My 100th post

In honor of my 100th post I have decided to celebrate by posting 100 random things about me. This was much easier than I thought it would be.



1. I play with my hair when I am tired.



2. I have always wanted to be a mom.



3. When I was little I always wanted to have glasses, braces, and a broken arm. I never had ANY of them.



4. I used to hate having red hair, freckles, and being tall and skinny as a teenager. Now those are the things I love the most about my appearance.



5. The beach is one of my most favorite places in the world to be. I can literally be out there from sunrise to sunset.



6. I love running. It is some of my best time with the Lord. It is the only time of day when I am all by myself. Running gives me time to pray and LISTEN. I love especially running outside where I can gaze at God's masterpiece of creation.



7. I grew up eating deer meat, squirrel, dove, and quail. My stepdad loves to hunt. I actually loved squirrel. One day my Granny told me it was a rat. I disagreed heavily with her, then looked it up in the dictionary. Beside the picture of a squirrel it said rodent. I have never eaten one since.



8. Well water is some of the best tasting water in the world to me.



9. I never could have imagined marrying a man as wonderful as Jon. He really is my Prince Charming and my best friend.



10. Jon and I met where we worked. He had graduated from college, and I was a freshman. He was my boss. We were great friends for a long time. At that point in my life I dated LOTS of people. I started dating this guy I really liked alot. Jon knew this. He decided to make his move. The rest is history!!!



11. Our first date was to The Roxy in Atlanta to see Candlebox. Honestly it really was not a very good date until it was time for him to take me home. I told him I was sorry that the date hadn't turned out so well, but I really valued his friendship and I didn't want anything to mess that up. He replied by asking if he could kiss me . . .



12. My parents divorced when I was 3 and my sister was 1. Growing up I resented this alot. I can remember telling God that if He'd make my parents get back together I would give up all of my Christmases for the rest of my life. Now, as an adult, I am glad they did. If they didn't, I would have grown up in a home where my dad was abusive to my mom. I would have never had the privilege of being loved by my stepdad, who means so very much to me. I love him as much as if he were my biological father. I would not have my little sister Kristen either.



13. I was a majorette in high school. My senior year I twirled knives.



14. I bleach my teeth way too much.



15. I obsess at times about exercise and food. I go through periods where I really have body image disorder and pick my body apart.



16. I love to laugh.



17. I love children, not just my own, but other children also.



18. When I found out I was pregnant the first time I knew I wanted a boy. I didn't grow up around boys very much and thought a boy would be lots of fun.



19. I gained 40 lbs. my first pregnancy and thought I'd be able to wear my regular blue jeans home. I actually packed them in my suitcase. Imagine how upset I was when I tried Jon's on and couldn't even wear his!!!



20. To lose my weight I wanted to take diet pills. Jon said no. I then had to learn about the healthy way to lose weight. . . . exercising and dieting.



21. I have white eyelashes and I look very different without my mascara on. It is the one makeup item I must have.



22. My mom has the best cooking in the world. I love going home to one of her home-cooked meals.



23. I love my stepdad dearly. He is such a great Papa to my kids. They all are just crazy in love with him. Nanna and Papa's house is one of my kids very favorite places to go.



24. I tend to keep myself busy. I think I thrive on busyness. I used to think it was b/c I had LOTS to do. I now think alot of things I create myself to keep busy. I struggle with what Beth Moore calls the "captivity of activity."



25. I watch really little TV. If I had to total my hours of TV watching in a week I would probably guess 2 hours or less, unless we pop on a family movie. I fall asleep easily in front of it.



26. All of my kids names have stories behind them. I love a good story!



27. The first apartment Jon and I lived in was a DUMP! I don't even think it had a name. I just remember calling it Mrs. Parker's apartments (that was the name of our landlord).



28. I love living close to my family, even though it is an hour away from my parents.



29. I wish my parents would move closer to us. I love the town we live in, and although I love going back and visiting my hometown, I would never want to move back there.



30. My mom married my stepdad when I was 5. The first memory I have of him is he bought Melissa and I a doll called, "Tippy Toes."



