1. My initials are
MMM. When someone discovers this, they are always way more excited about it than I have ever been.
2. I screen my phone calls.
Alot.
3. I might have a disease called
Celiac. Go look it up and learn something.
4. I
google my own name more than anyone
else's name.
5. I've gotten prank calls from my students before.
6. The prank calls make me laugh.
7. Most of the time whenever a student does something really bad and I get mad at them at school, I usually laugh about it at home. I think bad kids are the most amusing and my favorites.
8. I do have favorite students. Sorry, but I do. My first year of teaching, I tried really hard not to have favorites. But it happens. I like all the bad ones so it kinda balances out.
9. I was always called the Teacher's Pet when I was in school and I absolutely hated it. I never did anything wrong. I was never in trouble at school. Except one time.
10. In first grade, when everyone went outside to P.E I hid in the bathroom. I watched my classmates all doing jumping jacks and I ate all the teacher's candy. It started out with just one piece. Then 2. Then just one more...next thing you know, the jar was empty. Unfortunately, the teacher caught me and asked me if I ate any of her Red Hots. I said no. She made me open my mouth and I was totally busted. But I never admitted that I ate them. I had nerves of steel.
11. I am a compulsive eater.
12. I wanted to be in the FBI when I was younger. I would be a really good spy.
13. One of my favorite toys growing up was this "Scientist Kit". It had all these magnifying glasses and a microscope with slides of bacteria and bugs and stuff. It was amazing. And totally real. I wanted to be a scientist also.
14. My senior year of high school I decided that I wanted to be a physical therapist. I quit the Varsity softball team so that I would have time to volunteer at a physical therapy center.
15. My first major in college was for Physical Therapy.
16. Actually, my first major was Biology. Reba, stop laughing.
17.Then I changed to
Pre-Physical
Therapy.
18. I took Biology 113 (Intro Bio) three times. I made a D twice. I needed a C. Third try I made a B.
19. I pass out at the sight of blood. Hence, my major then changed to Sports Management.
20. I am possibly hypoglycemic. I have not been officially tested for this, but I passed out a couple times and each time the last words I uttered were "I'm really hungry, guys...." I get really shaky when my blood sugar level drops.
21. Nothing about Biology makes sense to me. I am not really sure I even believe in "cells".
22. My first job was working at a daycare in
Brentwood.
23. When I was working at the preschool at Grace Bible church in college, I had 2 kids who were autistic. That is probably one of the most fascinating disorders. I could have watched those kids for hours. They were not high-functioning so they did not talk or communicate with people at all. I always tried to figure out what they were thinking about. I still get excited when I meet a person with Autism.
24. In high school, I once met a girl who claimed to be a witch. I really believe she might have been possessed. It was a very strange encounter.
25. I have been on 5 mission trips. Utah, Mexico, New Orleans (twice), and Chile. I'm going to the Philippines later this July.
26. I used to babysit.
Alot. I would fall asleep when I was babysitting.
Alot. But I was always asked to return even though the parents would have to wake me up while the kids are running around on some sugar-induced high. A trustworthy babysitter is hard to find.
27. I really don't like being around babies.
28. There is a nasty rumor that I don't like babies. It's not true. I don't like being around babies. There is a difference.
29. I LOVE African babies. I want one.
30. I have had 10 different roommates.
Jennie, Courtney, Kim, Lori, Stephanie, Caroline, ??(What is that girl's name??.....she was never home and she was only there for a couple of months....), Hanna, Natalie, Jennie again, Ashley (current roommate)
31. I have never lived in the same city for more than 5 consecutive years.
32. I have moved every single year since I was 18.
33. I am an expert at packing/moving.
34. I have lived in Houston for the past 3 1/2 years.
35. I only keep in contact with 1 person from High School.
36. I hated High School.
37. I LOVED my middle school.
38. My favorite animal is the panda. It has been my favorite animal since middle school.
39. I received stuffed pandas and other panda
paraphernalia for gifts. This continued for several years. All of that is in my classroom. My students love my giant stuffed pandas and they count all the pandas in the room when they are bored.
40. One time I turned around and one of my psycho students was punching one of the giant stuffed pandas in the face. I couldn't scream. I couldn't move. I got him off of the panda, but the panda had a broken arm and was losing stuffing very quickly. Luckily, I had a Room Mom who took the panda home and stitched him up. The panda came back to school the next day with a sling on his arm. Everyone was so happy. That boy transferred out of my school shortly after that.
41. I just remembered how weird that boy was. He and his twin sister were 'professional' ice skaters. They would tour the country as a skating act. He obviously had some anger issues. He also had an abnormally shaped head.
42. There are some students I will never forget. And there are some who I will never remember their names. I never remember the good kids.
43. I have been to 6 different countries.
44. I want to go to at least 4 more before I'm 30.
45. I really don't want to ever be 30.
46. My second year teaching I had a student with Cerebral Palsy. She went to physical therapy 4 times a week and had several surgeries just so she could walk using a 'walker'. We had an aide who would take her to the bathroom, but sometimes I had to help her. This totally changed my outlook on life.
