25 Pieces of the Real ME!

With all of those "notes" that float around facebook, I actually completed one of them. It asked me to give 25 facts about myself. I didn't include things that are obvious or that everyone would know. (ie: I have two kids. etc...) What I included is a little more about the rest of me. The me that I know and others may only if I've told them. So, for those of you who care to know more of the "real" me... Here you go. I'm reposting my original "note" with a few minor modifications.

1. Most of my best friends I did not know a few years ago, but I would love to reconnect with some of my old friends better too!

2. My husband is my ultimate best friend and a hero to me.

3. I believe that everyone should have a good mentor. (If it's good enough for professional athletes, entertainers and business people, it's probably a good thing for me too.)

4. ONE of my future goals is to teach my own children by experiental learning. (Living in and diving into the cultures that we would study or going to historical places and things like that.)

5. I studied in Kenya for a semester and now have a whole other family that calls me their white adopted daughter... and I love them!

6. I have tried several times, but I still can't stand the taste of coffee. It smells delightful though.

7. Jon and I have talked about having a large family... at least 4 kids. Half way there...

8. I hope to have a membership someday to exclusiveresorts.com or the large ship called "The World" so that we can travel more often.

9. I love autumn and, in second place, spring.  Moderate temperatures are the key. I'm all about jeans and hoodie weather. Sweating while just standing there is for the birds.

10. I'm not a huge fan of plain chocolate... Maybe if it's mixed with something...

11. I taught English in a middle school in PA for a few years before they made me go get an English certificate. (I was elementary education before.)

12. It irks me when people don't know how to use the adjective "GOOD" and the adverb "WELL" correctly in sentences. (ex: I'm doing good. - This is not correct English!!!)

13. I would love for my kids to grow up learning many languages. (Tutor? Rosetta Stone?)

14. I would like to some day own a motorcycle, but Jon says that I drive too fast and he'd be scared all the time. We'll see who wins.

15. I think I could eat lobster, crab and shrimp every day.

16. I know you should never have favorite or least favorite students when being a teacher, but I will admit that some names that I previously liked as names to (potentially) name my children have been banished from the list (or even some added to it) because of prior students. It's that whole word association thing. Sorry.

17. I'm trying to get better every day at keeping in touch with people. Really, I am.

18. I've vowed to spend time every day "smelling the baby hair" so that I don't take my time with Avery or Sam for granted while they're little.

19. I am a firm believer that kids and spouses often spell love this way: T-I-M-E

20. I have a ton of books in mind that I think should be made into movies... just ask me, I'll tell you which ones.

21. I've come to realize that every decision is/can be a life changing one. As I look back, some things that seemed life altering at the time really were, while other decisions that seemed insignificant when being made, have changed my life forever. You never know how things will play out, so make decisions carefully.

22. I'm really sappy and I cry at movies, books, and hearing passionate people talk about their hopes and dreams.

23. Although I made other dumb decisions in high school and college, I have stayed true to my vow to never drink alcohol.

24. I wish that people would be good for their word more and have more ambition in life. Things may be really different if everyone vowed to do that.

25. I understand that I can control my actions and my attitude. What others do and how they behave is up to them. (It still frustrates me sometime, but I understand it's not up to me.)

The Royal Treatment

Avery is infatuated with all things girly. Fairies, princesses, pretty bows, flowers, cooking, tea parties, etc... I will also add that she is also excited that someday daddy will teach her how to play baseball, basketball and football. (I've got field hockey to teach.) More than anything she is super excited about being a princess. I mean, I guess most little girls are. I don't necessarily remember being like that when I was a kid... more of a tomboy, I guess. Ava, however, would wear her tutus and princess dresses (and even the fairy wings) every day and to every venue if I let her. Funny thing is, she acts nicer when she's a princess. This is not saying that she's not still three years old and has the occassional melt down, but she dances around singing and smiling at everyone for the most part.
It's interesting... the Ava being a princess thing. I was thinking about it. If our heavenly father is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, then each of us is also royalty. And, just like any other royal family, we did nothing to earn being a prince or princess. We just have to receive it. I recently heard my friend, Jody, read from a book about this very subject. It said that, "In the kingdom of God there are no commoners." The more I thought about it, the more I realize that we do not always live like we are royalty. We believe the lies that people have told us about how "ordinary" we are. We give up our dreams that we have when we're little and try to settle for what we've been told is "reality." We live like a commoner.
Why?
Why don't we realize how amazing we are? Why don't we realize that we are the kids of a King? If your biological dad was a King, how different would you act? How different would you carry yourself? How different would you look at the world and at your family? At your responsibilities? Truly, your heavenly father, who cares more about you than even your biological one, IS a king. He's got more authority and can make more things happen than any earthly king (or president.) I think we need to realize how awesome we've been created. How amazing our lives can be by mere association with the King. How many people are watching us and watching royalty conducts themselves. (I mean, if a zillion people tuned in for Prince William's wedding, I'm guessing at least the people you come in contact with watch you.)
What if we started behaving like we have people watching? What if we started acting like we are representing the name of our heavenly father every time we come in contact with another one of His children? (We are.) How different would this world be if we all started acting like princes and princesses in everything we do? How different would our lives be if our expectations (about our lives and our responsibilities) were those of royalty? I'm excited to try it every day. I probably won't start wearing a tutu or frilly dress, but I will start to recognize my role as the kid of a KING!