Answers to your questions, Part One

I had intended to answer your questions in one post, but then once I got started, I realized what a big mouth I have, lol! That would have been a 20 page post! So, for ease of writing...and reading, I am going to break it into several posts.

The first questions came from Ria at Life as a Wife. Ria asked some deep questions:

What is the biggest thing you are learning currently?

Wow, this is a big one right out of the box. About a year ago, I kind of had a spiritual awakening. A friend of mine noticed that I had been “lost” for some time and offered a listening ear, and scriptural advice. This person is also a lay speaker for our church…his advice is sound and his guidance well grounded. Since then, I have been on a journey of rediscovering myself, as well as my relationship with God. I am learning to stay true to myself, to be authentic, and to not hide inside my walls. I am stepping out in faith. I am working to stay present, and not got overwhelmed and fearful by life’s situations.

What is the BEST piece of advice (marriage, parenting, etc.) that you have heard EVER?

You’re probably looking for something more specific than “Be Kind to Others,” which is probably the best advice I’ve EVER been given…but also sort of no-nonsense. I always hate giving credit for this next one, because it seems so…silly, but one time Oprah (see? I giggled just typing it!) said “When someone shows you their true colors, believe them.” I thought that was really profound, and never forgot it.
As for marriage advice, to be honest…we didn’t get a lot of it. We married so young that we mostly got a lot of “tsk tsks” from people. More people asked if I was pregnant, than offered advice or congratulations. The pastor who married us, however, was a dear man. He was my pastor from ages 10-13, and was precious to my family. During our wedding ceremony, he broke it down for us like this: He said simply to “Take Care of Each Other.” This has probably proven to be the most useful advice we were given. Over the years, we’ve been through many struggles…among other things: infertility, depression, loss of job, stress, cross-country move, and most recently Patrick’s accident and disability. Through this, we’ve tried to keep our primary focus as “taking care of each other.” It’s easy to get wrapped up in money worries, work stress, etc…but that’s when we find that we struggle emotionally. When we simply “take care of each other,” we feel respected and like we can handle what life is throwing at us.


My next question came from Sonora at To Twinfinity and Beyond. She asked:

If you could meet anyone past or present, famous or not, who would it be and why?

Hmm…tough one! I’d have to say, either Abraham Lincoln or Laura Ingalls Wilder. I’ve always admired Abraham Lincoln…in fact, when I was 10, I had an Abraham Lincoln bedroom! (No Barbie or Holly Hobbie for me!) I would love to go back in time to meet him, talk with him, etc.

And then...Laura Ingalls Wilder. I have ALWAYS had *thing* for LIW. Beyond reading the books, beyond watching Little House on the Prairie…I grew up immersed in LIW lore. In the very early 1900’s, my great-grandmother worked as a telegraph operator in DeSmet, where the Ingalls family lived. By that time, Laura and Almanzo (and Rose) had already moved to Mansfield, MO…but my great-grandmother knew the Ingalls family, and told stories about them. My favorite one was that she could sit in the telegraph office (at the depot) and watch Mary take her afternoon walks, holding onto the fence of the yard. (Mary was blind.) As a little girl, my family took a trip to several of the LIW sites. I know we visited Walnut Grove, and DeSmet. This past summer, Shannon and I went to Mansfield, MO to see the home that the Wilders established there. It was life-changing. I can only imagine what meeting Laura would be like.

Tune in again, most likely tomorrow...for the answers to more of my questions. Questions about my vanity, why I blog, and my daily routine! See you then!