31. When I was little my Grandmama would tell Melissa and I that we would be the best of friends when we grew up. We fought like CRAZY with one another. I would tell Grandmama, 'NEVER, EVER'. . . . Grandmama was right.



32. I have great memories of my grandparents growing up. They instilled in me alot of the values I have to this day. Some of my favorite memories are . . . watching Braves baseball, The Price is right, Tom and Jerry, and Sanford and Son with my Papa, putting Dippy Do in his hair, painting his thick, yellow, crusty toenails (YUCK), waking up to the smell of my Grandmama's cooking, her listening ear when I was sad about my parents fighting, she always dolling Melissa and I up in pretty dresses, going to the nursing home with her to see my Great Grandmother.



33. A good salad is one of my very favorite foods. Growing up we had a salad at every meal.



34. I had never eaten chicken wings, feta cheese, or mayonnaise on saltine crackers until I met Jon.



35. I quit college with only 8 months and student teaching to go before having my Bachelors in Education to be at home with Alec. I have never regretted being a stay-at-home mom.



36. I never in a million years thought I would homeschool my kids.



37. I never knew I could love a dog like I love Max.



38. I wish I were more organized. Getting organized is not the problem. . . staying organized is.



39. I drink lots and lots of water, most always with lemon added.



40. I have to repent alot about my feelings for my Dad. I wish he would change. There are some days when I feel like his biggest cheerleader and others when I never want to see him again. I have to depend on the love of God to love him. He seems to get worse and worse as the years go by. I have always held onto this hope that he would get better.



41. I wish I talked to my little sister Kristen more. I wish I made more of an effort.



42. I would love to travel anywhere and everywhere. I have a taste for adventure.



43. Growing up I was a daredevil and afraid of very little. When I had Alec I became afraid of just about everything. I am slowly, but surely breaking free of that.



44. I have a selfish side of me. My children teach me about 'dying to self' everyday.



45. I drive a Yukon Denali that we call "Noah's Ark"



46. I have been to Disney World 8 times as an adult and once as a child.



47. I love to play board games or cards with my family.



48. I love to read.



49. I love blogging and reading blogs. I really need to control this addiction of mine.



50. I tend to be a very driven, motivated, and disciplined person. Those are all good traits; however, I tend to couple all of them with being stressed out. I wish I could be these things and still be carefree, silly, and laid back. . . . that is the balance I am trying to obtain.



51. I love Jesus with all of my heart, soul, strength, and mind. I truly don't see how people make it without Him!!!



52. I serve in the Children's ministry at church. This is where my heart is. I love each and everyone of those children dearly.



53. I straighten my hair with a straightener. If I don't, it will be frizzy-izzy and BIG!!!



54. I love laying out in the sun by the pool in the summer.



55. I love to paint rooms in my house. . . weird, huh?



56. Growing up we had these neighbors that we thought were so weird. . . . they homeschooled their kids, they put honey in their tea instead of sugar, they were very strict about what their children could see on television (including commercials) . . . . little did I know that I would turn out to be just like them!!!



57. I am grateful that I moved away from home. I miss my mom, but I believe moving away allowed me to grow and develop my own identity in ways I don't think I would have if I'd stayed at home and had the same environment, influences, friends, etc., as I did in high school.



58. I love to decorate.



59. I don't like cooking, but I think it is because my kitchen is super-tiny.



60. I started drinking my coffee black about 4 months ago and I love it.



61. I use coconut oil as a moisturizer.



62. I take off my makeup religiously every night. I started doing this once I read that it ages your face 3 days for every night you sleep in your makeup.



63. I am an avid flosser. If I don't floss my teeth before I go to bed it drives me crazy.



64. I very rarely dream at night. If I do, I don't remember them.



65. I wear way too much black.



66. I kiss and tuck my kids into bed every night.



67. I wake up during the middle of the night to check on them.



68. Then I get up at 4:00 a.m. to work.



69. Jon and I pray with our kids every night.



70. My constant prayer over my children is this, "Lord, where I fail them or others fail them in life, I pray you will use that for your glory." It helps me deal with "perfect mom syndrome."



