The friendship questions are fun! I have enjoyed writing about everyon that has commented. The original post is getting too long, but you can still play!

Comment on this entry, and I will:

Tell you why I am friends with you.
Associate you with something - fandom, a song, a color, a photo, a word etc.
Tell you something I like about you.
Tell you a memory I have of you.
Ask something I’ve always wanted to know about you.
In return, you must post this to your own journal/blog.

So far, Shane, Andrea, Alli and Jackie have commented and I wrote it up on the post below this one. I am using this current post to catch up anything else that comes in.

To answer Shane's question:

I got into science during high school. Originally, I planned on going into Chemistry because that was what the boy I liked was doing. I know, lame. But, it was high school after all. So I took a chemistry class to fulfill my requirement for graduation. I liked it. I liked it so well that I took another one the following year. I liked all the math that was involved. I liked that what we learned had a finite answer. It could only be one thing, not like the interpretation that goes on in English. The second chemistry class I took was even better. It was all about reactions and stuff. I don't remember all of it, but we did a lab that took about the last two months of school that had me completely hooked. It was all about testing the knowns to see what happens and then using that information to figure out what the unknowns were. Plus, it was a lot of color change and I love color. I knew that that was what I was going to do when I grew up. I thought at first I would go into pharmacueticals, but there was the whole research thing that got me hung up. I wanted fintie results. So I started in failure analysis (what made this chip/break/what is it? kind of thing.) It was ok, but now what I was looking for. Then I discovered environmental chemistry and I love it. I am currently working as the Chemist in our municiple water department. It is a great fit for me!

Because all the cool kids are doing it

Comment on this entry, and I will:

Tell you why I am friends with you.
Associate you with something - fandom, a song, a color, a photo, a word etc.
Tell you something I like about you.
Tell you a memory I have of you.
Ask something I’ve always wanted to know about you.
In return, you must post this to your own journal/blog.

I just found this little ditty on Alli's and Rachel's blogs and thought it was pretty fun. Leave a comment and I'll tell you what I think.

Shane:

Okay, I'm going to be honest, so don't hate me! Actually, it isn't that bad.

I don't remember not knowing you. I do remember not liking you. I think it had to do with your volleyball team. There were only 2 people on that team that even would talk to me and you weren't one of them. But, with age comes maturity and I definitely did some growing up and realized that you weren't so bad after all. I think I really started considering you a friend when I started this blog and you were the first one to comment.

I associate you with Chipotle and Mac. Nuf said.

Something I like about you is your passion for life. You always go at everything you do with gusto and don't hold anything back. You aren't afraid to take risks. After all, who else would focus one of their first sermons on Bill and Ted?

A memory I have of you goes way back. I don't remember which summer it was, but I think it was most likely Jr. High camp. Shandra was the director or campfire leader or something and taught us a song with a dog in it. I think. Anyway, the memory is of you and the other guys from Olathe doing a dance that you made up to this song and the dance involved the action of a dog relieving itself in the middle of the common room at Chihowa. Obviously, to a jr. high boy, it was the coolest thing. I don't even know if I am remembering it correctly.

Something I am wondering about, a two-parter : Did you know you would end up back "home"after college? And, did your career lead you here, or did you find your career after choosing where to land? So maybe that was three, but it is still the same line of thought.

Andrea:

You and I met at Graceland. I don't have much memory of you before our senior year, but we lived down the hall from each other that last year. I was so excited when you found me recently and we have been able to reconnect! And because I didn't try getting to know you until then, I feel like I've missed out!

I associate you with the color blue. I don't really know why, just do.

I like that you always kept your door open and I could stop by any time to say hi and chat for a bit.

A memory I have of you is the first time I unplugged your vaccuum from the hall. The look on your face was priceless. You couldn't figure out why it stopped working all of a sudden!

When you met Andy, did you know he was the one you were going to marry? Was it difficult with living with his military career? (Sorry, that was two questions again. I just can't ask just one!)

Alli:

I am friends with you because you are friendly. You are a warm inviting person and I am drawn to our friendship.

I associate you with painting. I thought your artshow was incredible. I get excited when someone I know has something on display for all the world to know and I can honestly say that I know them! Also, Katie still loves the mural in her Sunday school room.

Something I like about you is your sense of style. You aren't afraid to wear your hair in a new style and your clothes and accessories always look so fun and well put together. I think I need some pointers!

A memory I have of you involved the same evening of the memory you shared of me. I came to pick Katie up and you were with her half asleep yourself, willing her to sleep in the guest room but you had a smile on your face and looked like you honestly had a great time with her that evening. She still talks about going to your house and wanting to see Dreyfus. Thank you!

And now for the question: What made you decide to become a vegetarian?

Jackie:

I haven't known you very long, but I still consider you my friend. So, I guess friendship by proximity?

I associate you with PINK and fabulousness.

I like your demeanor. Every time I see you, even if you are having a bad day, you always have a sense of calm surrounding you. You are very patient and don't get visibly frustrated. I admire that because sometimes I just can't keep my cool no matter how much I want to.

A memory I have of you is how dedicated and enthusiastic you were about decorating for VBS. The church looked great and I know you worked so very hard on it.

A question for you: Did you always know you were going to be a teacher? What would you have been if not a teacher?

