Eight things you may not know about me!

1. I am addicted to physical contact (on my terms only). I love to hug, hold hands or link fingers (non-romantically), have my hair played with and put my head on peoples laps... again, this all has to be on my terms. There is just something about physical contact with another person... it makes me feel loved and safe. This was never something that happened in my house when I was growing up, and I think that because of that, I've got this missing piece that was never filled. In our house, physical affection was reserved for very young children.. and even then, was only during specific times (when ill, hurt, or sad). As a teenager, I was always the one hugging my Young Women group leaders and putting my head on their shoulders. I was very lucky in that they never seemed to mind. I've been lucky in that I can tell when the other person isn't a "physical" person... and I tend to monitor myself. As I've grown older, it becomes more and more difficult to fill this craving. Some people tend to get the wrong idea and connect with a romantic interest. It's also less appropriate in my life circles; it's not like I'm going to go hug my boss or my professors. The problem is, the need is still there. I've been very lucky though, because I have 1-2 people in my life who don't seem to look at is as weird, or something that is age-inappropriate. Too bad I don't see them very often.

2. I have been blessed with a very unique memory. I can remember very distinct details from the time that I was very young. I can tell you what I wore on my first day of nursery (18 months old), I can tell you who the "Santa's" were at the ward Christmas parties, I can not only tell you who all my teachers in elementary school (K-6) were, but I can also tell you who all the other teachers were in the school while I was there.... and what room numbers they were all in. I can tell you the names of all the girls in my brownie troop (1st grade), I can tell you the layout of my childhood (2nd grade) boyfriends house... including how the furniture was arranged. This memory has definitely had useful effects. I remember the names of all the people in my grandmothers old family photos, I remember things about my mom that my sisters were too young to remember, and I remember names/faces/phone numbers of people who have been in my life (even in very minuscule ways). Blessing... curse... you be the judge.

3. I tend to not look at age or "stage of life" when I have friendships. From the time I was really young... my parent's friends were my friends. I don't mean that I thought of them as friends, yet they looked at me as a kid. Rather that it was a mutual feeling. I have a clear memory of being about 6 years old, and taking my sister to a "play date" (before terms like that were used) at a member of our wards house. Their oldest daughter was my sisters age, and they had 2 other younger children. I wasn't really excited about the idea of playing with the "kids" so I went inside and spent the afternoon with their mom. She and I had a great conversation, and really enjoyed the company. She and I have become great friends over the years, and she often tells me that she never looked at me as a child... but as a peer. I've been told this many times over the years. Apparently I was a "very mature" kid. I think the greatest compliment I ever received was from my "peer's" mother who has known me since I was an infant. She told me that I never put labels on my friendships. I was friends with everyone, and respected everyone equally. I valued what my teachers and leaders told me, because I looked at them as friends, and knew that they were telling me things for my own good. I think that's one thing that kept me going to church. I listened to my leaders because they were my friends. I listened to my school teachers and respected them because they were my friends.

4. I have this thing with saying "I love you". I always end phone calls with my friends by saying it. I end emails with it. I end visits with it. I can never hear it enough from my friends, and I can never show my friends that I love them enough. I tend to get kinda "mushy" sometimes, and occasionally go overboard in saying it... but thats simply because I want to make sure that people know how I feel about them.

5. I spend a lot of time keeping in touch with people who move away. I tend to know the whereabouts of people who have long since moved out of town, or moved from our ward. I'm the type of person who will randomly send a Christmas card to someone who hasn't been in my life in 10 years, and reform that bond with them because of it. Along this same line, I'm also good at doing online searches to look for people. It's fun sending a card to the new home of someone who didn't think I knew their new address. I've kept friendships with teachers, classmates who may have only been in my class for one year, my mom's former visiting teachers, and former ward members this way. This is closely connected with my "memory" fact... because I remember things that people may have told me long ago that helps me to find them now and be able to keep that relationship active. I remember when my mom passed away and we were trying to get in touch with certain people from her past. I pulled out my "detective skills" to figure out how I could get in touch with people. One in particular comes to mind: a family who used to be in our ward. We hadn't seen them in years, and they had moved from the last address I had for them. I started thinking of all the connections I could use. I came up with one of my former young women girls, who's friends with their granddaughter. I also thought of my my friend who's sister used to be married to their son.... see, things like that. I love making connections like this.

6. I can't get enough of reading. I read everything. I can polish off a book in a day, and sometimes I really can't put them down and will stay up all night to finish. I love to read my friends blogs, news articles, magazines... you name it. I started when I was 3... and I've just been going non-stop for the past 27 years. Maybe that's one of the reasons I want to be a teacher... I want to teach kids to love reading in the same way that I do.

7. I cry myself to sleep several times a week. There are so many things that I want in my life (primarily a spouse and children)... that sometimes I just can't keep it all in. I also pray every night that it will happen in my life. I get so scared that I have missed any opportunities to meet someone and have a family, and that I'll end up completely alone!!! This is, by far, my biggest fear in life. Any and all "set-ups" are welcomed.

8. I check all my friends blogs once a day. I sometimes look at my own life as incredibly boring (school, homework, graduate school, volunteering), and I love to read what other people my age are doing. I guess I kind of live vicariously through you guys... so keep writing!