Friday, October 8, 2010

a few things you might not know about me

My dear bloggy friend, Dawn, is starting a new monthly series, Round about the Table. She plans for it to be interactive, so to kick off the first month she has invited her readers to answer three icebreaker questions.

  1. Do you prefer coffee or tea? Hot or cold? Sugar, cream, etc.?
  2. How did you meet your husband?
  3. What is your favorite subject to teach? Why?

Coffee or Tea?

I might lose some friends over this one. I'm not really a coffee or tea drinker. I usually only drink coffee when I can get a Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks (or a White Chocolate Mocha during the PSL off-season). I will sometimes get a coffee at church because my little Reformed congregation honors the old nickname "frozen chosen" by seemingly keeping the thermostat at 50 degrees.

I was born in and lived part of my childhood in Midwestern states, but then grew up in Texas. Thus, I am very familiar with the southern tradition of serving iced tea at every meal, but never could make myself like the stuff. And I never even tried hot tea until I was in my 30's. A couple of years ago I did start drinking herbal teas. I love Stash's Acai Berry herbal tea, but I'm usually too lazy to make it.


How did you meet your husband?

By the grace of God. Can we leave it at that? No? Um, okay. Well... you see...

Marc loves it when people ask us this question because he loves to see my face turn red.

The truth is...

like Dawn, we met while we were students at a Baptist university. And also like Dawn, I was a freshman and he was a senior. But I think that's where the similarities end. We definitely did not meet at the Baptist Student Union.

We met at a toga party.

There. I said it. On the internet. Yes, my face is redder than Bob the Tomato.

Now, before you delete me from your blogroll, let me explain. I like to describe those years as my undercover Christian years. Undercover Christian? I can't remember who first introduced me to the name. You know, it's when deep down a person really does believe, but you just wouldn't know it by their actions. I had only been a Christian a little more than a year, and when I went off to college I had every intention of being a good little Christian girl. But when I started hanging around with the good Christian crowd, I was very intimidated. They all had their Bibles memorized cover to cover, while I couldn't remember if Isaiah was in the New or Old Testament. Or did I even know there was a book named Isaiah? I didn't know any of the hymns or songs they sang. I couldn't pray like they could. So after the first semester I decided I just didn't fit in, and started hanging out with a different crowd. Apparently the kind of crowd that goes to toga parties.

Actually, I didn't want to go. But a girl from my dorm had a crush on a guy that was going to this party and she needed a friend to go with her. So I dressed up in my bed sheet, because I'm a good friend. But when we got to the party, she immediately took off to find her love interest and left me standing there all alone. In a toga. That was a little awkward.

But then I saw Marc. And he was really cute. Handsome cute, but I'm pretty sure I would never have used the word handsome back then. Sitting in a corner all by himself, he did not look very happy. Turned out, he had been dragged there and ditched by a friend too. I was too shy to go up and talk to him, but I found someone to introduce us. And then we talked. And talked. And talked.

We talked for hours. We talked about everything from the somewhat important -- we were both born in the Chicago -- and the not-so-important -- we both went to the same Washington D.C. program as high school students. But most of all, we talked about God. In fact, he completely grilled me to find out if there was substance behind the toga and big Texas hair. I just kept answering his questions as if I had been waiting for someone to ask. What he and I both found in each other was a young person struggling in their Christian walk, yet aware that they still belonged to God. And finally I felt like I wasn't alone in the world. And yet talking to Marc gave me a sense of hope too; not just that we were stuck in the same pit, but that we wouldn't be in the pit forever. It was exhilarating. It was love at first sight. Who knew?! God even works at toga parties!

We went on our first date and had our first kiss about a week later. Things were a little bumpy after that because of summer break, but by fall (he graduated in 4.5 years) we were completely in love. He moved to Chicago for his first job, and my monthly phone bills for the next couple of years were more than my monthly rent payments. I increased my course load so I could graduate a year early and get married. And the rest is history. Which brings me to questions #3.

For the record, I do not endorse toga parties, undercover Christianity, or exorbitant phone bills.


What is your favorite subject to teach?

History. I would be perfectly happy if we could just read historical fiction all day long. I'd even be happy with a boring history textbook.

Growing up, it was my favorite subject until I started taking government classes (my college major was political science). I was an avid daydreamer, and history always gave me plenty of daydreaming material. I still like to daydream, but what really excites me about history as a homeschooler is that I'm finally getting the big picture. Studying history chronologically makes such a big difference because it fills in all the gaps and connects all the dots of my own history education.

So, Dawn, I'm looking forward to your new forum. That is, if you'll let a iced tea-hating, (former) toga-wearing, daydreamer attend. I promise I will try to be good.

3 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for playing along! The only participant so far!! :)

    LOL! I had to read it to Michael, and he laughed, too. I was SO intimidated to go to the BSU for the 1st few weeks. I have a couple hysterical stories of my own on that topic, but I'll save them for the blog...we may have found another similarity.

    Now, about the iced tea...have you ever had true southern sweet tea? You haven't really had tea otherwise. :)

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  2. I'm laughing so hard. I had heard you all mention the toga story several years ago, but this gave the whole story. : )

    Ditto on the history answer!

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  3. Laughing out loud at God's creative measures! So funny... the things/occasions/people He'll use to change our lives! Very, very cool~

    And as for history--I'm with you! Studying it alongside my boys has made all the difference. The dot-connecting, the ah-ha moments... the things I never ever knew. I'm almost a bit embarassed at times at those things I never ever knew! Thankfully, I know them now (and I'm certain there'll be a lot more to add to that list in the months and years to come :) In the meantime, I'll continue to connect the dots and fill in the gaps... and marvel at God's hand through it all!

    Hope you have a splendid week... and enjoy this glorious season!!

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