Tagged!!!

Ok, I was tagged by Pam. So here ya go...
HERE'S HOW YOU PLAY. ONCE YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED YOU HAVE TO WRITE A BLOG OF TEN WEIRD, RANDOM THINGS, FACTS OR HABITS ABOUT YOURSELF. AT THE END, YOU CHOOSE FIVE PEOPLE TO BE TAGGED, LISTING THEIR NAMES AND WHY YOU CHOSE THEM TO BE TAGGED. DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE THEM A COMMENT "YOU'RE IT" AND TO READ YOUR BLOG. YOU CAN'T TAG THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU. SINCE YOU CAN'T TAG THAT PERSON BACK, LET HIM OR HER KNOW WHEN YOU'VE POSTED YOUR BLOG SO HE OR SHE CAN READ YOUR ANSWERS.
This should be interesting...

1. Chris and I get up every morning and read the paper together while sipping coffee at the kitchen table. I don't know too many "young" couples that do this. In fact, the only other couple I know that does this is my grandparents. I, of course, only scan the "real" news and thoroughly read the obits, funnies and lifestyle section, while Chris pours over the politics and world news.

2. I don't color my grey - yet. There is something almost "cool" to me about grey hair. I don't know if it's all the verses in the Bible that talk about wisdom and stuff, but I feel more mature because of the few stragglers on my head. I mean - the junior high kids gave them to me in the first place, so that HAS to make them cool, right?

3. I am obseesive about how my dishwasher is loaded. Is anyone else like this? (Please say YES!) I have a very organized system for how things are loaded into it and - while I appreciate it when my hubby or kids load it - it kinda drives me nuts. Will the dishes get "less clean" if they load it? I doubt it (in my logical state of mind...), but it "looks" better the way I load it.

4. I MUST chuckle about this one, because it was also on Pam's! I am a crazy, organizing FREAK about the clothes HANGING in my closet. They are organized by type and they all face the same way and I can tell when something is out of place pretty quickly. Again - I appreciate when Ash or Chris helps fold and hang laundry, but I have to "fix" the hanging clothes if they put them away. It's a sickness, I know, but maybe it is one of a few things in life that is actually, truly organized for me and that is why it matters.

5. I cannot sleep in or stay in my jammies all day. Cannot. I try. In fact, I had this huge discussion with a girlfriend about it the other night. The next day I proudly stayed in them until 1 pm and was nearly on the edge of sanity! I "slept in" this morning by sleeping until 6 and I promise you that my day will suffer because of it. I really, really NEED some quiet time in the morning - no kids, no hubby, no tv - just quiet. With 5 other people in the house, that only comes early in the morning (because I can't stay up late...). It just seems like a waste of good "daytime" to sleep in. Couldn't I be doing something productive?! I may have slept in when I was pregnant with Ashleigh and Chris was selling cars (working all the time), but that would have been 10 at the latest! Heck - I didn't even sleep in as a high schooler!

6. I hate fiction. Hate it. Can't get into it. Can't finish it. The last fiction book I tried to read was loaned to me by a friend nearly 2 years ago and I finally just had to give it back to her because I couldn't get into it. I took it to China - TWICE! And still preferred non-fiction. I must not be a very fun person, because if I can't really "benefit" from reading it, it must be a waste of time.

7. I am a *little* obsessed with adoption. Just a little. Ok - who am I kidding?! I am over the top obsessed about it!!! Not about actually doing it (although with my friend Connie in China right now - getting her precious Kaeleb - I am feeling a little "flutter" in my heart...), but just the whole idea of it. I really don't know WHY. I read a thread the other day on one of my Yahoo groups (adoptive families) that at some point Bill O'Reilly said that Angelina Jolee was "addicted" to adoption. Some people might take that as an insult, but not me. Call me an addict. Call in the intervention team (although it IS useless). I am addicted. I am addicted to seeing children placed forever in families. I am addicted to seeing - again and again - the beautiful picture of how God adopted us played out on earth. I am addicted to watching the transformation of a scared and sad toddler (my heart!) into a confident and loved child.

8. I may never feel like an adequate mom. Ever. I look at these four kids that God has blessed me to raise and infuence and generally feel like a big ol' failure. Am I maximizing every opportunity to guide their hearts and minds? Do I sabatoge my influence every time I lose my temper?

9. I make memories based on smells. I know - that makes sense. (Now THAT was FUNNY!!!) But if you ask me what I remember about my wedding day, I will tell you the smell of the cake (which is why I love going into the bakery that made our wedding cake). I was with Joy yesterday and I asked her "are you wearing Cherry Blossom lotion?". She was. I told her that when I smell Cherry Blossom lotion (from Bath and Body Works) I think of New Orleans and my Samaritan's Purse trip down there - post Katrina. It's the body wash and lotion I took down there with me. I laughed and said "after awhile I started to confuse the smell of the lotion with the smell of mold - they just kinda starting melding together. But I am not saying you smell like mold!"

10. I love my husband. I mean - I truly LOVE my husband. That may not seem quirky or wierd or random. The more I live, though, the more I realize that not every wife does. Chris has been my boyrfriend for over 17 years and he still makes my heart melt when he sends an email or calls me from work. When we are in a crowd and I am feeling all alone, I slip my hand into his and all is good. He is my best friend. He understands my heart (and bears with me when I send him a link to a waiting children's list...). We dream together. I love it when he's home. I love how when the world is crashing down around us, I am safe by his side. I love how God has transformed us - separately and together - and we are STILL a perfect match.

So.
Now I tag five people...
Hmmmmm.
I have a great friend that I would LOVE to tag and although she is an admitted "blog stalker", she doesn't have a blog!!! Silly girl.
So here it is:
Joy - sis in law. She just seems so... normal. Is there even a "wierd side" to her?
Laura - sis in law. Also normal. Surely there are some quirky habits in her...
Wendy - China travel sister. I know she's quirky! We have spent a total of 3 weeks together in China!
Kim - China travel sister. Again - I know her. She has seen my "ugly" side and still loves me!!! She is my Homeschool Queen "Mum" - homeschooling four of her 5 kids (teaching English to her newest addition!)
Jim - my only "brother" that blogs - but hasn't blogged in FOREVER and I am tired of stalking it only to see "Superman brought low" STILL at the top of the page... :) - UPDATE - as I clicked on his blog to steal the link - LOW AND BEHOLD - an update!!!