Here’s to Three Seven

In honor of my 37th birthday I wanted to share 37 things you may or may not know about me. And maybe some tips and tricks I've learned along the way:

1. I used to want to be a doctor. Until I realized the site of blood, and any needles that went in my arm made me faint or get dizzy.

2. My best friend in 3rd through 5th grade was named Kim. It made me want to be named Kim like her.

3. I thought I was adopted in 2nd grade because I looked nothing like my mom or dad.

4. I’m semi-obsessed with studying the Holocaust. My goal is to get to visit any and every museum and all of the concentration camps. Although I’m not much of a reader, I’m drawn to books about that era and movies too.

5. (kind of a 4b) When I was a reporter, I had the chance to interview a couple who survived the Holocaust, Rosalie and William Schiff. Rosalie was in line to be killed, and Oskar Schindler of Schindler's List fame, saved her life.

6. When I was seven, I told my dad I wanted my wedding at McDonalds. He told me he’d pay for the whole thing!

7. Gifts used to be my love language, but as I have gotten older and busier, I love acts of service to help relieve some of the burden of everything on my plate.

8. I’ve always been the girl that was just “one of the guys”.

9. My dad has this weird ability to know things about the guys I’ve dated- he called one a player, one crazy, and one way more into me than I was into him. He was right with each of them. When he met Cale, he said we should get married.

10. I always wanted a boy and a girl but always thought the boy would be first. God knew better.

11. We didn’t know the sex of either of our kids before they came out. I am a Type A planner, but felt both were the best surprises!

12. My first concert was Bush at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in 7th grade.

13. I originally wanted to go to the University of Texas for broadcasting... but I canceled my acceptance and applied to Texas A&M after visiting a friend and falling in love with the school and atmosphere. I now bleed maroon.

14. My mom thought I was crazy for #13 because the school didn’t have a broadcast program and had just canceled their journalism program.

15. I love public speaking. But I get butterflies in my stomach before the first word comes out and then once I’m going, I just feel like I’m where I am supposed to be.

16. My parents separated before my first birthday. My husband’s parents separated when he was in college. Both situations are hard but allow us to learn from each other.

17. I mentioned I am a type A planner. This is in every part of my life. My husband is not this way. He loves spur of the moment things and is a big part of the reason we chose not to find out the sex of either of our children until they were born.

18. I have never thought of myself as a full fledged Disney fan, but I have now been 4 times in 3 years.

19. I think I am done having kids.

20. I love to work. I get a lot out of it.

21. I’m an enneagram three. (maybe this is why I like work)

22. My favorite color is blue, but emerald green is growing on me.

23. Friends will forever be my show, but The Office Ladies podcast has made The Office the closest 2nd place I’ve known.

24. My children are 8th generation Texans- not that we are proud of that or anything :)

25. I hate PSL. To me, it tastes like I’m drinking potpourri.

26. I’ve wanted to live in Dallas since I was a teenager and got my wish for 14 months before God decided I needed to come back home to Houston.

27. I met my husband 4 days after I moved to Houston, and now absolutely love our great city!

28. Love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life.

29. My alarm goes off at 4:47 am on weekdays.

30. Some of my closest friends are women I competed in pageants with.

31. I love to travel, but I am afraid of flying. I blame the made-for-TV drama Miracle Landing for that fear.

32. In television I had the opportunity to meet and interview many famous actors and athletes and never had a problem playing it cool. However, I have fangirled over Miss America, Mallory Hagan and having Josh Gad sign my Olaf plush.

33. I can’t whistle.

34. I watch Love Actually and The Holiday several times during the year, and at least twice each during the holiday season.

35. I sometimes find out that I’ve been saying words wrong most of my life. For example, just this year I learned that actors are not “Thesbians”, but “Thespians”. This still makes my husband laugh.

36. I love theatre, dance, and music… but I’ve never liked art museums. Don’t judge me too harshly!

37. I can pack for a month-long vacation in a carry-on suitcase. (see my last post) My husband taught me for a long trip we took to China, and ever since I can’t imagine not doing it!

Some recent highlights of life discussed above- family, travel, pageant friends, and Josh Gad signing Olaf.