Meme -- A Name I Call Myself

As I said previously, I got tagged for a meme by Kat's Krackerbox. So here it tis. I thought it would be fun but it was also kind of nice to take a look back at what's been going on recently. So enjoy. I did. And if you got tagged, leave a comment and let me know when you do yours.

8 Things I'm passionate about
1. God
2. My husband
3. My children
4. Our adoption/China
5. My church family
6. Reading
7. Cooking
8. My pets

8 Things I say often
1. Oh my goodness
2. Dude
3. Sweetheart
4. I love you (I promised myself I would a long time ago)
5. Well, I won't say anything about that because...
6. Good grief
7. Hey
8. No! (mostly due to Rocky right now)

8 Books I've read recently
1. Eli by Bill Myers
2. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
3. A Christian fiction book whose main character irritated me so bad I put it down whose title I can't remember.
4. When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin
5. Women Opening the Word: that you may believe by Casandra Martin
6. Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge
7. Wild at Heart by John & Stasi Eldredge
8. The Welcoming Door by Kenny Kemp

8 Things to do before I die
1. Raise a garden (I keep making attempts but I'm not very good at it and I don't have space)
2. Learn ballroom dancing
3. Go skydiving (I'd probably wimp out but I think I would like it)
4. See the Grand Canyon
5. Publish a book
6. See Alaska
7. Go on a cruise -- all four/five of us
8. Own a horse

8 Things I could listen to over and over again
1. American Girl by Tom Petty
2. Paradise by the Dashboard Light by Meatloaf (I just think its funny)
3. I Believe by Zoegirl
4. Keep the Candle Burning by Point of Grace
5. The Day the Squirrel Went Berserk by Ray Stevens (I can so picture it)
6. The Great Divide by Point of Grace
7. Cold Fire by Rush
8. Jet City Woman by Queensryche

8 Things that attract me to my friends
1. A great tolerance for kooky-ness
2. Funny
3. A quiet strength
4. The ability to 'step on my toes' without being preachy
5. Support -- they've got my back
6. Compassion
7. Spontaneous enthusiasm
8. a little quirkiness too (how do you think they tolerate mine)

8 Things I learned in the last year
1. I am bilingual in the love language category - equally physical touch and words of affirmation
2. I shouldn't be so critical because I don't like change
3. LOTS of patience (as any China adoptive parent will tell you)
4. To trust God's plan (and am still learning it)
5. That a bag of homemade cookies can cure any number of ills
6. The smallest gesture of love will be remembered forever (like taking chicken during a funeral)
7. Singing praise to God during a worship service is so much more than just singing - it unifies us
8. That community doesn't have to be face to face (all bloggers learn that eventually)

8 People I am excited to tag
1. Ann
2. Becky
3. Mary
4. Caryn
5. Phyllis
6. Cryssy
7. Lori
8. Tommy