About Me

When things go wrong as they sometimes will
and the road I'm trudging seems all up hill...
I do four things.

1. I get really ornery, then I get really emotional, which eventually leads to a lot of crying.
2. I pull out lots and lots of hair, one strand at a time, until I have funny bald patches on my head.
3. I get and give into crazy cravings for salty comfort foods, like mashed potato's, popcorn and pasta. Which usually leads to a tremendous amount of weight gain.
4. I write and I re-write until I can empty the words and emotions that are clanking around in my head.

Since steps one through three have done little to lift my spirits, I thought I'd give writing a shot.
My only problem with that is I'm pretty sure I've ran out of original things to say. All my thought and emotions are old and I've written them down many many times. I'm afraid I'd sound like a broken record if I wrote them down again.
But I want to write just the same.
So I'm going to start at the beginning and start repeating myself from there.
I'm going to write about me, because this is after all my blog.
Who knows I might just rediscover who I am and what makes me happy in the process.

I am Michelle.
I was born on the same day that Mount Saint Helen's erupted, 30 years ago.
I've been told that is how I got my name. The story goes something like this. Dad suggests to Mom that I be named Helen. Mom thinks it is too old fashioned and suggest Michellen. Dad says NO, and they compromised on Michelle.
I really have no idea if that's really what happened or if it's just a fun and silly story to tell.
I have an awesome mother, I loved my mother so much that I only ever dreamed of becoming a mom, just so I could be like her. Which is sort of ironic because we had such a dysfunctional relationship when I was little. I think that even though we misunderstood each other, I always felt her love.
I have a dad who gave me a home, food, clothes and a love for camping as well as popcorn.
I have two brothers, who are smart, and generous.
I have three sisters, who are beautiful and creative genius's.
My baby sister has Down Syndrome (and I actually just had to Google that because I couldn't remember if it was Down Syndrome or Down's Syndrome).
I grew up in Pleasant Grove Utah.
I used to love to sing. But I sound so terrible now days, I don't dare sing around anyone except for my kids when I'm in the car or in the kitchen doing dishes.
I'm a pessimistic optimist. I think the worst, while secretly hoping for the best.
Most of the time I talk too much and listen too little.
I love reading, cooking, crocheting, laughing, camping, eating, going on adventures, taking long hot baths, sunshine, the mountains, flowers, gardens, babies, sitting in my garden swing, kissing especially slobbery ones from my babies (and the husband too).
I've only kissed two boys in my life and one of them is my husband.
I grew up having tea cup poodles as pets and to this day they are still my favorite dogs. Although a red Irish Setter comes a close second.
I was never a very "responsible" person in my younger years, but I hope that's changed.
I'm terribly sensitive, and I cry a lot.
I tend to "emotionally vomit" all my feelings and thought out to who ever will listen.
My mood often reflects the weather.
There isn't much about my physical self I love, but when I take the time (and I do mean lots of time) to do myself up pretty, I can make my eyes look beautiful, my lips plump, and my hair look great. Everything else about my body just falls into the huge category.
I used to be known for my laugh, it was loud and most likely obnoxious to any one else that had to listen to it.
I'm famous for spilling on my shirt and forgetting everything!
I remember really useless and random facts very well.
I have naturally curly hair. I used to hate it so bad, now 30 years later, I think it's the best thing ever.
I haven't "shampooed" my hair in almost 2 years. But let's be clear I said shampooed not washed.
I started pulling out my hair in Junior High School, it started around the same time my sister was born with Down Syndrome.
I was really rather naive, well into my high school years.
High school = HELL. I have nothing nice to say about my high school experience or the people in it.
I do wish I would have applied myself in school, I'm smart. I should have done something with those smarts!
I worked at my Uncle's office supply store for almost 6 years (that's pretty amazing considering I was a teenager at the time). I have some very sweet memories (and some awful ones too) from those times and I made some of my best friends there.
I thought I couldn't move out of my parents home fast enough when I turned 18.
I had a ball with my roommates and living on my own for the first year.
Then I learned that friends come and go, and people break their promises, paying bills and trying to save money weren't so easy and that family is all you really have in the end.
I don't have the best of luck.
My first car was wrecked by a one armed man who was bent over changing out his tape in his tape player while driving a stick shift truck.
At one point I worked two jobs because I was planning on saving and paying my way so I could serve an LDS mission.
I met my husband at my second job. I guess he was my mission.
We both worked 2 jobs, so our dating usually occurred after 11:00 pm, and wasn't really dating at all.
My husband also lived across the street from my uncle and dated a co-worker (back when I worked at Wendy's) and yet I never met him until my friend pointed him out at my job.
I'm stubborn, but I'm also loyal.
I tend to let my thoughts jump around, sometimes this shines through in my writing.
I love The Gospel and I believe that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the True and Living Church. I hold my faith dear to my heart. It brings me happiness and peace.
I know God loves me. Not only because he gives me sunshine and flowers and food and mountains, but mostly I know He loves me because He gave me the Gospel and He gave his Son and He gave me a wonderful family and a great husband and three gloriously obnoxious, trying, beautiful, gifts I like to call my children.