Random Dozen!!

Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee hosts a weekly Random Dozen meme at her blog! If you'd like to join us in the fun, just hop on over to her blog and go to it!!! :-)

1. Which physical trait do you now accept--maybe not love, but accept--and no longer feel extremely self-conscious about?

Would you believe my hands? Yep. You see, I have fairly big hands. Also, the veins in my hands are huge and "bulgey", a phlebotomist's paradise!!! :-) My nails have not always been very nice either, though now that I take supplements and vitamins for bone and joint health, they are really nice! :-)

But I have learned to love my hands, to appreciate them, for they give out so much love and care to those around me and they help me to care for me. :-) They enable me to play the piano and express myself musically and to be a blessing to others musically.

2. This week Meredith Baxter Birney, best known as the mom on the favorite 80s sitcom "Family Ties" came out of the closet, which led me to formulate this question: Who do you think is/was the best TV mom?

Hmmmm.....I've really had to think about this one and I would have to say Claire Huxtable *sp*. She was/is just so classy AND a good mom!

3. Do you speak any foreign languages? Are there any you'd like to learn?

No, I do not speak any foreign languages, though sometimes my DH husband gives me this puzzled look after I've said something, making me wonder if I did just say something "foreign" sounding. (I think it's a man/woman thing. *grin*) BUT I would love to be able to speak Spanish and French. At this stage of life, though, I have to be honest and say that I just don't believe that I have the dedication that it would take to learn another language. *sigh*

4. Who is your personal hero?

My sister, Debbie. She has been through so much; has lost everything and built her life all over again from nothing; raised three wonderful children almost single-handedly. She is now the best "Nanny" her grandchildren could ask for and "Aunt Debbie" that her nieces and nephews could want! She is simply amazing and she is my hero!

5. What is one holiday food that you find extremely difficult to resist over- indulging in?

Would you believe any kind of meat? Be it ham or turkey or meatballs or the meat on a deli tray. Jody made the most scrumptious meatballs for our ladies' Christmas party at church last night! They were to die for! And our pastor's wife made a dip/spread that was mostly chicken. You put it on crackers. Oh my! I am such a carnivore!!!

6. Tell me about a Christmas decoration that has special meaning or sentimental value.

I don't know that I have just one because, you see, through the years, as Daniel was growing up, we collected ornaments that he made or received at school, from relatives, in our homeschool group and those are very special to me.

7. How do you feel about snow?

I love snow! If we are going to have winter and it is going to be cold and overcast, then let there at least be snow on the ground to make everything look beautiful, pristine and wintery!!!

8. On average, how many hours of sleep do you get each night? Not that I'm jealous of any number over three or anything.

In all honesty, I usually get about 7 hours of sleep each night. I just have to and I've learned this the hard way.

Oh, when I was younger....as in my 20's and early 30's....sleep was not important to me and I went around soooo sleep-deprived most of the time.

THEN, after I got married and little Daniel came along, I REALLY learned what it meant to be sleep-deprived! I worked full-time, was very involved at church and had my home, husband and little baby to care for. When I just couldn't push myself anymore, I would sign up for a day's vacation, not tell anyone, get Ed off to work, take Daniel to his Aunt Sandy's (his care-giver) and I would go back home and sleep all day.

9. Tell me about your first crush.

Oh my, do you really want to know?

Okay.....I was in the 7th grade. I lived in the country and our school was in a small village called Union Furnace. There were 21 kids in my class. 10 girls/11boys. Nothing too exciting here.

UNTIL this year. *sigh*

All 21 of us had gone to school together for these 7 years. Oh, maybe an occasional new kid here and there. But, more often than not, it was the same classmates, year after year.

UNTIL this year.

In he walked...and rather noisily, I might add. He had on these shoes with heels. You know, like the Beatles wore. Wow. AND he wore "slacks", not jeans. Wow. And nice shirts. *sigh* He combed his hair straight back and it was a little wavy, not parted on the side or a flat-top or a burr haircut like the rest of the boys in our class. Wow.

He was so cool. He was from the city. His family had moved that summer to SE Ohio. Appalachia. Wow.

AND he was assigned the seat RIGHT BEHIND me! Wow.

I was so totally smitten. I was a goner. Over. Done with.

AND he was so polite. Polite? Wow. He held the door for girls. Let them go first. Was rather soft-spoken. *sighhh*

I'll save you alot of gorey details and just tell you that I did want to be his girlfriend and that didn't work out, BUT we did become really great friends and in my estimation, that was even better. AND I survived that first tumultuous crush without any lasting emotional scars. Thank you, Lord!

10. You're stuck in a room for 2 hours with only a chalkboard and chalk. What will you write/draw?

Hmmmm....... in all honesty? I'd get bored PRETTY quickly and probably just try to relax and catch up on some rest (see # 8 above). :-)

11. Do you dress for the current temp or for the day's forecast?

For the day's forecast! :-)

12. Favorite Christmas movie is?

I have to pick just one??

I would have to say the newer version of "Miracle on 34th Street" with "Elf" running a close 2nd. Then it would have to be the newer version of "Little Women" with Susan Sarandon in it, coming in 3rd. (Yesss....Little Women has a Christmas scene in it!! )