MEME: 8 Random Facts About Me

I've been tagged for a meme by Angoraknitter. I've been having fun reading other people's memes and was actually mulling it around in my head. Nothing like getting tagged to motivate one to think a little harder. Here it goes .......

First, the rules: For this meme, each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

1. I'm a Mexirican! That's half Puerto Rican and half Mexican. Both my parents were born in their respective countries and met in San Antonio on a blind date. After 6 weeks they got married!! I'm always asked if I'm Hawaiian, Philippine, Asian, etc. I've even been spoken to in these ethnic languages. I'm Mexirican. In fact, I didn't learn English until I was 6.

2. I was insanely crazy about a group called Menudo when I was young (2nd grade to 7th??). I didn't listen to anything but them. I cried when they were on t.v. I wore my Menudo belt everyday. I even taught 4 other girls (non Hispanic) how to dance the routines to the Menudo songs and we performed at my church during a festival.

The side affects as an adult: whenever I'm listening to the radio with Craig and he asks if I remember this song, I have a blank face. I missed out on ALOT of American music from the 80's because I was a dedicated fan of Menudo. (Or rather HE missed out on alot of GREAT Latino music from the 80's!!) I still have some of their tapes and records. I was more than in love with them!! I even would cry every time a member was retired (either when they were 16 or voice changed). Charlie and Johnny were my favorites. Dulces Besos and Coqui were two of my favorite songs. I didn't like Ricky Martin too much when he first joined. I thought he was too short and ugly!! LOL!! I stopped listening soon after they started singing in English. On to fact #3. I could talk forever about a group no one else probably even knows!! LOL! Honestly, I'm still in love with them! It's okay, Craig knows!

3. Craig and I moved to Boston 4 weeks after we were married. We didn't know where we were going to live. We stayed with a professor for 2 weeks while we searched for a place. After we found a place, his mom mailed us 13 boxes. We had packed all our belongings & wedding gifts in 13 boxes before leaving Texas. Looking back I don't see how our parents let us go!! I guess I was that stubborn!! LOL! I think I would have a heart attack if my little girls moved without an actual address!

4. My senior year in college I turned down a 5 year FULLY PAID fellowship for a Ph.D program in history at the University of Iowa. My advisers went bonkers!!! They tried to get me to call back and change my mind. I decided I wanted to pursue a masters in systematic theology at Boston College. BUT ..... I never got my masters!! I completed all 36 hours but never took my comprehensive exams. No sooner than we got to Boston, I caught the baby bug. I spent too much time reading Dr. Sear's The Baby Book and La Leche League's The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding. I also crocheted a few layettes. All this without being pregnant!! I was so excited about motherhood .... not so excited about grad school.

5. I was a campus minister for three years at this wonderful place!!! I learned more here and from the wonderful, holy students than I did in all my theology classes at BC. I learned how to live out the Christian life, instead of just theologize about it. I learned the true meaning of my vocation as wife and mother from the mom's group. I encountered LARGE families for the first time and decided I wanted to be open to life whenever possible. I made some of the best friendships. Living and working there changed my life!

6. I'm a dreamer!! And books inspire me. When I read Heidi as a 4th grader, I watered my 16 X 16 backyard (military housing) for weeks in the hopes of producing lush green grass like that of the Alps. Instead, I got mud. After reading Little House on the Prairie, I planted corn and beans in the front yard!! My dad couldn't figure out where the weeds were coming from. I cried when they made me pull them out.

So, now that I'm an adult I hope to raise dreamers too! Luckily, Craig is a realist and knows when to step in and set me back on firm ground. I love watching my kids dream and play.

7. I'm directionally challenged. I can't tell you north from south unless I'm holding a compass. I hate it when people tell me to go north on highway this or southbound on that road. Just give me landmarks. Turn right at the 2nd Dunkin Donuts, take a left at the 3rd light. Get on I45 heading towards Houston or towards Conroe. And this doesn't guarantee anything!! I'll still get lost!! Just 2 weeks ago I got lost WITH Craig's Tom Tom. I didn't know it was supposed to be on the windshield so it could talk to a satellite!!

8. When reading a good book (fiction) I will stay up until 5am to finish it. I did this in high school and college ALL THE TIME!!! Now if I do it, I'm the grouchiest mom ever!! So, I have to FORCE myself to put a good book down. Some people have no trouble finding time to exercise. I DO!! But I have no trouble finding hours to read. Its like breathing!

I tag Blair, Emily, Michelle, K, Kristen, and anyone else who would like to play!!

*Since doing this meme I've been spending TOO MUCH time looking at old Menudo video clips!! I'm going to my parents house tonight to get my old tapes and record. And maybe ordering a video for memories sake!! Can you imagine if I'd had a VCR back then! I would have taped every commercial, every video, every t.v. appearance, every tidbit I could!!