Groups of Eight - More about me

Lisa, I know you didn't ask directly, but I felt the pressure. Okay, I'll do it.
Seriously, I really like taking on these "meme" challenges and coming up with a few more details about the person I am - and the one I hope to be someday...

8 Things I'm Passionate About =

1. Deepening my friendships
2. Growing in my faith
3. Travel
4. Downsizing in many areas of my life
5. Spending time with my children
6. Strengthening my marriage
7. Learning
8. Journaling

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die =

1. Publish a book of my musings
2. Live in Europe with my husband and children
3. Live in a cottage-style house
4. Learn to speak Italian fluently
5. Take a class on art history and appreciation
6. Teach a college or graduate level course
7. Become a better photographer
8. Get paid to do any of the above

8 Things I Say Often =

1. Indeed
2. Exactly, exactly
3. It ain't perfect, but it's definitely better
4. Lord, have mercy.
5. Thanks be to God.
6. Did you brush, floss, peep, and Act? (That's how I ask my children if they took care of their teeth and bodily needs before bed. Act is a mouthwash they use.)
7. No one asked me for my opinion.
8. And they're off like a herd of turtles. (I say this when we finally get out of the house and head out to do whatever we have to do.)

8 Books I've Read Recently =

1. Speaking of Faith
2. The Myth of a Christian Nation (not finished it yet)
3. Searching for God Knows What
4. Thirst
5. Forty Days to a Closer Walk with God
6. Eat, Pray, Love
7. Through Painted Deserts
8. Sanctuary

8 Songs I Could Sing or Listen to Over and Over =

1. Your Smiling Face - James Taylor
2. Vamos Pa'lante - Contagious
3. Waiting for you to Turn me On (Norah Jones' version)
4. Smooth - Santana
5. Great is Thy Faithfulness - Selah
6. Waiting for Love to be Born - Rob Mathes
7. Moonlight Sonata
8. Pachelbel's Canon

8 Things that Attract Me to My Best Friends =

1. Intelligent humor
2. Love of life
3. Vulnerability
4. Honesty
5. Lack of a complaining spirit
6. They like to eat
7. Willing to listen to my tales
8. Adventurous

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A few categories of my own:

Eight people I wish I could meet and have dinner with

1. Andy Garcia
2. Oprah Winfrey
3. Beth Moore
4. Anne Lamott
5. Elizabeth Gilbert
6. Andrea Lee
7. Barack Obama
8. Leonie Allan

Eight places I want to go back to sometime soon
1. Puerto Rico
2. Costa Rica
3. London
4. Rome
5. Boston
6. Madrid
7. Florence
8. Gibbs' lake house

Eight foods I liked as a child - but not anymore
1. Liver and onions
2. liverwurst
3. Funyun's onion rings
4. cotton candy
5. graham crackers
6. Ritz crackers
7. taffy
8. strawberry ice cream

Eight things or people I think about every day
1. the drought
2. my children's health and well-being
3. all the books I am in the middle of reading
4. my friend, Antonio
5. the classes I am teaching, have taught, and am preparing to teach
6. when I will get to see my dear friend/friends again
7. what would happen to Steve and the kids if something happened to me
8. what would happen to me and the kids if something happened to Steve

Eight things/people I am grateful for tonight
1. Steve and the kids
2. my niece, Lizzie, who is here visiting us this week
3. my new friend, Lisa
4. the many friends that I have known for years and continue to cherish (too many to name - and that's a great problem to have)
5. this awesome house we live in
6. our health
7. laughter
8. the Great Harvest Bread Company: their turtle bars, cinnamon rolls, honey whole wheat bread, savannah bars, and all the other goodies
8b. lots of exercise videos and tapes that I can use to combat the side (and back and butt) effects of #8.