are my greatest accomplishments.
34. Vivian, you made me a mother and Joanna, you completed our family. I love you girls with all of my heart!!!
