Ok, Ok...I'll do it!

I've been tagged. And you know me - I love to write! So I pretty much answered each question in what should be their own separate blog entries. Sorry about the length. I wouldn't blame you for not reading it all. Really.

The inquisition...

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves
3. At the end of the post, the player tags 5-6 people, posts their names, then leaves a comment in their respective blogs to let them know they've been tagged.
4. Let the person who tagged you know that you posted your answers.

Questions...

1. What were you doing 10 years ago? It was the summer before my senior year in h.s., and I was working part-time at a daycare and spending the rest of my time at the pool or baby-sitting. I had a great summer camp experience with my youth group in Mobile, Alabama. (I had a crush on the camp pastor and somehow ended up being the victim of relentless teasing about that from some of the adults that worked with our youth. That went on for years. The teasing, not the crush. Incidentally, I had crushes on several members of the camp staff the next year too. Guess it's not so weird that I ended up marrying a minister.) Between that camp and a leadership-oriented camp that I attended at Dallas Baptist University, I started to sense a passion to be involved in ministry. As a career, I mean. I'm still waiting to see how God unfolds that part of the plan. My family had a wonderful vacation in Destin that summer, I highlighted my hair for the first time and ended up doing the blond thing for quite a few years, I was a bridesmaid for the first time (in my cousin's wedding), and I had a horrible sense of style. My clothes were terrible. Just terrible.

2. What are 5 things on your to-do list today? 1.)Pick up stuff around the house. 2.) Laundry 3.) Call a friend to see if she's still interested in teaching a Bible study for us in the fall (I'm a co-coordinator for the women's Bible studies at our church) Realistically, I know nothing else will get done between breastfeeding and meeting other immediate needs of my children, so I'm not even putting any more on the list. I figure if my to-do list is shorter, I'll feel more productive. Even if I'm not doing anything. Makes perfect sense, doesn't it?

3. What are some snacks you enjoy? I love sweets too much. Passionate about snow cones. Chips and salsa are always a favorite, as are guacamole and spinach-artichoke dip. I eat a lot of Luna bars as well. Let's see...I can't think of anything else, mainly because I currently am putting into my mouth whatever edible thing I see. Nothing like nursing to make you want to eat all day long!

4. What would you do if you were a billionaire? Well, I hope that I would live in such a way that no one would even know I'd become a billionaire. But since I am not a billionaire and this is hypothetical, I'll go ahead and have my hypothetical "reward on earth" and tell you all of the good and noble things I'd do with my hypothetical money. =) There's always the paying off debt, tithing big, etc. stuff that everyone says. I'd do that. Then there are several causes that I've always wanted to be able to support financially in a much bigger way. One of those is Living Alternatives (a crisis-pregnancy center/maternity home for unwed mothers/adoption agency that I just LOVE) and other crisis pregnancy centers around the country. I'd give specifically to a lot of CPCs' need for more ultrasound equipment because I know that that is making a huge difference in a lot of places, enabling pregnant moms to see their yet-to-be-born child and helping them choose life for him/her instead of abortion. And there's so much great ministry happening at Living Alternatives in terms of heart and life change in the young unwed expecting mothers, helping them encounter Jesus rather than solely make a moral choice. I'd also want to give more to needy, starving, and AIDS-stricken people in Africa, and I'd like to be able to help support church plants in various locations that desperately need churches. As far as changes in our own family, I'd want to buy a cottage on the lake and move into that. My opinion is that with houses, bigger isn't better. But having a boat probably is. =) We'd want to have people over all the time, seeking to meet people's needs through various forms of hospitality. I think it would be great to have a vacation home too (in the mountains or on a beach) that we could offer to people in ministry to use for free as a retreat/time to get away with their families or spouses. I've heard of people doing that. I sure wish I knew some of those people. =) We'd take lots of great family vacations and travel all over the world. I'd adopt a child or two - IF my husband was in agreement with that one. (Please, Lord!!) I can't imagine what my Amazon bill would be because I know I'd buy a lot of books. Oh, and you need to know that with a bigger decorating budget, my cottage would be super cute! You'd want to come over and hang out!

5. What are 3 of your bad habits? My husband would say (And does. Often.) the biggest is my over-usage of the phrase "you know?" when in conversation. I guess it's annoying, but I say what's more annoying is needing to ask for affirmation when talking to someone instead of them just acknowledging on their own what you're saying to them. Not that I'm talking about us or anything. Another bad habit is that while I really enjoy for my house to be in order, my car is always a complete mess. I just can't seem to get it together there. In fact, every few months, either my husband or mom gets disgusted enough by it that they offer to clean it for me. And it's one of the most humbling things for someone to see inside my trashed out car and especially to let them clean it. Another one is that I'll start a project or task very enthusiastically and my passion will fade so quickly that I never quite complete it. I'm not a good finisher. And I talk too much. Um, can you tell??

6. What are 5 places you have lived? Tyler, TX; a bunch of places within the Dallas/Ft Worth Metroplex (but that just counts as one, I think); Bartlesville, OK. I spent an entire summer in England when I was 16, and I spent one month in Korea when I was 19. Technically didn't live there, but since I haven't lived in more than three places, I thought I'd include them (mission trips) just for fun.

7. What are 5 jobs you've had? in no particular order...Nanny/several childcare-related jobs; Administrative Assistant to the president of a Bank of America tax processing center (my LEAST favorite); Coordinator of Media Relations and Volunteer Activities for the Dallas County Republican Party (oh yes, I thought my world would be politics. But then I married Joel Lee. And that changed a few things. I'm glad it did.); Administrative Assistant to the Athletic Director at Dallas Baptist University (a very fun job that had great perks during baseball season); and my favorite so far (and I'm not just saying that)....stay-at-home mom. Or should I say "work-at-home"?

8. What is currently playing on your IPOD? This is going to make me sound real nerdy. Currently, I've replaced the music with some sermons from favorite pastors so that when I'm up during the night feeding Parker, something engages my brain enough for me to stay awake. And opportunities for learning are hard to come by during this season of life with a newborn, so I'm trying to get it wherever I can! At the moment, there's ones from Matt Chandler, Mark Driscoll, Rod MacIlvaine, and one is supposed to be from Thomas Thompson but it turned out to be a sermon preached by someone else at his church. Typically, the IPOD has music like Coldplay, Five for Fighting, and Nickelback.

9. What are the last 5-6 books you've read? See my sidebar for what I'm currently (still) reading. I've started so many at once that I can't remember the last ones I actually completed. Hmm...let's see...Keeping the Secrets of Jesus by David and Denise Glenn, Beyond the Masquerade by Julianna Slattery, Girl Talk by Jennifer Hatmaker, Living with Eeyore by Elizabeth Baker, Shepherding a Child's Heart (a re-read). I wouldn't recommend all of these. I'm sure missing fiction...it's been a while. I think there's more but I can't think of anything right now.

10. Who do you want to tag? Kate, Christa, Shelly, Mary Lynne, Adrianne, Melody