25 Things. . .

Yea!!!  I knew I could get something posted!  I just have to be sneaky and persistent and wait until the employer’s internet security has failed.  In fact, it’s down right now and I’m tempted to try to write this “live”, but if it comes back up in the middle and I loose it all, I will be seriously pissed. 

So let me try to use this post to tell me a bit about myself.  Remember that “100 Things About Me” meme that was quite popular a while ago?  As usual, I’m behind the times, but here goes. I most likely won’t get anywhere near 100 things (even though I am wordy), but we’ll see how far I get.

1. I grew up on an old farm in NJ. We mainly raised goats and sheep and grew some veggies. I couldn't care less about the veggies (still can't) but loved the animals.
2. From the time I could say the word, I begged for a horse.  At the age of 5, I decided to save up for one. 
3. At age 11, I had almost enough for an 18 year old Appaloosa gelding named Marcus.  My parents not only let me get him, they paid for all the things I never thought of, like shipping fees and vet inspections.
4. It took me another 2 years to save enough for a saddle:)
5.  I absolutely hated the all-girls Catholic school I attended and was determined to get through as quickly as possible.  They helped by announcing they were closing in the middle of what would have been my junior year.
6. I graduated in three years as Valedictorian of not only my class, but the senior class as well.  They would not let me give the actual Valedictory speech because I was not Catholic.  See why I wanted to get out of there as soon as possible?
7. I started college at 15.  I ended up transferring to a school in upstate NY.  It was a frozen iceberg most of the year.  I grew to love it, especially the people.
8. I double-majored in English and Biochemistry.  I loved the contrast in subjects.
9. I desperately wanted to be a doctor, and believed with all my heart that was what God was calling me to be.  Then I got really sick, and that went out the window. . .
10. While in college, I got a job as an assistant to the head of the Biology department.  I ended up teaching most of his classes/labs.  I could never have dreamed of how that decision would change my life.
11. During this job, I had an office in the lab, surrounded by rats.  At first it creeped me out, but then I came to love them too, and would walk around with one or two on my shoulder.  They were really friendly and loved to be cuddled.
12. I also did original research on learning in Siamese Fighting Fish as part of a class I took on theories of learning.  It was actually published.  I didn't think much of it, and then years later, my husband was channel surfing and paused for a split second on Nova.  They were talking about learning in fish and were citing MY research!  I think that was the only thing that ever came out of that experience, except that I still have a thing for Siamese Fighting Fish.
13. I volunteered as an EMT when I got out of college.  I loved doing this with all my heart.  I participated in 2 successful "conversions"; (where someone in cardiac arrest and is legally dead is "converted" back to a normal heart rhythm); absolutely amazing.  On the second one, I was riding home from the hospital at 4 am, and had the radio playing.  The song that came on was "Welcome Back To The Land Of The Living."  I swear I am not making this up.
14. I currently work for the State.  As my Dad says, I am one of those &%^*$ bureaucrats!
15. Finding my State salary wasn't quite enough to pay the bills, I took a job as a tutor.  (This is where the college teaching experience came in to play).  LOVE, LOVE this!
16. This is also where I met my amazing husband. He is the kind of guy fairy tales were inspired by.  I am still in awe of how blessed I am to be married to him.
17. Nate is a passionate Democrat.  My parents had a harder time with that than the 18-year age difference between us:).  He has the biggest heart for people.
18. He is also a phenomenal singer – has sung in Carnegie Hall.  He sang to me at our wedding, as part of our vows.
19. Call me odd, but I really love working with teenagers.  They are on the cusp of thinking about bigger things, outside themselves, trying to find where they fit in this world.  They can be irreverent and hilarious, and more often then not, they teach me much more than I teach them.
20. Due to a family health emergency, Mike and I ended up planning our wedding in about 3 1/2 weeks. 
21. 6 weeks after our wedding, we ended up flying across the country for a surgery that ended up saving my life.
22. I've had 16 surgeries so far.  
23. More than anything, I ache to be healthy enough to sustain a healthy pregnancy. 
24. Part of me struggles with the selfishness of this.  Am I just being selfish to put my health and our babies life in jeopardy simply because we’d like to physically carry and deliver a baby? 
25. After saving 2 1/2 years for my beloved Nikon camera, I started doing photography for my local inner city pet shelter.  LOVED it, but totally heartbreaking.  But it has led me to start doing on-location pet photography for pet owners. 

 I I think I’ll leave off there for now.  I want to write this blog because although I am happier than I have ever been, I’m in a really hard place, and I need a place where I can work this all through.  And I tend to work things through best by writing about them.  I’d really love it if you’d join me in this.  I know our stories may be different, but it seems to me there is far more we share in common.  I’ve seen the impact a blog can have and I’d love to be a part of this community, even if it’s across the Internet.