Tuesday, June 5, 2007

100 Things about Me

I found out that it was tradition to do a 100 things about me post after I did my 100th post. Oh well. Too late. Then Susan encouraged me to do it anyway. So here goes.

1. I was born in Meadville, PA.

2. I am the only girl in my family.

3. I have three brothers.

4. I'm the second oldest.

5. I was very tiny when I was born.

6. I'm still short. I am only 4 ft, 11 and 3/4 inches tall.

7. I was very mischievous as a child.

8. I once dumped a gallon of milk into the aquarium because our fish looked thirsty.

9. I got into my older brothers English Leather cologne, and dumped seven full bottles on my head.

10. I made blackberry Jello in the toilet.

11. I can be a grouch. When I was little I had a stuffed Oscar the Grouch. My mom used to make me sit in a cardboard box with him when I was being nasty.

12. My mom bought me a Winnie the Pooh dress when I was in kindergarten. I was too old for Winnie the Pooh, and refused to wear it. She gave it to my cousin Sheila. I was jealous and now wanted to wear it. I didn't get it back.

13. One time my parents went out and hired a babysitter. Mom said that we could have chips and Pepsi. The babysitter wouldn't let us. We lured her into the basement with the premise of seeing my new chalkboard. Once down there, we rushed up the steps, and locked the door. We ate our potato chips and Pepsi, then we let her out. She never came back.

14. I wanted to be a teacher. I made up worksheets for days. I also made fliers advertising my school. The fliers offered classes and a free lunch. Loads of neighborhood kids showed up. My mom knew nothing about my school, and sent everyone home.

15. When I was eight years old, my parents went to Atlantic City for the weekend, and left us with mom's brother. My cousin Tania and I went for a bike ride. I was riding a bike much too big for me. I wrecked as we went down a hill and landed on my face. I was wearing a halter top, shorts, and sandals. I was brush-burned from head to toe.

16. I knocked out four front teeth, and ripped my top lip off. I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

17. I was x-rayed for hours. I received over two hundred stitches on my lip. I was in the hospital for several days.

18. When I got home I couldn't climb the steps to my bedroom, and had to sleep in the living room for a month. I could hardly eat. I wasn't allowed to look in the mirror.

18. I had reconstructive plastic surgery a year later. I spent years going to the dentist to have my teeth repaired.

19. The dentist attempted a root canal without giving me Novocaine. When I cried he made my mom leave the room. He threatened to hurt me if I screamed. I sat through it! Upon leaving the room, my mom knew something was wrong. We went home, she got my dad, and they went back to the office and told everyone in the waiting room what happened. I still dislike dentists.

20. I didn't ride a bike again until I turned 25. It's true. You never forget how!

21. I started babysitting when I was 10. I watched three kids for a dollar an hour. After the kids were in bed I cleaned the house from top to bottom and did the dishes. No wonder they had me back every weekend!

22. We moved to a small farm during my sixth grade year. My bedroom had vinyl on the floor. The previous owners didn't think that their child was mature enough for carpet.

23. We made hay mazes in the loft. That was fun.

24. It was my job to collect the eggs. The rooster chased me and got in my hair. That wasn't fun.

25. It got very cold in Pennsylvania. One time we weren't home and the chickens were outside. It started to snow, and the chicken coop door blew shut. The chickens all froze to death. There were dead blue chickens laying all over the ground outside the coop. I was happy. No more collecting eggs! ( I know it was terrible to be happy, but they were really mean!)

26. I'm afraid of horses even though I grew up with them. I prefer cows. (We had those too.)

27. I went swimming in the creek after building a dam to make the water level rise.

28. We caught crayfish and cooked them and ate them.

29. I've never broken a bone.

30. I've never smoked a cigarette, even though everyone else in my family smoked.

31. I love to read and started working in the school library in seventh grade.

32. I also worked in the school office.

33. Verne and I went to the same high school.

34. He was two years ahead of me. He was a jock. I was a bookworm. When he was a senior he came to the library during study hall and was being rowdy. I told him to leave. He did. He didn't see me again until my senior year.

