RANDOM DOZEN

Betty, from A glimpse into midlife,  did that Random Dozen again
and I thought I would answer the questions as well.
Thanks Betty for the idea!

1. Please share one memory of your high school graduation. Pics would be great!
Well, folks, I hate to break it to you, but I didn’t graduate from high school. First of all, my folks didn’t encourage higher learning. What for? A girl just gets married and has children. Why would she need school for that? Then when I was in Grade 11, father had a major heart attack. I had just finished the school year and had to immediately find a job to support the family. Because I could type and spell very well, I got a job as transcriptionist in Medical Records at the Children’s Hospital where I already worked evenings and week-ends in the Dietary Department. What wonderful support I received from all the managers of the various departments! They saw the skills I had, and those that could still be developed, and encouraged me every step of the way! They took a chance on me, which became mutually beneficial! Not sure that these kinds of promotions still happen today! Opportunities to work my way up from there always showed up just in time! Now I'm convinced that God had a hand in everything! I will never forget the people who affected my life so beautifully!

2. What is one "emergency use" item you keep in your vehicle at all times?
I don’t think we have a blessed thing in our vehicle for emergency use – except a first aid kit and spare tire. Going to have to look into that!! Thanks for the question! I really like that they REQUIRE a triangle and a fire extinguisher in Paraguay!!!

3. In your region, do you celebrate graduation open houses? Addendum: (If so,) how many open houses/bridal showers/weddings are on your upcoming events calendar?
In recent years our churches are hosting graduation festivities. The grad events at the schools can really get out of hand as the booze flows freely and unsupervised and our Christian youth don’t wish to attend. Years ago, open houses/bridal showers/weddings fairly filled my social calendar, but in recent years nothing much happening in our group.  Missed an out-of-town open house last week-end because my dear mom is not well these days! 

4. Tell me one truth you believe about motherhood.
Motherhood was the training ground the Lord used to shape more of my character even while I was doing the rewarding job of parenting our two daughters and one son. It's amazing how wonderful they all turned out despite my shortcomings and weaknesses!

5. What was the last thing you broke?
My knee about 10 years ago! Oh, that’s not the answer you wanted? Haven’t broken anything around the house in years – or my memory is going bad. Recently hubby dropped a pyrex dish and it was next to impossible to pick up all the splinters! Horrible – the way that stuff shatters! I’m glad he didn’t have shards in his eyes! After what we thought was a meticulous clean up, we still found shards a week later!

6. On average, how many pieces of junk mail do you receive daily?
Flyers are once a week – a huge bundle; but every day there are at least 3-4 pieces of unsolicited mail, advertising something or other! On computer, I get 4-5 junk mail/week!

7. Do you like to shop by catalog?
No – I like to see and touch what I’m buying! Shopped by catalog when I was much younger, but was never satisfied with the quality when it arrived.Love looking at the pictures though and getting ideas!

8. Is lawn maintenance at your house a "his job," a "her job" or "his/her job" or "that's why we have teenagers" job?
Mowing the lawn was always hubby’s job – he didn’t trust his teenagers to do a job to meet with his expectations - and they were high!!  Besides, he enjoyed using those two power tools and for a scholar and professor,  he was surprisingly handy with them. (Oh, oh, I'm going to get it!)  The rest of the yard maintenance , i.e. vegetable and flower gardening, was totally my responsibility, that is until we sold the house and moved into an apartment 5 years ago.

9. Which room would you like to redecorate in your home?
Redecorate?  No room - mostly because we are renting.  But declutter?  Hubby’s office – yet I decided when we were first married that his desk and his office are not my domain and are off limits to me.  A man needs to have his own space somewhere!

10. Do you read a newspaper regularly, or do you read most of your news on line?
Our newspaper is quite pricey, considering there is hardly any good news in it, lol! Not a good bang for my buck! I get my news on TV, word of mouth from friends, around the coffee table at work or online!

11. Do you believe everything happens for a reason?
I don’t believe in luck or circumstances. I do believe that everything that happens to me, whether of my own wise or foolish choices or done to me by others, God uses those events/happenings, to bring about what is best for me, even if others meant it for evil.

12. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
It is my deepest prayer that I would always do the right thing – but I would also like to be doing it right not wrong. Definitely a dilemma, seeing as I’m not perfect!