My "premiere" posting

In the spirit of trying to stay in touch with those I care deeply about (here's a shout out to Minnesotans) and in an effort to actually begin writing more (New Year's Resolution for every year since I learned how to write), I am starting my own blog page. I am now a Blogarooni. Blogster. Blogmeister. Blogarino.

I don't know if my life qualifies as interesting enough to be a blogger, but then again, I also think my life is so complicated that it is amazing I am not admitted into the North Oaks Psychiatric Hospital. I just made that up, but if I WERE to be admitted, here is a list of reasons why, and I am just going to lay it all out there right away:

1) I grew up with a highly dysfunctional family--controlling mother, abusive father, lack of nurturing all around.

2) My best friend's Mom stabbed her to death and then killed her sister. This was my initiation into the wide world of grieving. Heavy abandonment issues stem from this.

3) I ran away from home multiple times at 17, got pregnant, my parents emancipated me (were legally NOT my parents anymore since I was a minor) and right before I turned 18, I moved back home, and then had a baby. (This is NOT a recommended time frame for most people)

4) Was consumed with the lack of control in my life and developed anorexia, which was a struggle for the better part of 4 years. Hamburgers still scare me, but more for e.coli reasons than fat content.

NOW, after sharing all of that, if you still want to be my friend and blog-reader, here are some high points of my life:

1) Was a Spelling Bee Champion during my elementary years. I relate best to the fear and trembling each year televised on ESPN during the Scripps Howard National Bee.

2) I wrote a book in the 6th grade. It is a fantasy-genre largely inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia. It is REEEALLY lame, but it is still close to 200 pages, so I consider that noteworthy.

3)I won a national speech contest in high school and actually got paid $75. That is the best thing I have ever won in my entire life--with the exception of a new pair of aerobic shoes because of a drawing held at my local gym.

4) I am the mother of two of the best kids around--Eli David and Eva Grace. Both their names have Hebrew derivates meaning "God" and "Life" and from that I have decided that they are the most tangible taste of God in my life.

5) Daniel James Stratford (or Danny J who provides the rap for this posse G) is my husband, and for that, I am most thankful.

6) Sometimes when nobody is around and I am in the kitchen cooking, I like to pretend I am the host of a cooking show.