35. I was the yearbook editor.

36. My first job was working in a pizza shop. I loved it. I was 16.

37. My second job was working in an ice cream stand. When the ice cream stand was going to close for the winter, I was going to lose my job until spring. An older girl asked the boss to let me try waitressing. He did.

38. Verne ate at the restaurant alot with his friends. I had just started waitressing, and walked through the door. He told his friend that he was going to marry me.

39. We were engaged five months later. I was still in high school.

40. I had straight A's through high school. All of my teachers wanted me to go to college, and were disappointed when I told them that I was going to get married. They said I was wasting my life. They were wrong.

41. I have never taken a college class.

42. Verne started taking me to church. I grew up Catholic, but changed to Presbyterian before we married.

43. I was married at eighteen. It's the best thing that I ever did!

44. We bought our first home 2 months before we were married. Neither of us moved in. I was afraid to stay by myself, and I didn't want Verne to mess the place up! We painted and moved furniture in.

45. I was pregnant within eight months of our wedding. I miscarried that baby, and it broke my heart.

46. I conceived Mac two months later.

47. I babysat two young boys before Mac was born. I couldn't wait to be a mom.

48. I've given birth to four children, but I have never gone into labor. I've been induced every time.

49. I loved nursing my babies. I still have dreams about nursing a baby. When I wake up, I always feel sad that it isn't true.

50. I love to look at houses that are for sale.

51. I hate moving.

52. I can't stand clutter, and hate having all the boxes sitting around.

53. Therefore, once we are moved in, I work for days without sleep. I have to get everything unpacked before I can relax.

54. When Mac started kindergarten I had never heard of homeschooling. I was afraid for him, and followed the bus to make sure that he got there okay.

55. Then I cried.

56. I did the same thing when Autumn went to school.

57. Verne and I taught a junior high Sunday school class.

58. It was wonderful to teach together.

59. I am very social.

60. I get nervous in front of a crowd.

61. I do not play any instruments.

62. I can't read music.

63. For years I felt like I didn't have any talents.

64. Now I know that is not true.

65. God has used my husband and children to show me what I am good at.

66. I love to cook for people.

67. I love to welcome people into my home.

68. Since we have been married, we have lived in five houses and three states.

69. I love to write letters. The old-fashioned snail mail kind.

70. I also love to get letters.

71. I used to love talking on the phone.

72. I very rarely do that now, except to my mom.

73. I enjoy my children, and do not feel like they are a burden to me.

74. I feel loved. By my children.

75. I love that even my teenagers still kiss and hug me no matter who is around. I love that they talk to me.

76. I feel loved. By my husband. He truly is a gift from God.

77. He makes me feel beautiful, and cherished.

78. I don't really like to open gifts. That's not to say that I don't like gifts. It's the attention that I'm receiving that makes me uncomfortable.

79. I love to give gifts. But not just any gift. It has to be just the right thing.

80. I have to shave my legs everyday. If I get cold, you can watch the hair grow right before your eyes!

81. I haven't worn pants since December. Only skirts or dresses.

82. I love dressing femininely.

83. I cannot sleep in an unmade bed.

84. I have a list of slimy things that I won't eat. Peaches, cooked mushrooms, jelly, gummy worms and bears...

85. I love to paint my toenails. Red.

86. I don't paint my fingernails.

87. I love to walk, and even though I am short, everyone has trouble keeping up with me.

88. I hate to run. It hurts.

89. I've never tasted Gatorade. My children think that I am crazy.

90. I used to hate sports.

91. I love to watch my boys playing football.

92. I also love the Pittsburgh Steelers.

93. I can sleep just about anywhere. I once slept during a Monsters Of Rock concert. Metallica, Dokken, Kingdom Come, The Scorpions, and Van Halen. Yuck! No wonder I slept!

94. I used to think that I wasn't good enough for God to love me.

95. Now I know that I'm not good enough, but He loves me anyway.

96. I would love to write a book.

97. After many years , I am comfortable with who I am.

98. I've stopped trying to please everyone around me.

99. I don't put on an act.

100. What you see is the real me.

14 comments:

Karen said...

