Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Swimmingly Good Hodgepodge

 

1. In what way are you your own worst enemy?
I'm a lot better at extending grace and love toward others...but not myself.  My expectations for myself are really HIGH...often, I come to realize that I'm my own worst enemy...no one else is expecting me to be perfect in mommy-hood, wife-dom, or anywhere else.  Almost everyone in my life thinks I'm doing okay and love me when I screw up...and well, God...He's not waiting to knock me down when I fail Him (phew)...In fact, He loves me so much He CHOSE me...before the foundations of the world.  Whenever I need wisdom, all I have to do is ASK and He'll give it to me without scolding me!  Pretty wonderful, huh!?


2. Jacques Cousteau's birthday was Monday, June 11th...ever been scuba diving? Is that something you'd like to try? What's your favorite 'under the sea' creature?
I'm not a very strong swimmer...but I'd love to try it.  It looks beautiful.  If I had time to be properly trained so I wouldn't drown...SURE...I'd try it.  My favorite underwater creature...er, coral?
3. On a scale of 1-10, how comfortable are you in and around the water? (1=not at all, 10=very) Do you know how to swim and if so how and when did you learn?
I'm about an 8-9 around swimming pools, lakes, ponds or streams.  The ocean makes me nervous...only because I don't have a lot of experience with it and it's salty and stings my eyes and nose.  I love watching waves but being petite have always felt like I'm being yanked out by them.  It's scary!  So, with salt water I'll say 2-3.  Sitting on the beach...definite 10!
4. What's something you do to motivate yourself to tick an item off your to-do list?
Well...I don't do this on purpose...but if I get really stressed out or ticked off...I clean like a mad woman.  If you come to visit and things are ridiculously clean and I look exhausted...there's a pretty good chance I'm dealing with the stress of up coming company or I'm made at Loverbrains!
5. What makes a good neighbor? Are you a good neighbor?
Mark 12 says, "Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’"  It's sort of has the same foundation as the golden rule:  Treat others as you would like to be treated.  I have developed a wonderful relationship with my neighbors...through simple things...putting kiddos on the bus in the morning, sharing tomatoes, listening, crying and praying with them when they lose loved ones, making surprises to share when they have new babies.  Simple things...based on my love for the Lord!

6. Who loads the dishwasher at your house? Is there a right way and a wrong way?
I like to the load the dishwasher...my way.  I usually "fix" it if he puts stuff in!  I HATE to empty the dishwasher...mostly because after I do, I end up filling it right back up again.  This depresses and frustrates me...so, he is in charge of emptying the dishwasher...and I load it.  Great division of labor...well, when it works out, of course.
7. You know it's summer when_________________________.
The kids get a million bug bites, you have to water the hanging plants EVERY day or they look wilty, and when the Indiana humidity arrives and it's like taking a bath when you go outside...in the morning.  Ugh!  Okay, those sounded negative...let me try again...When there are lots of weddings (yeah, weddings), when we get to go swimming and splashing, when my yard is full of lush green trees and leaves and flowers...and singing birdies.
8. Insert your own random thought here.
Friday we are off to share in the joyous occasion of my brother David's marriage to sweet Jess.  Emma-bean is the flowergirl and Lubby is the ringbearer.  I am a bridesmaid...(better late than never)...and I get to sing during their unity candle ceremony!  Thankfully, Darren isn't in the wedding party and can help watch the kiddos and just be his generally supportive self!  

When we get back we will be having our very first Stay-ca-tion.  Any good ideas out there?  We were thinking we'd go to a park where there's an old cemetary and do grave rubbings one day...and then we'd go fly the kites we're making another day...and the zoo one day...Really...I need ideas!!  Please share!!!

8 comments:

Jocelyn said...

BUG BITES! How could I have forgotten that? lol yes - major hint that summer's here!

Anonymous said...

for staycation ideas- you might try doing random acts of kindness as a family. go to the church wash all the car windows and leave loving messages, go do yard work for a shut in, plant flowers and such for them. Bake cookies/brownies and take them to local fire/police stations with thank yous for hard work. just some ideas. -g

Joyce said...

Ha-we load the dishwasher the same way: ). Have a wonderful time at the wedding...congrats to the bride and groom!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Yes the stress of company gets me going for sure! I agree, I don't care to unload it but it always feels good to have it done! Have fun at the wedding. I love going through old cemeteries.

April said...

What a wonderful answer to #5! You sound like the ideal neighbor to have.

Pastor D said...

At first I misread your "staycation" idea and thought you were going to "grave robbing!" That is not a good idea. I think you better say tombstone rubbings.

You could come to our house for a staycation! :-)

You could bleach your dog's hair blond!

You could go down to visit Spring Mill Park and visit some of the caves.

You could go to an airport and watch airplanes take off and land.

You could go to the nursing home and sing for the old people.

I love you.

Michelle said...

I totally get your way for the dishwasher. I actually read the manual for our new dishwasher and load accordingly. However, not everyone read the manual and therefore should not feel it is their job to load the dishwasher.

Regarding your staycation, I just read a blog that talks about having a reading party for your kids. Pack a picnic and go outside and read.

Barbara H. said...

I can't swim at all, even though I grew up near the water. I like to get in it but not too far. I love dolphins.

I don't interact much with neighbors, to my shame.

There is definitely a right way to load the dishwasher. :-D I'll accept help when it is offered, but I've been known to rearrange them a bit when no one is looking. I get especially frustrated when bowls are put in almost totally inside each other so that water can't get into them.