33 Memories for 33 Years: Part 1

Just last week I turned 33. It seems impossible that I am already in my mid-30s, as I feel as young as I ever have, but the fact remains I am. This year was a fantastic one for me, one of my best friends from college surprised me by showing up at my house at 11 pm for a week long visit! I also had plans for a slumber party, joint birthday with my cousin (& bestie from forever:) and a posse of our friends, kid free! In celebration of my 33 years, I've decided to share 33 memories with you. Now, these are not from each year of my life (I hope that would be obvious:) nor is it likely I'll be running them in chronological order, please I am just not that organized :). There are good ones, sad ones, funny ones, etc... literary snapshots from my life thus far. Here are the first 20...turns out 33 is a lot to list all at once. Didn't want to take all of your time :)

1.)The day I asked Jesus into my heart. I think I was about five. I know I was young because my memory of this event is distorted, it must be how I felt, rather than what actually happened. In my memory only my mom & the pastor are in the church, the rest of the pews empty, as I am the second of four children the odds this is how it was are slim :). It doesn't really matter anyway, I know that I felt the presence of God and fully understood what I was asking and my life has been forever guided by that decision. 

2.) Watching "Star Wars" up on "the farm" (Pitchfork Ranch, Palmer) with my cousins. My aunt would let us go to the "grab what you want" candy bins at our local grocery and take us back up to sit, watch & eat to our hearts content (she must have been nuts haha). 

3.) Getting bit in the bootie by Fancy, my cousin's horse, also on the farm. I was just sitting on the fence, minding my own business, talking to Tommy (cousin, not his horse though:) when YEEOWW! I launched off that fence and half ran/half hobbled into the house, screaming like a banshee I am sure. It hurt for days, that was one gnarly bruise. To this day I am still not certain what possessed her. 

4.) Falling off the punching bag we used to swing on (yes I said swing on:) in the basement of our home. I was the unfortunate one who climbed aboard last, and the screw that had already come lose finally gave way and I dropped to the floor, punching bag on my stomach. That hurt a lot too HA!

5.) Playing "Smurfs" with my best friend Samantha, we would break sticks into tiny pieces use them as smurfs, and play in mushroom patches for hours. 

6.) My joint slumber party with Sarah (my cousin mentioned above, we have lots of parties together:), where we gals got ourselves so scared the slightest sound outside caused us to pile up in the entry way  in an attempt to all get inside, forcing the doorknob right through the wall. Whoops!
7.) Being in Denali Park, walking out on a trail with my cousins Sarah & Kimberly when the people at the buses above us yelled "you girls better get up here, there's a BEAR!". I looked over just in time to see the sow and her cubs racing down the ravine to our right headed STRAIGHT for us. My poor cousin from West Virginia (Kimberly) was freaking out, while Sarah tried to keep us calm. Needless to say, we survived, but I think that's the closest I've come to wetting my pants HA!
8.) Dancing in the kitchen with my daddy (yes, my daddy) many many times growing up and how he would sing "How Much is that Doggie in the Window" while getting ready for church.

9.) Every wonderful, loud, musical and joyous family holiday when I was growing up. We don't have them nearly as much anymore, we have gotten SO big, and it's not quite the same when you are the one doing all the work ;-) but they encompass many of my very favorite moments growing up. We kids would eat until we felt like popping, lay around until we had some room, gorge on desserts and egg nog and wait some more :). One of my favorites was (again:) up on the farm, my uncle made up new lyrics to "Up on the Housetop" and we all laughed and laughed. I can still remember the words...

10.) My first few weeks in a new high school, somewhere I did not want to be. I felt so outcast as many of the students had known each other for ages, not to mention I had made a vow to myself not to make friends (you know, in protest for being there at all). I'll never forget my locker neighbor and his persistence in befriending me, which led to more friendships and complete obliteration of my vow to remain friendless. In the end, I loved Kenai and have friendships still from that time. 

11.) Making All-Northwest honor choir my senior year of high school and getting to spend time in Seattle, I'd never been!

12.) Speaking of choir, how about every moment when you are a part of an ensemble and everyone is singing just right...the sound is incredible. I miss that.

13.) The day I was pulled out of English class to be told my dad was coming to get me because my grandfather had just passed away. It was not unexpected, as he had fallen ill a few months earlier, but it was still hard. I love my grandpa and still miss him.
14.) Senior graduation, getting to sing with Kenya, rocking out to Mary Pain..Payne (can't remember the spelling, sorry guys, I can still sing the songs:), the rec center after. Such a fun night!

15.) Spending my first night away from home in a new state, totally terrified about being on my own. Thankfully, my cousin Tommy and I attended the same college, he was less freaked (or at least appeared to be) than I. He was sweet enough to forgo going out with the friend he knew (who's house we were staying at the first night) and stay in with me, assuring me it would all be fine. 

16.) The day a small quiet girl from choir class came over and introduced herself as Julia, 30 seconds later becoming my best friend & constant companion in college... (it *might* have been slightly longer than that, but not much:).
17.) Swing dancing with Tommy during college dances. Or the time he rescued me from some guy that wouldn't stop trying to bump and grind me by dancing in between us and dragging me away.
18.) A night at the drive in with friends, including this guy David I had gotten to know a little over the recent months and my sudden awareness that I liked sitting next to him (& secretly hoped he would reach for my hand:). Later he walked with me during my assigned leg of the Relay for Life, we were supposed to walk an hour (from 1-2am), I think we walked four :).
19.) My first night back for my sophomore year of college and Julia, who was supposed to be away with YWAM turned up to surprise me AND ask if I could be in her WEDDING!
20.) Julia's wedding day and the little ring bearer farting...I did NOT think I was going to maintain my composure in front of the whole church. 

 STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT 13 !....PS. Turns out they were mostly in chronological order HA