(nerd alert) I'm being interviewed

I'm all giddy and snorty and excited, like the nerd I am.

Jen from Stay-at-Home Motherdom, issued an invitation to interview her readers. Like any self-absorbed mommy-blogger, I jumped up and down and said "memememememe!!!!"

So, she dropped in here and read some of my posts (bless her heart) and crafted some questions just. for. me.

blush

rolling eyes at my extreme dorkiness

ahem, composing myself as best I can

...

...

1) From whom do you think your son inherits his "animal smell"? (edit: it's my daughter that talked about her animal smell, but my son totally stinks too.)

Stinkerbell is a serious lover of animals. Her favorites are dogs, cats, horses, puppies, kittens, ponies, unicorns - there's a pattern here, I think. anyhoo. I can't even think of some stupidly funny way to explain her animal smell on this. To be frank and blunt, she farts and it stinks. But you already guessed that. Her diet consists of the healthiest, most organic and natural hotdogs and easy-mac available at my local W-M. Plus fish sticks, carrots, Ranch salad dressing and chocolate chip cookies. The combination of these bond chemically to produce an odor like a dead-animal soaked in sulfur water. Her obsession with all things Animal Planet has taught her an amazing amount of facts about her friends from the animal kingdom. It was during an AP marathon that she dreamed up her explanation of her farts being her way of protecting her from the big, mean animals that want to eat her. I must admit that I think it would totally work. Totally.

2) Who is the person who inspired you most in life? (other than a family member)

This one is surprisingly hard. Part of the difficulty comes from the 6 y-o sitting beside me singing, very loudly, "Home on the Range" - with the addition of her own lyrics too! I think I'll just list my answers to this one...

Shania Twain - she was so poor growing up she ate mustard sandwiches.

Celine Dion - her voice is what I consider a true gift from God, a reward to her parents for not aborting her.

Penny P - my friend who is mother to Ryan, the Down Syndrome boy I crush on. She is so down-to-earth and cool. I admire her dedication to her son and her non-DS daughter and her determination to make his life normal and treat both her children equally.

Rachel - she rocks. Her devotion to her husband during his extended unemployment teaches me true commitment and love. Their marriage is solid when others would suffer or end. She just plain rocks.

Beverly - although she is an in-law and that is family (in some states), she still inspires me.

Then of course, there's my main inspiration - Jesus. There's a whole book about Him and why I'm inspired.

3) What is the one thing on earth you wish you could afford but cannot?

Right now, we have everything we need. God has provided for our family - and then some. We don't have everything we want though. And that's ok.

I suppose I have to answer this way though. I wish I could buy the cutest clothes and shoes for my kids without the self-inflicted guilt-trip over the cost. (I gag at spending more than $25 on a pair of shoes for a kid who will outgrow them in 3 months! or $20 on jeans that she'll wear holes in the knees in 4 wearings!) I wish I could pay someone to clean my house every week. I wish I could pay for every dance class and music lesson and voice lesson Stinkerbell dreams of taking. I wish I could go on vacations to wherever I want. I wish I could visit Rachel and help her with her new baby coming ANY! DAY! NOW!

I wish I could pay someone to clean up my kitchen constantly.

4) Have you ever known an alcoholic and what was your impression of him/her? Was he/she in recovery?

Alcoholic? No. Narcotics? Yes. A dear friend (whose sons are our Godsons) celebrated her 7th year clean on April 15. She used codeine and similar rx meds. Her admission to rehab was terrifying and painful (physically and emotionally). She was in the hospital over Easter and observed her son's Easter basket via the hospital's lobbycam. She left the hospital and attended her NA meetings without hesitation. She earned her poker chips and regained trust from her husband and family. She made her amends and began life clean and sober.

Seven years ago, she earned my RESPECT.

5) Describe a situation where you saw God at work. How did it change your life?

Two years ago in February, The Mighty Hunter left his job as a claims adjuster for a major insurance company. He had great benefits and job security. He was very good at his job. He was also world-class miserable. (No one likes claims adjusters.) We had prayed and looked for years for a different job for him. His background with home-owners insurance policies and construction made several fileds appealing. But none were right. When the opportunity to sell windows and doors was presented, it felt good and promised a comparable (if not greater) income. We prayed. A lot. A Whole Lot. Leaving that big company, while very appealing, was very frightening.

Long story long - He worked for that sales company for 5 months before leaving it to start his own company doing the same thing - but doing it the right way. July 2007 will be 2 years since this second BIG STEP in faith and feeling God patting us on the head all the way. Our company now represents 4 window manufacturers, plus numerous door, roofing, decking, accessories lines. Monthly sales are unbelievably good. Profitability is sound. We employ 15+ people plus 12 sales reps - and take a great deal of pleasure in being able to provide them a good place to work with decent salaries.

Through our steps in faith, God is blessing us and those around us. It is exciting, but especially humbling, to be a part of that.

When friends ask how the business is going, I do my level best to say that God has been very generous. Saying He's been good is obvious, because He's always good. Sometimes He blesses us in ways that exceed our expectations and Wildest Dreams.

I can't wait to see what He has planned for us next year.