Answer to Alli's question:

My first date with Ben was interesting. We had only been at Graceland for a couple weeks. My neighbor and his best friend set us up on a blind date. We went to the Wednesday night movie to see "Before Sunrise". I think that was the name anyway, it was about two people traveling on a train, I think. Anyway, since my other neighbor was dating Chris (Ben's friend) at the time, we did a double date. We rode in Chris's truck so Ben and I rode in the covered bed. That was weird for me in itself because I never went anywhere without wearing a seat belt. The night was pretty stormy with a lot of wind. I don't remember rain, but I know that something was going on because the movie kept flickering then finally just went out. I think we only saw about 20 minutes of the movie before we left. There were bats flying all around and we were sitting in the balcony. I didn't like it. They ended up taking us girls home and I was commisserating with my friend about the date. She and Chris didn't last much longer than that movie. We discovered that Ben and I had several classes together so we became a permanent lunch friend for each other. I started dating someone else and was with him for most of the time I was at GC. This someone else went with me to Des Moines to buy a dress for New Year's in November knowing that he wasn't going to make it to the event. He let me buy a dress and everything before he told me he wasn't going. So, I learned that Ben was stood up too so I invited him to come with me. That was our second date. I didn't have much fun then either. I finally broke up with the other guy and Ben was the first person I called outside of my family and roommate to tell that I broke up with him. Ben was so sweet and came over that evening and we just hung out as friends. Little did I know then that he had liked me ever since that first date as Freshmen. BTW, this is now the summer before Sr. year. We hung out all summer with me still being clueless to his ideas. When we got back to school in the fall, he asked me to go to the Wed movie again and this time it stuck. We saw one of the James Bond movies. He did the classic stretch and put your arm around the girl move during one of the last action sequences. We walked home that night and he picked a wild blue flower for me. I think I still have the flower somewhere. He didn't kiss me that night, but the rest is history. Remind me to tell you the story about my dream.

I've lost a Katie!

I weighed in this morning and have now lost a total of 32 pounds. I have lost the entire weight of my Katie. I still carry her around sometimes and am constantly aware of how much she weighs. It feels like a lot! So, since October, I have taken that much weight off of me!

I feel so empowered. I feel like I can do anything. I want to share with you a visual that my leader shared with us this morning. She asked for someone to come up and stand with their arms straight out to the side, like a wingspan. Then she had the volunteer verbally say "I can" over and over while she was pressing down on an arm. The volunteer was to keep the arm up and not let it fall. Then she repeated with the verbalization of "I can't." She used the same pressure and the arm went down. It all depends on the attitude. If you say you can, you can. If you say you can't, you can't. There is a quote that I hear when going to my meetings. I hope I get it right. "If you think you can or you think you can't, you are right." It depends on attitude. I have used this in more areas of my life than just weight loss. As my mom always told me growing up, "you can do whatever you set your mind to."

I am getting closer by the day to my goal. I don't have a number yet, but I know that I am getting closer. This is such a great feeling!

I'm glad that's over

I meant to write earlier since Katie celebrated her 3rd birthday last Sunday, but didn't because I had her in my arms all day. Last Saturday she woke up and was so dizzy that she couldn't sit up without throwing up. She couldn't walk at all because she kept falling down. Poor thing couldn't keep anything down until about noon that day. We, well I, was ready to take her to the hospital, but was convinced to wait a couple more hours to see if she could keep anything down. Luckily, she started drinking and eating again so we didn't have to go there.

Needless to say, we had to postpone her Princess birthday party that was scheduled for the next day. We decided to give her the presents so she would have something to open on her birthday and she loved it! I found a princess cell phone that has gone everywhere with her this week. Every once in a while I still get "Thank you for giving me this, mama!" She is too sweet for words!

I cannot believe what a special little girl we have. She is ornery as I'll get out but the sweetest little thing at the same time. She has such enthusiasm for life that it is infecting. We are having issues with temper tantrums and whining, but aside from that, she generally is a good girl. She loves to talk on the phone with anyone, espcially grandma or grandpa. She even calls the princesses on her new cell phone. She always wants to take either oranges or marshmallows to share with her friends at daycare. I could go on and on.

She is still at the top of the charts for height. We recently went to dinner and she made friends with a little boy that was about 5 months older than her. I think she had 2 inches on him. She has within the last month figured out the whole potty thing and has only had one semi-accident since she started wearing "big girl panties." Her eyes seem to be getting bigger and bluer, if that is possible. Her new favorite game is "I Spy."

Mommy and daddy love you Katie bug!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I don't really care for this "holiday" in general, but I celebrate anyway. I love my family and they know I love them, so why do I need a day just to tell them that?

When I woke Katie up this morning, I reminded her that today was Valentine's Day. She looked up at me and said in her sweet little voice, "Happy Valentine Day, mama!" Then she couldn't wait for Ben to get out of the shower so she could wish him a happy day too. What a sweetheart she is.

I was surprised this morning with a delivery of a dozen beautiful roses from my darling husband. Thank you, Ben! I love you!

We are staying in tonight and I am cooking a meal for the three of us. Charlie may even get something special tonight too.

However you choose to go about this day, I hope you are able to spend it with those you love.