Getting to Know You, Part 2

Did I say we are Engaged Couple Sponsors for our church now?  It's going well, we had to go to a training session and then we got our first couple.  I was nervous but it's really a nice thing, you get the answers to the couples' evaluation (never test!  Although it's really a test, ha!) and go over the challenges in the answers.  We have worked with one couple who are getting married this fall and we are going to work with another couple this week, who are getting married in June.  I don't necessarily feel like we have so much to say about how to be a good married couple, but we do have experience being married now and I feel like our training was good - it's really just common sense stuff.  Anyways, it's all we can do, volunteer wise, right now and I feel like it's helpful so that's good.  This weekend in church they spoke about how it's important to have a mission and while I don't know that I necessarily have a MISSION, I do have some idea about wanting to give back to the Church, etc., and I'm happy we can do something.  Ha, even if it's a lesson in What Not to Do.

Here's the second part of the Getting to Know You thing.

Getting to Know Me Post 2

Have you ever had something happen to you that you thought was bad but it turned out to be for the best?

Well I guess I'd say everything, because that's really how I try to look at my life but especially Anthony's being autistic. I was really scared of Autism, scared of it all, but he is my firstborn child and my only son and it's my duty and privilege to take care of him.

What was one of the best parties you’ve ever been to?

I loved my wedding. I met Mike at a retirement party for these two friends of mine who were retiring from coaching a basketball program. I'm going to say that was the BEST party I've ever attended. It was postponed twice because of bad weather and then finally they had it and I met Mike again moments after I went in, we stayed the latest of anyone.

What was the last movie, TV show or book that made you cry or tear up?

Everything makes me cry. I cried at Downton Abbey last night but not when the Big Thing happened. I cried when the mom was thinking of Sybil, the thought of losing a child is very upsetting to me.

What’s the hardest thing you’ve ever done? 

I don't know. It was hard to go through the experience of getting Anthony diagnosed, it continues to be hard, to constantly review our actions and hope we are doing enough.

What was the last experience that made you a stronger person?

I would like to think that I get stronger every time a person comes out of me, ha! I don't know if I do or not.

What did you do growing up that got you into trouble? 

My mother caught me smoking one time, at school. One time we were out super late and we said our car got towed from the Diner but my mom called to complain and they said they had never had a car towed from there in their thirty year history, ha! Busted! I used to get grades that were unacceptable and I'd spend a lot of time grounded.

What do you miss most about being a kid? 

I miss naps and allowance.

What is your first memory of being really excited? 

I don't know. I used to really love my life, I loved going to school and seeing friends. I loved this Gym Show we used to have in grade school. I loved everything. I used to be excited every damned time my eyes opened in the morning.

What was the first thing you bought with your own money?

I'll tell you what I remember buying with my own money. My Aunt Joan always gives me $3 for my birthday and when I was in second or third grade she gave it to me in quarters, taped in my card. I brought the quarters in to school and I bought ice cream (which was a dime, I think) for everyone in my class. Then poof! the money was gone and I was super sad but extremely well loved in my class.

When was the last time you were nervous?

I am pretty nervous! I was truly nervous on Saturday night at work, first we were super busy and then this customer had kind of a breakdown. We know her well, she is a regular, and she was having some kind of a manic episode and I was nervous for her. She's fine.

What is something you learned in the last week?

The last week. I learned that I know nothing about people and that they are a constant surprise to me. I saw a friend of mine on Sunday and she told me that her husband and she are separated, his decision, they have two little kids who are Anthony and Maria's ages and I just - I am shocked. I don't understand people and I never will.

What story does your family always tell about you? 

I don't know. I fell out of the car when I was around three or four. Three, I guess. We were at my grandfather's house while my parents went bowling. They used to bowl on Sundays. It was cold out and I guess the door handle froze? Or something? We went around this super hard turn and I fell out of the car. I don't remember much but I do remember that they KEPT DRIVING until my sister Laura said 'Joanne's not in the car anymore!'. I remember I was mad at my dad when we were at the hospital to get checked out (I was fine) and I remember I was wearing this cute outfit with kitty cats on the pants and then it had one kitty cat on the shirt. Our Don't Break the Ice game went out with me and my mom always talks about hearing the tink tink tink of those ice cubes.

At what age did you become an adult?

I don't know, really. I guess I am an adult because I have all these kids? I know that when I go to parent/teacher conferences at the girls' preschool, i am looking around for my mom or dad, ha!