Day 1 - recent picture of you and 15 interesting facts about yourself:

In case you don't know, I'm the one on the right. I had no recent pictures of just me. I guess I could have cropped and all that, but I really just don't have the energy to do that right now! Okay, here are the 15 interesting facts. Well, I hope they are interesting, anyway. They may turn out to be just facts about me. :)

1. I really don't like the process of getting ready in the morning for the day, or the process of getting ready for bed. I wish I could just be ready for both at the appropriate times.

2. I really miss swimming. I used to swim laps regularly, for fitness and to keep up my life-guarding, but due to life changes, it just isn't feasible to go swimming in that capacity these days. At least not on a regular basis. One day I'll be able to get back into it.

3. I've discovered a love for running. In my search for an activity that does fit my current life with kids and all, to replace swimming and soccer, running has found a home. There is nothing like an early morning run along the river in the spring. Nothing. Especially with my dear running buddy, Cherie.

4. I love, love, LOVE a hot bath. With a book. Ahhhhh.

5. I still really miss Australia. I actually think about moving back quite often. Of course, at this stage in our lives, that would be a lot more complicated then it was 8 years ago. But I still think about it.

6. I also still really miss my Mom. I always will. I went through a tough week not that long ago. I hate that I have to deal with the loss of her.

7. I am no good at long distance relationships. I would like to be better, but the truth is, if a person is not in my fairly immediate vicinity, it ain't gonna happen. Of course, there are still people that I don't see for months and months, and then when we do see each other again, it's like no time has passed. I love it when that happens. My friend Bobbi has always been one of those people. We've been friends literally since birth.

8. I find it sad that when I am flipping through the channel guide after the kids have gone to bed, I still get a split second of happiness when a kids' show that I can tolerate is on and I think, "oh, I'll let the kids watch this." But then I quickly shake my head and keep flipping to the shows I WANT to watch!

9. When my kids are teenagers, I am going to be a happy mama. I love the hours that teens keep, so it will work well for me! 2:00 bedtime, 10:00 wake-up. Perfect. Although they might not like that I keep the same hours they do...

10. I love roller coasters. Forget Disneyland, take me to Six Flags Magic Mountain. So much fun.

11. I sometimes miss working at camp . I worked at Camp Kadesh as the waterfront director for 5 summers, and boy, those were some amazing summers. I know that that stage of my life has passed, but when I look back, wow. So many of my close friends are from camp, so much of my faith grew there, and so much more. Top that off with spending all day on the beach guarding, teaching swimming lessons or teaching water-skiing/wake-boarding. Can't really complain!

12. I really need to finish Ayda's year one scrap book. I am so behind with that...ughhh. I love doing it, but I just can't find the time these days. Actually, what really needs to happen is that I need to be intentional about doing it. That's the key.

13. Ryan and I will be celebrating 9 years of marriage this year. And I love him more and more each year.

14. I love appetizer-type food. Bring on the baby and wedding showers - I'll totally skip lunch and supper in order to maximize those appies!

15. Lastly and most importantly, my faith is everything to me. God has brought me through some tough times and my faith has changed and grown. It's funny - the older I get, the more I realize how little I know and how un-simple things are. And that's where my trust in God is so important - I always need to remind myself that He is in control. How hard that can be!