25 things about me.....

I don't care that I'm being a follower writing this because we all know that everyone loves to read them...(or maybe I just love them..whatev)

1. I LOOOOVE to travel. If Garrett and I ever make alot of money...I'd rather live in a small house and drive "sub-par" cars than not be able to travel.

2. While I'm still on the travel topic..Garrett and I made a "Bucket List" the other night on our date and two of the items on the list were 'travel to Peru and hike to Macchu Picchu' and 'Backpack Europe (specifically go to Greece,Croatia,Spain,and Scotland)' We would also love to go to Japan!

3. I'm in graduate school pursuing a counseling degree. I wan't to do counseling because I am fascinated by people and love listening to their stories and helping in whatever way I can.(and I want to be able to point people..if they are open to it..to Christ. duh.)

4. I am ridiculously close to my family. I talk to my Mom every day...and my brother and my Dad several times a week. They are all my best friends, along with my wonderful husband.

5. I am a dreamer, in the literal sense. I have weird dreams ALL the time. I love it. Except lately I've been dreaming that my brother has almost died several times and by the end of the dream I end up bawling my eyes out and screaming " your my best friend Ben! I've never known life without you!! You can't leave me!!" Sad huh?

6. I have the best husband I could ever ask for. Before we met I had a list of the things I wanted in a "future husband" and the only one he didn't meet was that I wanted him to be a musician. It's ok though...he sings for me all the time..and better yet..dances for me!! He makes me laugh every single day and we have a blast living life together.

7. I am on staff with New Life Church. I love my church and never imagined I would be on staff one day. Probably because I NEVER wanted to be a pastor's wife. I even told my friends that on several occasions...I just never wanted to have the pressure of being in the spotlight and being scrutinized for how spiritual I was. Turns out, it's not like that at all...and I love it!

8. I love to run. One of the greatest accomplishments of my life was running the Marine Corps Marathon with my Dad and brother. I haven't been running as much lately but with the Spring weather returning I'm rediscovering this passion of mine.

9. I love to read, specifically fiction. If I am reading a good book, I kind of find myself getting lost in that reality. I think about the story when I am not reading it and really identify with the characters. I would rather read a good book than watch a movie any day. I realize that I'm a dork. Sometimes I walk around on campus reading whatever book I am into not even looking at the sidewalk, and surprisingly I have never tripped.

10. I love to cook. I aspire to be one of those women that can cook dishes of all types. Asian, Mexican, home-made pizza, italian, etc. I'm learning how to cook Cuban food from my mother in law. For Christmas eve dinner we had a Cuban feast!

11. I love missions and mission trips. I've been going on mission trips with my family to Honduras since I was ten. I've also been to Nepal and am going to Kenya this summer. It's the best experience and always broadens my view of the world and what God is doing among different people groups.

12. I love politics. I didn't always...but recently, in the past couple years I've developed a love for the news. Not necessarily just politics but what is going on in the world. Every morning the first thing I do as I eat breakfast is read foxnews.com. I used to watch the news but Garrett and I don't have cable.

13. If I could have any job in the world, I would love to be in foreign relations working for the government. I'm not sure what the exact title would be but doing peace agreements or helping develop other countries.

14. I love being warm. If I had my way our thermostat would always be at 72. In the summer sometimes I don't even turn the air on in the car because I love the feeling of climbing into a hot car.

15. I am a creature of habit and could probably eat the same food for years before I got tired of it.

16. Although I am pursuing a degree to be a therapist, I am not always aware of my own emotions. It takes me a long time to process and to think of why I am the way I am. This frustrates my husband to no end because he is alot more self-aware than I am.:/ ( I'm working on it)

17. I love to sing. I would try out for the worship team if I had the time but I don't.

18. I love my parent's dog Simeon. He is a labradoodle, and is the funniest, most clumsy, adorable dog I know.

19. I love baths and hope to have a claw foot bathtub in our next house.

20. I was very accident prone as a child and was a big tomboy. This resulted in me having 7 sets of stiches and at least 2 broken bones.

21. I love deep conversations about philosophy, theology, anything about the Lord or Christianity and Religions, politics, why people are the way they are, anything...where there is some sort of debate or two sides...

22. I have a newfound love of Macaroni and Cheese, more specifically shells and cheese, since I have been married( and poor). This is probably because growing up my family ate VERY healthy food and I was never allowed to even entertain thoughts about Macaroni. Every morning my mother would put green seaweed called spirulina in our orange juice. I gagged almost every time.

23. I love accents. Specifically scottish, australian or new zealand accents.

24. Marriage is alot harder than I expected. I am an eternal optimist and didn't really think it would be that hard. I've learned SOOOO much through being married. 1) how selfish I am 2) How healthy relationships take ALOT of communication and upkeep every single day. 3) How true it is that no one else can fulfill you but the Lord.

25. Last but certainly not least, I love being a follower of Jesus. The more I live the more I realize.... how empty everything in life is apart from Him...how much I have to learn about him and grow in Him....and how thankful I am that I don't have to wander through this life blindly, hoping I am doing something that matters. Having the assurance that I have the creator of the universe loving me and guiding me daily is the most peaceful thought I could ever imagine.

THE END!!!!!