I'm 33 today...Or am I?

I'm 33 today, I think.  No, seriously, I am the big 3-3.  It's my birthday!  I often forget how old I am.  Back in the spring when Mark was filling out the census form he asked me how old I was and I responded, "I don't know.  I think I'm 32.  Or am I 33?"  He said, "Michele, seriously, this is for the census."  Oh, for official government business, then let me get serious.  Once I realized he was actually filling out the census form I had to think back to the year I was born and do the math.  I never remember.  I guess after 16, 18 or 21 it doesn't really matter. 

Since it's my birthday, I'll be sharing 33 random things about me.  I've seen other bloggers do this and thought I'd give it a try.

1.  I'm left-handed.  I'm in pretty good company.  Google "famous left handed people" and you'll be surprised.

2.  I was born in the Philippines.

3.  I only lived in the Philippines for about the first two months of my life and then moved to a small town in rural northeast Texas.  I lived there with my paternal grandparents until I moved away from home to attend college.

4.  I attended two colleges:  East Texas Baptist University and Texas A&M University. 

5.  I graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in sociology.  I wanted to pursue a career in social work or counseling.  My internship my senior year was working under a social worker, Sara, who helped the elderly in Brazos County.  She was the best boss I have ever had. 

6.  Instead of social work or counseling, I'm a teacher.  It's a good fit for me. 

7.  My husband is also a teacher.  We work at the same school.  It works for us, and we both like it.

8.  We are blessed to have two boys.  I love being the mom of two boys. 

Our Family
June 2010
Taken by Lauren Wensel

9.  We don't plan to have anymore children.  If we had a daughter her name would have been Claire Elizabeth.  One of my best friends, Angela,  used the name Claire, and I'm so glad that she did.  Claire is precious!

10.  My hair is naturally curly, but I straighten it with a flat iron (when I'm not feeling lazy).  Sometimes I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle because of the humidity in Texas.

11.  I have a great love for our country's National Parks.  My husband and I have a dream to visit as many as we can.  After watching Ken Burn's documentary about National Parks we were inspired to make that dream a reality.

12.  I love to travel and think the experiences I have had traveling to different places has helped me be a more well-rounded person.  I don't think one has to be well-traveled to be well-rounded.

13.  I lived in Seattle, Washington for six months after I graduated from college.  I took a temporary job working for the Baptist Collegiate Ministry/Baptist Student Ministry at the University of Washington.  I applied and was hired for the job through the NAMB.  I chose UW because I'd been on a mission trip to the Northwest with my BSM group from ETBU during my sophomore year in college.  It was a life changing experience.  I moved to Seattle and didn't know a single person.  It was probably one of the biggest leaps of faith I've ever taken.  My roommate, Kayreen, ended up being one of my best friends.  If I had it to do all over again, I'd make that move in a second.  I learned a great deal about myself through that experience.  This is going to sound hokey, but it really helped me find myself and feel okay with who I am (and who I'm not).

14. I am a morning person.

15.  Fall is my favorite season.

16.  I love to shop.  The thrill of finding a good deal is the most exciting part of shopping.  I can't remember the last time I paid full price for clothing.  It was probably something for the boys and not me.

17. I'm not very creative, but I'm drawn to people who are.  Some of my best friends are extremely creative and talented.

18.  I didn't like chocolate as a child.  Too bad that didn't last through adulthood.  I'd probably weigh 10 pounds less if I didn't like/love chocolate.

19.  I have a terrible singing voice.  I can't carry a tune to save my life.  Imagine the really terrible people who try out for American Idol and think they can sing.  I sound like those people.  The only difference is that I know how bad my singing voice is. 

20. I just started blogging in May 2010.  I've had a blogger account for a long time but never used it.

21.   I met and married my husband in less than a year.  We met in August 2001, started dating in October 2001, got engaged February 2002, got married June 2002.  Mark and I were married before we ever celebrated a birthday as a couple.  His birthday is in July and mine is in September.  For some reason I never worried about not knowing each other that long.  He seemed as crazy about me as I was about him so why not just be together.  It just seemed to make perfect sense.

22.  Our first date was at the Cheesecake Factory.  It was a really good first date.  That's still one of our favorite restaurants.

23.  I think my husband makes me a better person.  His personality and temperament are a perfect compliment to me.

24.  I really like my in-laws.  We're lucky to have a great relationship with them.

25.  I'd rather drink hot tea instead of coffee.

26.  If I'm at Starbucks, I usually order a Chai Tea Latte, White Chocolate Mocha decaf or Caramel Apple Cider.

27.  I really like to vacuum.  I have an Oreck vacuum which I think it the most superior vacuum that exists.

28.  In high school, I participated in cheerleading, basketball and track.  I'm not the most athletic person, but I attended a small school so there were numerous opportunities to participate in various activities.

29.  I love sports and wish that I had more time to exercise.

30.   I feel guilty when I don't recycle.

31.  I'm not shy.  I can make small talk with a complete stranger.  This is a good and bad thing.  I usually talk too much. 

32.  I'm really working on talking less and listening more.

33. If you've read through this lame list, then thank you.  This blog has been a blessing for me.  Sometimes I feel isolated and a little lonely in the small town where I live.  There are so many positive things about living in a small town, but sometimes it's hard for me to meet people who share common interests.  Blogging has introduced me to so many interesting people.  My husband says that with blogging "You've found your people.", and I think he's right.  It's given me the opportunity to connect with people who are like-minded.  The inspiration and encouragement has meant more to me than I can express.  Thank you!