7 Random Things

Well, my dear friend Kim tagged me on this meme thing of 7 random things about MeMeMe so lets see how interesting I am...

1. I grew up in Southeast Alaska, Juneau. My childhood home was about 2 miles from Mendenhall Glacier, where we spent our summers. I don't know how familiar you are with glaciers, but they are cold (ginormous ice blocks tend to be) with lakes in front of them. So when it got to 60 degrees in the summer time (that was my mom's minimum allowed temperature to play in any kind of outdoors water, sprinkler included...unfair) we would load up our backpacks and hop on our bikes and ride up to the glacier to go swimming. The best part of this was all of the tourists from the "lower 48" snapping pictures of the crazy "Alaska Natives" swimming in the glacier. I just new that I would be famous someday. I was in fact featured in "Alaska" magazine when I was 6. The caption read, "Robin Sheppard and son." My fame was short lived.

2. I am a Star Wars junkie. Now, not as bad as those that buy Storm Trooper costumes on Ebay and stuff, but I have seen all six of the movies in the theater, starting with A New Hope when I was 2. Mom and Dad carried me in and I was hooked. More recently, I have been to the midnight opening of all three of the new ones. When Episode 3, Revenge of the Sith opened my sister and I got in line at 9:30 for the 12:00 showing. While waiting (and there were about 30 of us) a group of "Barbies" walked by giggling and saying, "Look at all the dumb Trekkies waiting for that stupid movie to open." This was followed by an uncomfortable silence until I said, "We are actually here to see Star Wars. Whose the dumb one now?" They sure felt stupid! Yes, deep down I am truly that much of a nerd and that mean. Shhh... Don't let my secret out.

3. While we are on the subject of how nerdy I am, I was (OK still am) a HUGE New Kids on the Block fan. My bedroom walls and ceiling were plastered with posters from Tiger Beat and Bop. There was a time when I could tell you the birthdays, astrological sign, home town and favorite foods of John, Jordan, Donny, Danny and Joey. Sadly, living in Juneau, I never got to see them in concert. I have seen every movie that Donny Wahlberg is in. I am working on getting over this obsession, but I can only do it Step by Step.

Good Grief... what else can I think of? I told you I'm not that interesting.

4. Like Shanny, I too love chocolate covered gummy bears. They are so chocolaty and chewie. You can't buy them in packages, only bulk, so you have to eat way too many of them at once. I like anything chocolate really. Or caramel. Or peanut butter. Or any combination there of. Pretty much, except ketchup, if it has sugar, I love it.

5. OK, here's one... and this is difficult to share. Are you ready? Deep breath. I like my mother-in-law. There I said it. It's out there. I enjoy spending time with her, and oh boy, this is huge, I want to be more like her. She has a degree in Home Economics from Washington State University (that lapse of judgement aside) and is a fantastic home maker. She cooks, she sews, she has wonderful spiritual insight and just all around good advice. My in-laws live a very simple life. They don't fill their lives with stuff, just the Lord and each other. Example; the flooring, walls and furniture are the same as in the pictures of the day they brought Joel home from the airport (that's where the stork dropped him off.) I would like to be not-so-needy and be able to simplify. I pray daily for this in my own life, (OK, I need new carpet at least once in 30 years) but I am far too materialistic. They have gone to the same church for 35 years (got that, Shannon, you will never be rid of me!) and lived in the same house in Sultan for just as long. Come to think of it she isn't that different from lots of the ladies at Calvary Chapel Marysville. Oh, to be like you.

6. I never graduated from high school. We moved from Alaska to Astoria, Oregon in August, three days before I started high school. I never fit in with the logging, commercial fishing, Copenhagen chewing, four wheeling, small town crowd. I didn't make good friends, which helped me to not make good choices and in November of my junior year I dropped out. In January I went to the community college and took the GED test (which I scored 98.7% on by the way) and enrolled in classes. I never finished that either, but it got me away from the wrong group of people.



7. In May of 2006 I quit chasing my tail and let Jesus find me. I started attending Calvary Chapel Marysville in April, not really sure what to expect, or what I was looking for, but I found it. On the first Sunday in May I made the biggest choice of my life. Sitting there with the communion elements in my hand I knew I had two choices 1. Discreetly toss them after the service (this was honestly the way I was leaning.) or 2. Give my life away to the Lord. I closed my tear filled eyes, and there sitting with Hannah and Alicia (I believe Joel was golfing) with out telling anyone, I took my first communion. I was so filled with the Spirit I couldn't stand and sing the closing song. I sat and let silent tears fall. I didn't share this with anyone until February when I felt the overwhelming urge that I needed to be baptized before August. I met with Pastor Dave, and scheduled my baptism. I scheduled it for the last Sunday in April following the Women's Retreat. This retreat was amazing for me. On Saturday before we left the retreat we had communion. We took the elements while Elaina and Sylvia sang "Who Am I?" and I felt the same filling of the Holy Spirit as I did a year ago when I accepted my Lord and Savior. The following day, my husband and I were baptized together in Lake Stevens. I definitely am a new woman in Christ.


There you go, 7 Random Things about Me! For more fun check out Shannon, Kim, Cora, Fran and Nancy.


And May the Force Be With You!