Every time I ran after meeting her I praised God for my ability to run. She would give anything to run and I complain about how fat my legs are. At any moment my ability to run could be taken away. I want to treasure every opportunity I have to use my legs. This inspired me to run the marathon last year. I was so grateful for every step of that race.
47. I want to run my second marathon in 2008.
48. 100 things is too much.
49. I once had a crush on this guy with a
prosthetic leg in my class. I was only attracted to him
because of his leg. It was metal, not the plastic kind. I couldn't stop staring every time he moved. I never missed that Management class.
50. When I ran the 1/2 marathon last year, a guy with a metal leg passed me. It wasn't the same guy.
51. I love to read.
52. One of my favorite things as a kid was to curl up with a book in bed and read all night long.
53. I still do that sometimes.
54. I'm really jealous of people with a fast metabolism. Especially Frizzy Stick.
55. In High School, my dad told me that he thought God had told him that I was going to be a missionary. I told him he was wrong and that he should listen more closely to God. What I was really thinking was: Maybe I need to listen more closely to God.
56. My dad used to read Edgar Allen Poe stories to me when I was a kid. I love those stories and poems.
57. I hate scary movies.
58. I am incredibly shy. I am so shy that sometimes I think maybe I just have a social disorder. My face gets really red and I sweat profusely when I think people are staring at me. I am that shy.
59. In college, I thought that if I took an acting class I could rid myself of this shyness. However, the class I signed up for made us run around like wild animals and make crazy movements on the floor. It didn't help that the most perfect man in the world was in that class. Shyness was not completely overcome. But I do feel more comfortable making a complete fool out of myself in public.
60. Alcohol helps with the shyness.
61. That is why I started drinking in college.
62. My first alcoholic drink was a shot of vodka.
63. Sometimes I would rather talk to strangers than answer a phone call from a friend.
64. I like meeting new people.
65. I have had a crush on the same guy for the last 5 years. Yes, the guy from the acting class.
66. I have only said about 4 words to him. Ever. And those words were probably "do you remember me?"
67. I tend to not talk to guys that I really like. Shyness.
68. One time I had to call the cops on my neighbors. The man was beating the crap out of the woman. It was probably one of the scariest moments in my life. I could hear her head hitting the wall.
69. I want to get married.
70. But then sometimes I don't.
71. I love breakfast. Best meal of the day. I NEVER miss it.
72. Actually, I don't miss any meal. In fact, sometimes I have extra meals.
73. I just called my grandma. I LOVE that woman.
74. I really want to learn how to play the guitar.
75. I really wish I could sing better than I do.
76. Musicians are hot.
77. South African accents are hot.
78. British accents are hot too.
79. When I was 10 I broke my finger. My dad didn't believe that it was broken so he reset it. I screamed. The doctor said good news and bad news. Bad news: your finger is broken and you need a cast. Good news: I don't have to set it. I wore a cast for a long time. Then once it was off, I had to keep it taped. We played Red Rover at recess. It grew back crooked. I still catch people staring at my finger when I write. It is difficult to write for a long period of time.
80. I hate when people stare at my finger.
81. I have a big fear of snakes.
82. My grandma shot a rattlesnake with her shotgun a couple months ago. She loves to tell that story.
83. It is very strange to be in the Singles Department at church. When I was little, my dad was the Singles Minister so I remember "the singles". It is also weird that our Singles Minister kinda looks like my dad.
84. I love my roommate, Ashley. She is the best roommate I have ever had. I haven't seen her in over a week. That's how opposite our schedules are.
85. I have had 6 cars.
86. I have hit many parked cars. Actually, I think all I have ever hit are parked cars.
87. I have never had a speeding ticket. Only tickets for running red lights.
88. I have argued my way out of 3 tickets.
89. I have cried during the other 3 tickets.
90. I feel very lucky to have grown up knowing the Lord.
91. When I was little, I would say that Jesus was my best friend. Adults thought that was cute. But I was very serious about it. I would always leave a place for Jesus. At night I would tuck him in. He was like my imaginary friend only cooler because he was God.
92. I really don't like to hear birds in the morning.
93. I am a morning person. I like to run first thing in the morning.
94. I smell books before I read them.
95. I love the library. And bookstores.
96. I love my sisters. I wish we saw each other more than once a year. I miss them all the time.
97. I like clothes. Apparently, I like clothes a little too much according to my credit card bills. I am trying not to buy any new clothes for a month. Not sure how that is going to work out.
98. I have very low self esteem. I struggle with this daily.
99. I would like to one day write a book.
100. It feels like I just wrote a book.
This might be why I am single.
Looking out the back of the auditorium in Rose Hall. There was a prayer group from the different Christian organizations that prayed for us during the convocation. Right before I went on stage to speak to thousands of students, my new Filippino friend, Elaine, told me that her group was there to pray for me. God is amazing.
More to come....I've got to pack to get ready for my flight to VA Beach tomorrow.....
Suzanne and Cameron came to play later in the day. I told them how bored I was and they thought I was crazy. They suggested snorkeling. I didn't really understand how sticking your face in the water and looking at the bottom is fun. The water is crystal-clear! You don't need to stick your face in it.
This is the gazebo which overlooks the pool. 
This was another walkway from the gazebo to the pool.