7 things about me...

A few days ago, Amanda over at 5 miles 2 empty tagged me in the “7 things about you” blog. I’ve thought about it off and on the past few days trying to come up with seven interesting, little known facts about myself. It’s harder than I thought! Not sure if I hit the mark, but this is what I came up with…

1. I have travelled internationally quite a bit over the past 13 years. Places I’ve visited include South Africa/Zimbabwe/Zambia, Singapore/Thailand/Malaysia, Italy/Germany/Belgium, England/France, and Australia. It was a combination of work, play, leadership studies, etc… that took me to all of these places. I am blessed to say I have white water rafted the amazing Zambezi River, snow skied the Swiss Alps, rode an elephant in Thailand, ate Belgium chocolate right in the candy maker’s shop, and chased wild bulls in the Australian outback. These are just a few of the cherished memories that I will always have of my traveling days!
   
2. Related to #1, I worked on an Australian ranch for nine months right after grad school. While there, I was thrown from a horse which resulted in a broken leg/shattered ankle and an hour ride to a small town so I could be flown out to a bigger city for the first of three eventual surgeries. Not many tourists get that experience but I made the most of it and continued to travel in a cast for the rest of my stay.
   
3. I have a Master of Science degree in Reproductive Physiology of Beef Cattle. That means I know a lot about the birds and the bees in livestock and my kids are way too well versed on the subject. They will tell ANYBODY about artificially inseminating a cow or semen testing a bull so don’t ask unless you are prepared to listen with a straight face.
   
4. I was born and raised in Indiana. I miss the basketball/Hoosier Hysteria, the trees and the “easy to grow” beautiful landscape, the sledding in winter, and my family and friends. I left right after college graduation and have been living out west ever since.
   
5. In high school, I lettered in basketball and softball. The only time I ran track was in junior high and was part of a school record setting relay team. I didn’t really even like to run so I have no idea why my recent love of running came to be. The thought of running even a mile 20 years ago was dreadful. Not it’s dreadful to NOT be able to run more than a mile!
   
6. I love to bake! Everything from cookies and brownies to breads and pies… this is possibly because my mom and Grandma L are the best bakers in the whole entire world. Unfortunately, I also love to eat it. I like to experiment with healthier versions of things but sometimes a good old fashioned recipe with sticks of butter and cups of cream is just too hard to pass!
   
7. I hate cancer. Not sure why or how this has affected my so deeply but I am passionate about raising money, supporting survivors, and serving on the Relay for Life Committee in our area. I think it is from seeing all the sadness, suffering, and broken lives left behind in its path of destruction. I’ve seen friends lose their mom, young children lose their dad, wives lose husbands, parents lose a child… and it breaks my heart every time. There isn’t a week that goes by at church that there isn’t a new name on the prayer list for a cancer diagnosis. I hope and pray that we see a cure for cancer in my lifetime!!!

So there you have it… 7 things about me you may or may not have already known. If you haven’t already done this, consider yourself tagged. It is a thought provoking exercise that encourages a little down time for reflection (which is always a plus in my book!)