Respond-day-voo

Lynanne asks:
What is your favorite season and why?

I love all the seasons... but summer and winter always seem to overstay their welcome in my heart. This leaves spring and autumn. Spring is a sexy season of fertility, growth, rebirth and frankly, the smells of spring make me weep with joy. Still, the gloriousness of Autumn with her brisk air and crisp scents also make me weep, but quietly. I never get enough of either season... but I will have to vote for fall; her smells, her secretive side and her show-offy colors. Plus... hello? Halloween!

Blogarita asks:
Have you posted about how you and Dadguy met? If so, can you point me that way? If not, then will you tell us all now?

I have not posted about how Dadguy and I met, and if anyone deserves an answer to this, it's my darling Blogarita! She is an unrepentant cradle robber the same as moi. I probly ought to go out of order and answer this after Elizasmom's query.... and if you like a chronological story, you may want to check that out first, but here ya go.

I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints a little later than most do.
I just deleted a long paragraph explaining in detail the why's of it... just trust me when I say... I was freakishly old for a Mish-a-shish-a-nary. For a while I was companions with a gal from Utah who used to tell me about this cool guy from back home who had given her this CD, had helped to prepare her for Missionary work in that way, taken her to this other concert... etc. I was familiar with Dadguy Chaos stories. When I returned to civilian life, I stayed for a short time in NM, but soon moved up to Utah. Long story.

I went to the "Homecoming" for my former companion, and it was at her parents house that I first clapped eyes on Dadguy. He was a major cute-booty, and when I started talking to him? Whooo! We talked a bunch and really hit it off, but he kind of hinted that he was there to see if there were any sparks with Sister Brand-New-Home... so I didn't push it. When I hinted at this to Sister BNH, she indicated that there were no sparks on her end, so I filed that info away.

About a month later I needed a date for my Christmas work party. I sucked it up and asked Sister BNH if she had that Dadguy's phone number so I could ask him. She was... mmm shocked that I was interested. She had been busily trying to set him up with every single one of her former companions except me! I was too old.

Yeah... whatev!

I called and asked him out, yet we never did go on that date... I came down with Strep throat the day of. No worries, Dadguy had been thinking about me ever since the day we met, and had assiduously attending every social function that Sister BNH held or attended that he could, trying to catch me again. (I have never asked him to fess up to also still working the Sister BNH angle) Now he had my phone number and an opening? We were engaged by Valentines Day, and married on April 6th, 2000.

Fantastagirl asks:

1) When are you coming to visit?
I haven't the foggiest right now... but it for sure won't be this year. Finishing the basement and a trip this fall to Disneyland is gonna suck us DRY. On the flip side... do you guys wanna go to Disneyland this fall? Off season is so much cheaper, and no lines!

2) When will Tink grow?
I suspect that she is in for a big jump in second grade... until then it'll be small increments. At least she'll be the cutest girl if not the tallest girl in her class! (aren't you kinda short m'dear?)

3) Will Pan keep his love for reading when he is older?
Gracious yes! He will be a Sci-fi nut for a few years, starting at age nine when the good stuff becomes more accessible to him. Then he will start branching out into other genre, but he will always be a reader.

4) Why do I always burn my hands when I bake?
You do not own an Ove Glove. Go get one.

I would like to add a #5....
5) Do you often talk right outta yer butt?
Thanks for asking, yes... yes I DO!

Nobody asks:

Assume for a moment that you were going to get a job outside the home. If that job could be anything you wanted, what would it be?

Ahhh! I would go back to the job that I had before I got Pregs with Birdie. I quit when she was around 10 months old, and quitting was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I was a Storyteller for the Prove City Library. I played to large crowds of kids and parents and it ROCKED. Everyday I would literally get applauded for what I did, plus the adoration of kiddos, and the accolades from their parents. They didn't just have us be performers, we were front line implementation of all the newest "Emergent Literacy" stuff. Dude, they paid me to go and work with teen mothers and their babies helping them to teach their children what they would need to succeed.

When is Dadguy going to post a real post? And will he ever finish finishing the basement?

I cannot answer for Dadguy, but if you could somehow cause all the servers for World of Warcrack to shut down for a few months, I'm sure you get your posts AND that basement would be finished pronto. As it is the ductwork is done, the plumbing will be finished by next week, and the wiring within a month or so. I hope. Maybe. I hope.

Shelli asks:

What made you quit using?
Read my response to Elizasmom below.

How long have you been clean and sober? (You probably have said this before, but I don't know when or where and I can't remember the answer.)

