25 Random Facts About Me

I keep getting tagged for these things on Facebook, so I figured I might as well get it over with already...so here they are, 25 completely random things that you may or may not know about me...it's a dream come true!!


1. I left a HUGE chunk of my heart in Africa when I was there, and so far I don't see any sign of ever getting it back. :-) The sight of beautiful African children still makes me cry. Someday I will adopt a precious orphan.

2. I'm terrified of mice...in fact, the very thought of them makes me instantly break out into hives.

3. I still miss my grandpa, even though it's been over ten years since he died. Sometimes I can still hear his laugh, though, and see the pride in his eyes when he talked about us, his grandchildren. I'll never forget all the times he'd beg me to sit down at the piano and play him some old hymns...then he'd stand behind me with his hand on my shoulder and sing along. "You were one of my favorites" is the last thing he ever said to me.

4. Going to Bible school in Austria and travelling across Europe in the fall of 1999 was the first time I remember feeling really, truly ALIVE. Something changed inside me that year, and I discovered a passion for travelling and experiencing other cultures that is now a huge part of who I am.

5. Public speaking ranks right up there next to mice on my list of all-time greatest fears...so it's funny that the only trophies I've ever won have been for 4-H public speak-offs...I can still see the admiration in the judge's eyes the year I stepped up to the podium to deliver my spell-binding opening line..."Elephants are tall, thick-skinned animals, with long powerful trunks..." :-)

6. I love decorating and one of my favorite pastimes is collecting ridiculous amounts of artwork and stuff for my house (mostly Europe-themed, of course!)

7. My most successful romantic relationships all took place in elementary. :-)

8. I'm a country girl and proud of it!

9. I was once involved in a high-speed police chase and for a few glorious days became a household name among the police force of Dawson Creek.

10. I have a ridiculously hard time dealing with change, especially in my family. Sometimes I still ache for the good old days when we all lived together on the farm, picking rocks, performing The Bible Tells Me So Show on the combine, swimming in the dugout, laughing, fighting, sneakily watching "forbidden" TV shows whenever mom and dad finally left the house (a.k.a. anything not news or sports-related!) Most days I'd rather hang onto the way things were than move forward into the future.

11. Loving my nieces and nephews and being the "favorite aunt" is probably the most rewarding thing in my life right now. There's nothing better!

12. My life is starved for adventure since I moved to the big city. Back in Dawson we were out quadding and mud bogging and camping and playing some sort of competitive sport every weekend. Now I spend my free time in coffee shops and movie theatres and shopping malls, which means my redneck, country side never gets a chance to break free. Yes, it's tough. ;-)

13. I have a huge weakness for Australian accents. I once kept a telemarketer on the line for a good half hour just because the mere sound of his voice made me weak in the knees. :-)

14. I hate birds...they creep me out big time. Plus I'm still haunted by that time I was driving home from College and Careers in Rolla and I drove over an entire flock of baby ducks crossing the highway. I can still hear that series of loud thunks followed by feathers everywhere as I closed my eyes and screamed "I'm a murderer!" Not a pretty scene!

15. I love books...bookstores (especially ones with coffee shops!) are my weakness. I'd be happy to buy every book in sight, whether or not I ever get around to reading them...there's just something about being in their presence that makes me happy.

16. I'm extremely competitive...blame it on the Funk genes. :-) For the most part I don't see any point of playing a game haphazardly...whether it's Rook, Dutch Blitz, soccer, hockey, or Spoons...you gotta at least TRY to win!!

17. I detest making small talk. Put me in a room full of people mingling and chatting about nothing in particular and I'll hate every minute of it (although I'll keep a smile plastered on my face, of course!) But give me a good friend and a cup of tea and some music playing in the background, and I'll happily listen to any deep dark secrets you want to share and we can talk for hours.

18. I've been a bridesmaid seven times...and shockingly enough, some of the dresses actually WERE semi-attractive!

19. I'm a kid at heart, and am still strangely passionate about Lego and playing in the sandbox, even after all these years. There's something super therapeutic about it.

20. I love history and politics and current events, but never feel smart enough or informed enough to carry on a decent conversation about them...so for the most part I don't!

21. Manual labour makes me happy. :-) Accounting and business are what has paid the bills for the last ten years...but if I could make a living mowing lawns, being a carpenter, cleaning, organizing, cooking, and hauling around heavy stuff, I'd be set!

22. Family is the most important thing in the world to me. I can't wait to have one of my own, but until then, I love to love my amazing sisters and brother and parents and nieces and nephews!

23. I still have to stand during the national anthem whenever I'm watching a hockey game or the Olympics...it's something mom made us do when we were kids, and I can't shake the habit!!

24. I'd be happy to leave my comfortable life in North America behind forever to go live and work with people overseas who have nothing and are crying out for someone to just love them. That's my dream, and even though I can't for the life of me figure out how it's all going to happen yet, I'm pretty sure a big part of my future will unfold across the ocean.

25. I love country music, pop, classical, worship, and everything in between...but if you really want to touch my soul, play me some southern gospel. The four-part harmonies, the timeless melodies, the simple but powerful truth in the words...it's woven into the very fabric of who I am, thanks to my Mennonite heritage! And I love, love, love it when we get together as a family, aunt, uncles, cousins, and break out into song...it's the music of heaven!