List of 25

My running buddy, prompted by an essay for entrance into grad school, recently posted a "list of 25" things about herself on her blog.  I've been close friends with Jessie for years and didn't know about half of the facts on her list prior to reading her post.  Then I realized, "I spill my guts at times on my blog, and most of my readers probably don't know the most basic things about me."  So, in random order, here's a list of 25 of the things that make me who I am.  Interestingly, I can usually write a blog in an hour or two, and this one took me four days, off and on.  Maybe I don't even know the most basic things about myself, ha.

1. I have had four major surgeries in my life (three, if you don't consider wisdom teeth extraction a "major surgery") but have never broken any bones.

2. As a general rule, I hate orange flavored things, but my two favorite non-chocolate candies (circus peanuts and orange slices) are orange.  I'd rather vomit than eat an orange Starburst.

3. I played the flute in high school and part of college.  Some of my favorite memories from college are of traveling to football games and marching with the Pride of Oklahoma.

4. I was a lifeguard for three summers and a swim instructor for two, but I hate to swim and have no idea how I passed the swim test to become a lifeguard.  I also have a fairly significant fear of deep water.  Scuba diving sounds like a nightmare.

5. I once ate a PB&J sandwich for lunch every day, not always including weekends, for over two years.  I still eat PB&Js at least a couple of times every week, by my own choice.  They just never get old.

6. I speak Spanish moderately well and have visited Peru several times.  It is a dream of mine to live there one day to do mission work.  My brother speaks Spanish better than I do, and we practice by only texting in Spanish.

7. My grandfather was an incredibly strong, kind, and intelligent man of God.  He worked for NASA on the Apollo 11 and 13 missions, and he knew the Bible better than anyone.  He spoiled my brother and I rotten, and even though he passed away during my freshman year of college, he has had more influence on my life than any one person on this earth.

8. People do not understand my name.  To clarify: I do have a double name and I expect people to call me both Mary and Rachel.  Together.  All the time.  However, I will not continue to correct someone who continues to call me by the wrong name.  I also typically tell the Starbucks barista to just put "Rachel" on my cup because I don't want to get into a whole discussion about my name before I've had my coffee.  I'm from South Texas, where double names are more common than in other parts of the U.S.  I am not Catholic.

9. I only ever listen to country music (and, unfortunately, Veggie Tales).  I have made an honest effort to branch out at several points in my life, but I keep coming back to Blake Shelton, Zac Brown, Jason Aldean, and Tim McGraw.  My current favorite country song is "Humble and Kind."  I do also love hymns, but I'm not sure if that is really considered a genre of music.

10. I have had a tattoo on my wrist for about a year.  It says "grace."  This is significant for several reasons.  Caroline's middle name is Grace, and Piper's middle name, Anna, means "grace."  (Anna is her birth mom's name, too.)  It is also significant because of the grace that God has shown me throughout my life, particularly in my marriage.  Incidentally, I originally had an appointment to get my new ink on the day I found out that I was pregnant, which doctors had said was impossible.  More grace.  I decided to get the tattoo on my wrist because I want to see it.  I am a forgetful person and need a constant reminder that He has been good.  But others will see it, too, and this gives me a chance to talk to people about grace when they ask about my tattoo.  I hesitated to get one initially because of what it will look like when I am old and wrinkly, but I think this will make it even more beautiful.  Even while my body is withering, grace is permanent and will have manifested itself for many years.

11. I have a condition called hypoglycemia, which is abnormally low blood sugar.  I did not know that I had this for several years, during which time I would randomly lose consciousness and scare everyone around me and myself.  A normal blood sugar range is 70-100; mine occasionally gets down between 40 and 50.  My heart rate is also abnormally low.  When I was in the hospital after giving birth to Caroline, I scared the nurse who woke me up to take my vitals because my heart rate was 41.

12. My first car was a silver convertible Volkswagen Beetle.  It was a terrible mistake.  I have since become a big advocate of reading Consumer Report and of listening to my dad's advice.  I am very stubborn (see #20).

13. I am normally a very mellow, monotone person...until it comes to watching sporting events.  Then all bets are off.  I get particularly loud and volatile during OU football, college or Thunder basketball, car races, Olympic swimming, and gymnastics of any type.  I may or may not have burst into tears when the U.S. women's gymnastics team won gold at the Olympics this year and thrown my shoe across the room when OU lost the national championship to Florida in 2008.

14. I drove a school bus during college.

15. Aside from hypoglycemia (see #11), I apparently have a propensity for acquiring odd health issues.  I got shingles when I was 16 and a kidney stone at 19.  I also grew over two inches in less than four years in my twenties.

16. At one point in time before kids and after I quit The World's Most Stressful Job, I was a serious couponer.  I probably could have been on "Extreme Couponing," had we stored the same size stockpile as many people on the show do.  I once spent $13 at Homeland for a month's worth of groceries.

17. I am obsessive about nearly everything except for hanging things on the wall and cooking, in which case I nail pictures haphazardly and just throw things in the bowl, respectively.

18. I am one of those weird people who actually loves mornings.  I would say the earlier, the better, but that really isn't true.  I don't like seeing a 4 at the front of my alarm clock, but anytime after that is my prime time.  Give me a cup of coffee, my Bible, a sleeping house, and (usually) a run, and I'm good for the rest of the day, until about 9:00 p.m., after which point I am basically useless.

19. I keep New Years' Resolutions, but I only make ones that I know I will keep.  About eight years ago, I made a resolution to floss every night (I NEVER flossed previously), and I've rarely missed a day since.  Ask me to go for a year without ice cream, and I'm doomed.

20. I worked at a camp for people with disabilities during summers in high school and college.  It is still one of my favorite places in the world, as it is the place that made me decide to go into special education as a career, gave me a passion for being with people with special needs, and allowed me to meet some of my best, lifelong friends.  (By the way, special education is VERY different from working at Camp Summit, but that's a rant for another day.  My mom tried to tell me this, but I'm stubborn and don't listen very well.)

21. I am obsessed with the grocery store, Aldi.  Sometimes people ask me if I secretly work for that company because I sing its praises so much.

22. I love to go new places, but I am a terrible traveler.  I don't like sitting still or feeling greasy, and I get annoyed by every little thing that goes awry.  I also am a big fan of my own bed.

23. My first job was at Chick-fil-A, and it is still one of only two fast food places that I will eat of my own accord (the other is Jimmy John's, which I consumed literally three or more times per week when I was pregnant).

24. I love most outdoor activities and am generally not bothered by weather, except for extreme cold.  Some of my favorite things to do outside are running (obviously), watching dirt track car races, hiking, boating/wakeboarding, taking walks, and laying out by the pool (see #4: not swimming in the pool) or on the beach.

25. I was born in Houston, where I lived for 9 years, before moving to the Dallas area, where I lived for another 9 years.  Now, I'm a Texas transplant living in Oklahoma, but, unlike many Texans, I would not say that Texas is absolutely the greatest state in the Union.  I could probably live just about anywhere except for places where it is extremely cold (see #24).  Home is where your people are.

Now tell me about you.