Unicorns and Fairy Tales

Is it strange that I am more nervous about raising a little girl than I was about possibly raising a little boy? Sure, now I’ve got ribbons and glitter that I get to play with, but I remember growing up. I remember my mother’s curse. I don’t think I can raise me. I mean, I know Julia (that’s the name we’ve picked for her) will not be me; she’ll be her own person, but still. I remember growing up. I remember being a teenager.

Essentially, all the little girl stuff, I’m good with. It’s all the young woman, growing up thing that freaks me out.

Well, I’ve got a little over four months before she’s here, and I’ve got twelve years and 364 days after that before she becomes a teenager.

Little Miss Julia,
I have one wish for you, and—it’s not that you’re happy, though I want that for you, too—it’s something you can do for yourself. I have one wish for you: be kind. Of course I want you to be successful; of course I want you to be happy, but more than anything in this world, I want you to be kind.

 

I can do that, right? I can raise a kind child. I can. I will. Jake and I will.

Days 22, 23, 24 & 25

22.Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years? 15 years?

In 5 years? We'll hopefully have real jobs and a kid or two. 10 years? Add a few more kids and some soccer practice. 15 years? Do I really have to think that far ahead? 

23. List your top 5 hobbies and why you love them.

1. Reading: I don't have money to travel, and, unfortunately, I don't own a magic carpet either, but with books, neither of these things matter. Want to travel to India? There's a book for that (a bunch of them). Want to hang out under the ocean? There's a book for that, too. Want an adventure in a dystopian society? There are many books for that. I can go anywhere, do anything, and meet anyone I want to all by opening up a book. 
2. Writing: This is just as fun as reading, but I get to create the world and characters. Sometimes it's frustrating because I want to just know what happens, but I only learn things as some of the characters do, but I guess I shouldn't be that frustrated. I mean, that's how life is. 
3. Sleeping: Yes, it's a hobby. It's how my cat and I bond. :) 
4. Surfing: I miss this so much. Riding a wave feels like flying. There's just something about the sun beating down on you while you paddle out for another wave that is beyond description. It's seriously in those moments when you find yourself thinking, "It can't possibly get any better than this," and then you catch a wave, and it does. 
5. Knitting: I like watching Murder, She Wrote and knitting. I'm preparing for the day I become a little old lady while simultaneously making cute hats and scarves. 

24. Describe your family dynamic from your childhood vs. now.

I think in some ways it's stayed the same, and in other ways, it's changed drastically. As to specifics though, I don't think I can really name anything off the top of my head. 

25. If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be and what would you eat?

I think I'd go to a prearranged dinner: The Last Supper. I would have liked to be there. 

Day 21

21. If you could have one superpower, what would it be and what would you do with is first?

This is one that I have a hard time with because there are 4 superpowers that I want:

1. To be able to be invisible: I'm creepy, and I like to people watch. It'd be nice to be able to people watch without people knowing I'm watching (creepy, right?).
2. To be able to fly: I know  this is pretty typical, but I have a ton of flying dreams. I think I'd love it. 
3. To be able to speak/read and understand any language: Could you imagine the possibilities? I don't need access to every single language all the time; I just want to be able to speak, read, and understand any language I'm confronted with. 
4. To be a witch: This isn't technically a superpower, but it also kind of is.

3 days in one: 18, 19, & 20

18. What has been the most difficult thing you have had to forgive?

This will sound petty and lame, but my hardest moment of forgiveness was when I had to forgive my parents for sending my sister on an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe. I was pissed. I don't hold grudges, but I held that one for quite a while. 

 
19. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?

New England...or Old England ;) I'm not picky. (This is mostly because I've always wanted to live in England, and I totally fell in love with the UK while we were there for a brief week; however, I could probably live in New England because it looks like old England, but we'd still be in the states, which means we could get a retirement plan.) 

 
20. Describe 3 significant memories from your childhood.

(These are just the first 3 that popped into my head)

1. When I was a kid in Hawaii, we had a macadamia nut tree in our yard. We used to climb it and pick the ripe nuts (or walk around under the tree and find the freshly-fallen nuts), and we'd get my dad's hammer and put the nuts in the cracks in the sidewalk. (Have you ever tried to crack a nut with a hammer? Nuts are round....they just roll away, hence the sidewalk cracks.) We'd crack the nuts with a hammer and pick out the bits of nut from the cracked shell and eat them. 

2.  When I lived in San Pedro, California, my best bud, Nikki, and I made up a dance for "That Don't Impress Me Much" by Shania Twain. I think I still remember some dance moves. :)

3. I also remember trying to save a little bird with Nikki. We named the bird Hopscotch, and when he died, we buried him on top of the hill, so he'd have a view of the ocean.

Day 16 & 17

16. What are 5 of your greatest accomplishments?

My five greatest accomplishments?

1. Writing two books of my five-book series.
2. Saving someone's life (I was a life guard...I saved a lot of lives...mostly the same little kid over and over again....)

3. Staying in touch with some of my best friends even though we are many miles apart (plus you add in all the moves. Seriously, it's impressive we still have each other).

4. Reading. I think reading is always an accomplishment (and I'm running out of things here).

5. My Franken-blanket. It took me almost three years to finish, but finish I did. :)

 
17. What is the thing you most wish you were great at?

There are two things: singing and finding cheap flights. 

Day 15

15.If you were an animal, what would you be and why?

Seriously? This is the easiest thing to answer: I'd be a cat, so I could lounge around and sleep all day, and no one would judge me....or if they did, it wouldn't matter because I would be a cat. Cats don't care. 

Day Numero 14

14. Describe 5 of your strengths.

1. Compassion: I'm compassionate, I think. Sometimes to a fault. I have what my mom used to call "a soft heart." 
2. Writing: this is something that, while I have had to work on, has always come pretty easy to me. 
3. Imagination: You can be a good writer, but if you don't have a good imagination, you can't be a good story-teller. Lucky me, I got both! :) 
4. Knitting: My mom calls me a spider.

Feel free to add. I can't think of anything else.