Me, at 36

1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?
On the bluffs overlooking the Trinity River and the West.... still in my neighborhood, but on a street I'll never be able to afford. As long as I'm dreaming, I've always wanted a stone house with a turret and lots of ivy growing all over it. With a Live Oak tree in the back yard.

2. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?
The white linen shirt when he wears it over a crisp, white t-shirt, with his Levi's 550s.

3. FAVORITE PHYSICAL FEATURE OF THE OPPOSITE SEX?
Calves. Darren has always known this, 'cause I often comment on guys' calves TO him. (He's a confident man, dontcha think, for puttin' up with that??) A few weeks ago, I started noticing that Darren's calves are lookin' GOOD. Must be all that basketball he plays with the guys at Fortress. :) :)

4. THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?
I can't remember. But the last CD that Dani got was "The Beautiful Meltdown" by Switchfoot, and I listen to it all the time.

5. WHERE'S YOUR LEAST FAVORITE PLACE TO BE?
any place where the air is still and stagnant. I must have moving air. The worst place was in an airplane on the tarmac one time. We sat and sat and sat, and there was NO air moving. I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I thought I'd die if I couldn't get some air. Is that some form of claustrophobia?

6. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE PLACE TO BE MASSAGED?
I'm a freak; I don't like massages. Oh, wait. When I get my hair washed at the salon, and they massage my scalp, ooooh. Yah, I really like that.

7. WHAT'S MOST IMPORTANT, STRONG IN MIND OR STRONG IN BODY?
Strong in mind. In many ways, mental strength is more reliable and more important than physical strength. And in most cases, it's more attractive!

Another thought...I watched cancer rob my Grandpa Lewis of both. Even after his physical strength was gone, I could still recognize his mental strength. His humor was still there. His passion was still there. But when the constant morphine drip eventually took his mind, I wept. For although his body was still functioning, his mind was gone, and so was he.

8. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?
Around 9. But recently, I've fallen into a bad habit of sleeping later, 'cause I've fallen into a bad habit of working late into the night. (It's when I do my best work!)

9. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?
The dishwasher. I cannot STAND to wash dishes. Then again, I can't stand to unload the dishwasher, either. Come to think of it, I'm really not much of a kitchen person at all.

10. WHAT MAKES YOU REALLY ANGRY?
Lying. I cannot tolerate it. Lie to (or about) me once, and I might be able to deal with it. But do it twice, and I'm gone.

A few months ago, Aidan scribbled on one of my friends' scrapbook pages while she was here at my house. At the time, we didn't know which of my boys had done it. I called both boys in and said, "Who scribbled on Lety's page?" Aidan said, "I did." Lety was shocked. "He told the truth! No kid ever tells the truth! How did you make him do that? I wanna know the secret so I can teach Nivia to do it!" The answer is simple: my kids know there is no alternative. Lying is the fast track to the Life Sucks Rally at my house.

11. IF YOU COULD PLAY ANY INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Guitar. We like to sing and I've always wanted to be able to whip out a guitar and accompany the singing, especially when we go camping or when we're hanging out on the front porch. I tried to learn once, but my chubby little fingers were too short to reach most of the chords. Maybe I should try a child's guitar! Dani is learning to play, and I'm envious. :)

12. FAVORITE COLOR?
Shades of blue. I always love shades of cool blues when I see them in design mags. But when I designed my family room, it had to be deep red. And my favorite clothes tend to be either deep reds or bright melons.

13. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR SUV?
SUV, since before they were even called SUVs. When I was 17, I wanted a Ford Bronco more than anything in the WORLD. I'm 36 today, and I've still yet to own my Bronco. Now I want a Tahoe. (But my dream car, which is completely impractical, is a bright yellow VW Bug. I drove one in college, and have always wished I still had that car.)

14. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?
Absolutely. I don't understand it, and I don't pretend to know what it will be like exactly, but I do believe that Jesus went to prepare a place for me.

15. FAVORITE CHILDREN'S BOOK?
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. And The Little Prince by Antoine St-Exupery. And The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown.

16. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?
Autumn! I love the respite from the hot summer, but I also like how summer sneaks back in off and on throughout the fall. I love the colors, the holidays, the first pot of stew, the first mug of cocoa, the first time I see my breath outside....

17. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Samantha Stevens' power- the one that cleans the house with the twitch of the nose.

18. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?
I don't. And likely never will.

19. CAN YOU JUGGLE?
Balls or pins or something? No. I'm not that coordinated.
Tasks and projects and kids' schedules? Flawlessly. Mostly.

20. THE ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?
Kyle. When we were in college, he suffered a brain aneurysm and went into a coma. I never went to see him in the hospital. My excuse was that I was saving it for when he woke up. But he never did. In reality, I was afraid that seeing him like that would break my heart. The sad irony is, NOT seeing him broke my heart even worse.

21. WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DAY?
Monday. (See? I am a freak!) Weekends are chaos. Lots of projects to be done, lots of Fortress stuff to commit to, etc. Mondays mean that life returns to normal. Mondays are my day to rest. :)

22. WHAT'S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?
I drive a minivan (blech), so I don't have a trunk. But in the back of my van right now, there's probably a lawn mower, an edger, a weedeater... (Mico's borrowing my van while his truck is in the shop, so he can continue working his lawn business.)

23. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?
Hamburger! With cracked pepper. Topped with cheese, mayo, mustard, tomato, onion and avacado. On a toasted bun.

24. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CARTOON?
Bugs Bunny! I still quote Bugs Bunny stuff, even though I haven't seen him in YEARS. Someone's late? Oh, they "should've taken that left turn in Albuquerque!". Someone does something dumb? "What a nim-cow-poop. What a gull-a-bull!"

25. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?
Thanksgiving. Smoked turkey shipped in from Greenberg's in Tyler, Sweet Potato Souffle, Jill in FL's Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Cranberry-Orange-Pecan Salad, yeast rolls, and lots of pie.

28. If you could only choose one fantasy servant, who would it be (chauffeur/gardener/cook/masseuse/other)?
Housekeeper. My dream in life is to be able to afford someone to come in and clean this place once a week. Ah.... heaven!

29. FOUR WORDS THAT SUM YOU UP: loyal, hospitable, good-natured, fun

30. FAVORITE PIG-OUT FOODS: fajitas, chips and queso (why am I so rotund?), potatoes in any variation (ah, that's one reason), Diet Vanilla Coke from Sonic, homemade Ghirardelli brownies

31. THREE OF YOUR EVERY DAY ESSENTIALS: music, hugs and kisses from the kids and Darren, and sleep

32. THREE WAYS YOU'VE BEEN BLESSED: I've been richly blessed with friends. This house we own is a huge blessing - a gift from God, really. And, hmmmm... I suppose I'm blessed with talent. I'm not hugely talented in any ONE thing, but I'm a little talented in many things.

33. WHICH OF THE FOUR HOBBITS ARE YOU MOST LIKE? Frodo. I want to do what's right, but I often rely too much on my own self and not enough on those who love me. I sometimes alienate those who want to help me. When faced with a task, I'm determined to see it through, even if it means other things are neglected in the process.

34.WHAT'S YOUR BIGGEST PERSONALITY FLAW? I need to be validated. I need to be told I'm good at what I do - otherwise, I don't believe it. But worse, I need for my negative feelings about people/things to be validated by people who feel the same as I do. And that leads to excessive gossip and snarking, which I usually end up regretting later.

35. HOW DO YOU COPE WITH STRESSFUL SITUATIONS? Aye yai yai! Mostly, I get away. I have Flight Syndrome. If I'm in a stressful situation, I'd rather flee the scene than have to face confrontation. Or are you talking about regular, day-to-day stress? With the ones I love, I yell. (Oh man, did I just admit that out loud?) When that doesn't work, I forage for comfort food. (Did I just admit that too???)

36. ARE YOU HAPPY ON THIS BIRTHDAY? Oh, yes. More importantly, I'm content. I'm living a dream, and I try to remember that every day, and appreciate it. :)