I love your list, Tracy. Funny thing is I can relate to a lot of your things. I had a dirty old man for an orthodontist, therefore, I've never allowed my kids to go in a room with any doctor/dentist alone. Loved nursing, moving more towards wearing skirts/dresses, Yep, I think we have a LOT in common.HATE moving.....it's coming though.

Barbara said...

Fun to read these. Amazing how it gives a picture of a person. Am about to post mine as I soon hit 100 posts. There wil also be a giveaway.
I think it was so neat that you could meet up with Vanessa. That must have been fun.

Ruth said...

I LOVE your list! Wow...you really were quite a handful when you were young! LOL!! You've got some great stories to tell. (I'm sorry about that bike wreck, though!) Thank you for sharing!!

theups said...

I LOVED reading all these interesting things about you!! You are a VERY good writer and really should consider writing a book!! I would buy it, for sure!!

I feel like you and I just had lunch and I learned such neat things about you. Thank you so much for sharing this!

His,
Mrs. U

Susan said...

So glad you did these, Tracy. I love reading them and learning about people. I love the way you ended and the fact you know who you are and that God loves you and that you are real :o) Thanks !!
Susan

Unknown said...

Oh, I love the 100 things post! And yours is great. Wasn't it fun to write? Like a mini autobiography. Hey, I'm the only girl in my family too. But ... and this is important. I was a GOOD girl, not a naughty one :) You were quite a rascal weren't you? How fun for all your brothers!

I also lost my first baby. Sigh. So happy to have the healthy ones that I do though. God is good!

I've never tasted Gatoade, even though I am a Gator :) (UF and all that) I love to walk, hate to run, never smoked, hey, we have a lot in common. I knew I liked you for a reason.

Great job. A fun read for me!

Gena said...

Your list is wonderful! I also love it that you're tiny. My best friend in the world and the most faithful woman I know is only 4'11" tall.

You also told a great story with your list. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learning more about you.

Collin said...

Number 6 I am 4 foot eleven inches. I am 5 foot. I am taller than u!! That's ok Mom being short has it's advantages. Like in the cave some people had to duck you didn't. With love Collin

Christie Belle said...

Congrats on your 100th post! Good list, too. Very funny, I love that you dumped a gallon of milk in the fish tank, that was a hoot! It sounds like your parents had their hands full, lol.

Kelli said...

Wow! That was a great 100 post, Tracy! I read every single one and loved hearing about all the trouble you caused when you were little. :0) The fish tank and school story is hilarious!

How awful about the dentist, that just made me so mad!! I don't blame you for still not liking to go!

I've never smoked a cigarette either, got married when I was 18. Once month after my high school graduation actually! Phillip bought a house a few months before and we had our wedding reception in our new home. Well, new to us, it was built in the 1920's! LOL

I loved nursing my babies too and was so sad when Benjamin quit at 15 month.

We have lots in common and I feel like I know you so much better now!!

Kelli

Lori said...

What a great post.
I really enjoyed reading and learning more about you.

Wow! You had quite the bike accident!

Beach Girl said...

That was great! I too,laughed-a lot-with the milk in the fish tank.

You are so blessed. You have what I always dreamed of.

Vanessa

Momma Roar said...

This was awesome - I've been wanting to get back to read this! A couple things we have in common:
I want to write a book too, I'm only 1 3/4 inches taller, I used to play teacher with some textbook my mom found - but I never made fliers, I was born in PA, I like the Steelers, I paint my toes but not my fingers, too!
Ok, I'll stop now! Great list Tracy, I'm glad you decided to do it! :D

Jennifer said...

for some reason I just now read your 100 things list...

I love how you creatively told your life story in 100 points!

As I sit here looking at our fishtank, I can only imagine what your parents thought seeing a gallon of milk in the tank! I think I would have croaked :o) (we inherited our fishtank, I still am not too fond of it ~ 60 gallons of water contained in what seems to be thin glass in my living room ~~ praying it's not a recipe for disaster) :o)