Merry Christmas!

Whew! I feel like this past week has been a whirlwind! I am actually struggling to keep my eyes open as I type this. I had a wonderful Christmas and learned a lot about myself during the past few days. Before I share, I just wanted to say that I personally feel that you learn the most about yourself during the most stressful times. Anyone can be kind when it is easy to do so. Being kind and hospitable when you are running on four to six hours of sleep isn't very easy to do.



Things I know about myself now and may or may not wish to change:

1. I am a perfectionist. It doesn't matter if you think it doesn't have to be perfect, I do and I probably won't be content and able to relax until it is.

2. I need at least 7-8 hours of sleep at night.

3. I am an early bird, not a night owl.

4. Once I am asleep, please do not wake me unless you are a small child, or a bleeding, sick or injured adult. A family emergency/crisis/ national-local crisis is OK. Surprise birthday parties for JD at 3am with air horns, fire and silly string are not. I am not in college anymore and this is no longer fun and enjoyable to me.

5. When I am hosting an event at my house and you ask me what you can bring, please stick to your assigned item. For instance, when you are assigned "bacon", I really appreciate you wanting to help and bring more food, but bringing a waffle maker and mix and needing space to prepare them while I am already trying to get everything ready is not nice.

6. When you are assigned "bacon", I meant cooked bacon. As in bacon that you prepared at your house and brought to mine. It's not like you don't live on the compound as well. :-) Not 4lbs of raw bacon that you end up cooking in my garage on a George Foreman grill.

7. Yes, I shower twice a day. They are quick showers of about 3-4 minutes each. That is less time total than most people's daily ten minute shower. Please don't tell me that I am wasting water and killing our beautiful earth.

8. I enjoy both showering and using the bathroom without an audience. This also means that I prefer for you to use the restroom and shower without me being in the same room with you talking to you to keep you company. Just because we did everything together when we were little girls , does not mean that I enjoy the same behavior at 28.

9. I love my family dearly. They are loving, kind, generous and very funny. I wouldn't be who I am today without them. Thank you for loving me for the obsessed, controlling, neat freak that I am.