Saturday, January 24, 2009

26 Things

We've been playing this game over at Facebook and I know some of my blogging friends have been posting their list on their blogs. So here's my list.

1. I'm married to Alex (15 years this June) and we've been together 18 1/2 years and we're still totally in-love with each other.

2. I am the mother to two amazing children, Adam 9 and Olivia, almost 12 and I feel like I've always known them and that every second of my life was bringing me one step closer to having them.

3. I wasn't born in Maine. I was born in Dayton, OH but moved to Maine when I was three with my hippie parents in their red VW bus where we landed in Blue Hill without a plan but many pipe dreams.

4. I've lived in some really amazing houses as a kid, when my parents rented homes from summer people in Castine and Blue Hill, including an estate on an ocean cliff and The Manor Inn before it had been restored to an inn.

5. I also lived in a Chevy Impala with my mother and sister for weeks at a time when we would be dragged from Ohio to Maine and back and all stops between many times by our mother (after the divorce).

6. When I was 12, my sister and I almost drowned off of Ocean Park, along with another boy, who's father did drown trying to save him. I swam to shore on my own and my parents were able to get to my sister.

7. When I was almost 11, my appendix burst, but only after I was ill for four weeks, when I lost a ton of weight, couldn't eat and I was bent over completely by pain. I was in the hospital for a week and had to go back a month later to have the actual appendix removed. The side benefit was that I didn't have to do the 5th grade science fair that year.

8. I found out my father is gay when I was 10 and even though it was the 80s and people were so ignorant, it never bothered me.

9. I'm synesthesic. I see all my numbers and letters in color and music in color. I also have dyscalculia. This was not diagnosed until I was in college, however, and combined with my synesthesia, school was hell, for me, most of the time. I excelled in writing, art, history and social sciences, however.

10. Along with my husband, we unschool. We believe that as parents, we are the facilitators to our children's learning and that the world is the classroom. We know that children want to learn and we trust that innate need in our children. We know that they are learning by observing our children, so it's an empirical process for us. I am the at-home parent. I am not a saint. I am not particularly patient. We are not rich. I am intelligent, but I do not have a teaching degree (though Alex does.) I do love and trust my children.

11. When I look at my husband, my belly does a flip-flop like I'm in a fast elevator.

12. My one big phobia is gephyrophobia--fear of bridges. I have always had this. I dream about bridges, big scary, towering gray and green ones. I try very hard to cope with this fear, by learning about bridges, traveling over them, and taking pictures of bridges.

13. When my daughter was born and I was finally able to push her long fishy Pisces body out of me, she was laid on my chest and she looked right at me with these huge blue eyes. I noticed her long fingers and reddish hair right away, as well as her long, floppy feet. I enjoyed every minute of labor and birth with her and it was an amazing experience becoming a mother for the first time.

14. As I labored a long time with Adam in the birth pool, where he would be born in the warm water, I had an image of a baby on a backhoe. I grunted and groaned and felt I was made of earth, heaving my Taurus son out of me. He was calm and perfect and we loved him instantly.

15. I draw and paint and sew. Not as much as I used to, but this doesn't worry me. There are seasons to my life and slowly I am finding and making room for my art. I feel I've never lost my creativtiy as being a mother requires that of me every single moment.

16. I began this blog with my husband last year. It's an idea I kicked around for awhile, but finally made the leap and it's been great.

17. Since joining Flickr, I've taken so many more photographs, have really learned my digital camera, I've met great people and I've really been able to get creative in my photography and feel my skill improving.

18. I made myself learn to bake bread last year and now I bake all our family's bread.

19. I love taking care of my family and home. Because I didn't always have a home for keeps as a child, making a warm, creative and loving home for my family is so important to me.

20. I grew up singing. I've always been in choirs. I learn by ear. I'm in a choir now, along with the rest of my family. I love music and have eclectic taste.

21. I love to garden. I always think I can find room for one more plant or tree.

22. I have good friends that I love.

23. I love to throw a party and feed people and find ways to make things pretty and fun and sensual.

24. I love sex. I really, really do.

25. I cry every time I watch "It's A Wonderful Life", my favorite movie.

26. I need all four seasons and crave the change and vitality that each season brings.

What 26 random things about you would you share?

7 comments:

  1. Wow! Thanks for sharing this with us. I've learned so much about you. We have the same favorite movie. I watch it every year and cry every time:)

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  2. It's nice getting to know you better :0) Did there happen to be a bridge near Ocean Park? Hmmm I will have to think up my own list soon..

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  3. Anet--probably TMI, right? I still say that one of the sexiest scene in old Hollywood is the telephone scene between George and Mary.

    Shona, bridge near Ocean Park? Not unless you mean the tiny covered green bridge in the woods--not enough to scare me.

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  4. metaphorical bridge then. I love dreams don't get me started! Your self-portrait pics are really pretty btw.

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  5. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your blog! I am considering unschooling and it is inspiring to read about someone else is doing it and raising healthy, growing, creative children in the process! :)

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  6. beautiful new self-portrait photo!

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  7. Thanks so much, Erin!

    hey, thanks, Annette.

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