Eleven years this coming October 8
The name that I gave the voice in my head that tells me how worthless I am is Chatterbox. Do you have a name for yours?
Unfortunately? I don't just have a voice, I have entire Committees. That's what I call them when I think about it, Committees.

Who is your favorite blogger whose name starts with Sh and ends with elli?
Hello!? Shelli, of course!

Elizasmom asks:

One serious one, which is probably predictable in light of the recent religion postings: How did you come to the LDS church? And if it was something you were born into, did you ever make a conscious commitment saying, yep, this is it for me?

I was born and raised in the LDS church, but I took a theological powder around the age of 15. In order to understand what happens next, and next, and next, you should understand that LDS folks believe that you are entitled to answers from God. Personal Revelation as it were.

You are expected to seek those answers though. Read, and search, and study it out in your mind and then go to the Lord and ask if a thing is true/right/His will. As a child grows, they are expected to ask. Every person has to find out for themselves if the Church is true. The Book of Mormon. Prophecy. The whole banana.


I never did ask. I didn't want to know. I didn't want to live the standards of the church. Now, anyone who doesn't bother to even ask if the church is true has BUCKETS of fodder for umbrage with the doctrine. It's almost like the Lord has left some grade A pitfalls there, to discourage any but the most sincere seeker. Plus... have you seen the Word of Wisdom (health code)? Pfft! No FUN!

Fast forward about thirteen years, and you find a woman who is seriously considering becoming a professional tattoo artist. I had done custom flash for several folks, had Ink of my own, and many connects in the business. A friend of mine was managing a local reputable shop in Albq., and he wanted a female artist to attract and serve a certain clientele that a man could not... mostly women who wanted tats (say, on a breast or a bikini line), but didn't want to get that personal with a male artist. He offered to take me on as an apprentice and set me up with everything that I would need.

The main thing holding me back was that I was trying to get out of the drug scene. I say "trying" but I had had five years clean in AA before, I knew what it took and I was not doing it... so yeah... trying. My friend assured me that there was a zero tolerance policy in the shop. Turns out, the policy was for only "in the shop," and the first time we met at his house to start my apprenticeship? Meth. Plenty of Meth, and yeah... I got jawjacked too. No one thought anything of it.

On the way home from that experience I was struck with the strongest impression that I should pray and ask Heavenly Father if this was what I really should do. A very alien impression to me at the time, I assure you. The last time I'd had an impression like that, was when I was sitting in the courthouse in downtown Albq, waiting for a Justice of the Peace to perform the ceremony for Mr. Thatguy and I. I had felt that same, intense sensation that I should go to the restroom and pray and ask, but I was pretty sure what the answer would be and I was waaaaay too scared/invested/brainwashed to do what I knew that God wanted me to. Which was to run like hell. Run away from Thatguy, and for the love of MIKE! Don't marry him!

I never did ask.

I very nearly lost my life. I lost very large pieces of my heart.

This time I listened. This time I prayed (once I came down from the Meth), and do you know? I never did get an actual answer about the Tattoo stuff. Huh.

I really cannot just chuck out onto the Internets, the nature of the answer I received, I hold it sacred to my heart. But from the moment I received an answer, I have not done a drug or taken a drink of alcohol. I literally threw my cigarettes out the window and never looked back... but I did keep drinking coffee for the next week. Sigh... I sure loved my coffee.

A little less than a year later I was standing in the glory that is the fall foliage of New Hampshire, a badge proclaiming me a Missionary on my lapel.

Life is good, and now I ask every time.



And on a more lighthearted note:
What is:
Your favorite movie?
Action... fights...kablooey! Big fan of Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, but then I have probably seen You've Got Mail more times than any other movie in existence.

Favorite book?
I have a book that contains the entire works of Jane Austin. I have read that sucker to pieces in the past eight years.

Favorite item of clothing?
this sweater.

Favorite song?
Joss Stones version of Some Kind of Wonderful

Favorite trip you ever took?
Honeymoon to Disneyland!

Anonymous asks:
Are those your daughters real names or just nicknames for the blog?
Nicknames! But two of the names are names I really had wanted for my girls, but was voted out
of.

the other Anonymous didn't ask anything but she did say:
You have to cut your self some slack-Having three little ones and one on the way can be overwhelming.
Ooop! Not expecting just yet. Unless that is part of my bad mood and...
No. Not pregs, but in active fear-mode.

Daring Young Mom asks:
What is your favorite bad movie?
Earth Girls Are Easy... I just cannot resist the eighties cheesy goodness!

and that is all.

Except I am feeling a little better today... I suspect that it is a transitory thing after all.