71. My first name is Anna, and I am called by my middle name. I am named after my Granny (mom's mom) and my Dad.



72. I love to scrapbook and sew.



73. Very rarely do I remember mom cooking dessert growing up . . . it is probably why I could leave it or take it.



74. I will never forget the day I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I was 10-1/2 years old. It was in July. I told the lady at church who prayed with me that my Dad is on drugs. I can't remember a time in my life where I have not hurt for him.



75. I remember visiting my Dad one time in jail. My Grandmother, Faye, took Melissa and I to see him. She was a special, special lady. I named my Ashley after her. She taught me about the love of Jesus and took me to church and to Sunday School. I believe she is the one who instilled in me a love for children.



76. I picture myself growing very old and teaching aerobics in the nursing home.



77. Jon and I didn't have cell phones until 3 years ago. He hates monthly payments and we never had a need for them until we got into real estate. I think it was a happy day for Mama, Tiff, and Melissa when we got them!!!



78. We had a ski boat growing up and I LOVED to ski. I looked like a Q-tip on skis. These are some of my favorite childhood memories, being at the lake camping and skiing.



79. I have memories of my Dad being abusive to my mom and stepmom. He never ever was physical with us, but I remember being very afraid of him as a kid. My Grandmama and Papa's house was a safehaven for Melissa and I.



80. I have prayed many, many prayers over my Dad. I have fasted and prayed. I've prayed scripture over him. I've read books on spiritual warfare. About 2 years ago my prayer became very simple and has stayed that way, "Lord, please do your will in my Dad's life."

81. Jon and I always wanted 4 children, Hanna cured us of that.

82.. There are times when I feel my family is not complete . . . that thought really scares me! My mom would kill me!

83. I LOVE being a homeschooling mom and I wouldn't trade all the tea in China for it. Watching my children learn and grow is a precious gift from God.

84. I tend to overextend myself ALOT.

85. I tend to be a worrier. I have to take my thoughts captive to the truth - what God says in His word.

86. I am so addicted to coffee and really wish I wasn't.

87. My church has A LOT of ups and downs, and at times I get frustrated and am ready to throw in the towel and go somewhere else. . . I am thankful that Jon is a committed person. Our church is an extension of our family and I love each and every person there dearly.

88. Melissa, my sister, knows me better than I know myself. She can call me out on things in 2.2 that I would even deny to myself.

89. I love PEOPLE - all kinds, those who agree with me and those who don't,those who are like me and those who are not. I don't consider myself a judgemental person at all. People tend to energize me! I tend to make friends easily and am definitely a social butterfly.

90. When my children are grown I would love to be a personal trainer or teach aerobics at a senior citizen's center . . . to help people get healthy and be healthy . . . like Bob on Biggest Loser. I'm not tough enough to be Jillian.

91. I am a priss-pot. I love to wear my high heels - EVERYWHERE!!! I refuse to become a frumpy mom.

92. I hate going grocery shopping. I spend way too much money and have absolutely no fun doing it.

931. I love my Mom deeply and don't know what I'd do without her.

94. I love having a son. Most of the time I don't understand boys, but I love him to pieces.

95. I hope and pray as my children grow I will remain a steady and constant, positive influence and role model in their lives. I pray that our family of 5 will be the best of friends with one another for our whole lives.

96. I love to study the word of God. I would spend hours upon hours if my day would allow. Kay Arthur Bible studies are my favorites (they teach you to dig into the truth yourself and not rely on what a teacher says) and I really enjoy Beth Moore a lot too.

97. I have wonderful in-laws. I really don't like the word "in-laws". It sounds so forced to me, like you just HAVE to be family with someone. I prefer to refer to them as my "parents by marriage". They are wonderful, wonderful people and love me like one of their own. They teach me more about the love of God than they could ever know. I am very privileged to carry their last name. I feel the same way about my "sister by marriage" Holly. She's a great big sister and I look up to her and lover her just as much as Jon does. The same goes for my "brother by marriage", Lee. I love having a brother. He is such a great guy. I'm so glad he is happy.

98. I tend to overextend myself ALOT, and I have a hard time saying, "No."

99. I really like for people to like me and if they don't, it bothers me.

100. I love my girlfriends dearly. They mean so very much to me!