An Interview With Me

Just over a week ago, Stacie from Heeeeere Storkey, Storkey! posted her Interview With Me post. I signed up to have her send me questions because it looked like fun. I'm answering her questions plus a couple that were posed to me in last month's ICLW opening post.

If you would like me to interview you, just leave a comment and I will email you the questions. Here are the directions (and don't forget your email):
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions of my choice.
3. As soon as possible, you will write a post including the answers to your questions.
4. You will include this explanation, a link back to me, and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment and ask to be interviewed, you will email them 5 questions.

Questions:
1. You are very creative. What is your favorite type of craft to create, and what project are you the most proud of making? I honestly can't say I have one specific craft that is my favorite. What craft I want to do depends on the mood of the moment and just how tired I am. If I am truly exhausted, I don't bother to try cross stitching even if I want to because I am sure to make an elementary counting error. The project I am proudest of has to be the christening gown I crocheted and that all my children have worn. You can see pictures of the christening gown in this old post.

2. I love the new look to your blog. In the post describing why you changed, you said (the blog) "represents me and what I have become." Could you give a little more information about what you mean by this? (ie, Who are you and who did you become--the Cliff notes version, of course!) I think struggling through infertility has shown me that I am stronger than I ever thought I was...that my marriage is a beautiful wonderful thing that will withstand anything and will sustain me always...and, I have come to believe more than ever that the seemingly impossible can happen if you just don't give up. While dragons permeate mythology worldwide, we are taught they don't exist. Embracing the possibility of dragons is like embracing the possibility that the impossible really does exist (talk about a convoluted sentence). Also, dragons represent strength and beauty to me and having them on my blog represents the strength I have come to recognize in myself and my marriage.

3. What is a typical day in the life of Kristin? Hehehe...I don't think there is such a thing. On school days, I am up at 6 am to start getting the kids ready for school. After the older two are off to school (Joey catches the bus at 8:30), Gabe and I get our breakfast and he usually watches a little bit of Nick Jr. Morning is usually when I'll read blogs and maybe write a post. I also will empty the dishwasher and try to do some laundry. Sometime during the day, Gabe and I will usually read a book or maybe do puzzles or play a game. We also almost always end up outside for an hour or more. School pick up starts at 2 pm (Marty is released at 2:15 and Joey at 3:45). After Marty and Joey do their homework, they usually either go over to a friend's house or have them come over here (a bunch of their school friends live in walking or biking distance). Dinner is at about 6. Tuesday evenings are cub scouts, Wednesday and Friday are Tae Kwon Do, and Sundays, of course, usually include Sunday school and church. Gabe goes to bed between 8 and 8:30, Joey's bedtime is 8:30 (half hour later on non-school nights), and Marty's bedtime is 9:00 (also a half hour later on non-school nights). After Gabe is in bed, I try to do a quick pick up so the mess doesn't snowball over the course of the week. Vic usually takes care of cleaning up the kitchen from dinner and loads the dishwasher too during this time. Vic and I will watch one or two of our favorite shows before we go to bed around 11:30 to 12. Rinse, lather, repeat all week long.

4. What is your favorite book and why? Favorite author? Hmmm...I can't honestly say I have one favorite author or book. This is another thing that varies from week to week (or even from day to day). I read Sci Fi, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Romance, even some non-fiction. I frequently reread books that I really like. Lately I've been reading a bunch of books that deal with the paranormal/paranormal romances. They are a wonderful way of indulging in a little escapism.

5. Your life seems so busy. What do you do to give yourself a little "me" time and relax? I grab "me" time where ever and whenever I can. When I take Gabe out side to play, I often bring my book or my craft project (not always, I do play with him too). When I take Joey to scouts or TKD, I often bring a project or book with me. I also rarely just sit and watch TV. I usually have my cross stitch or crochet project right there with me. I also have days where I say Fuck it and I don't do any cleaning or housework. I spend those days playing with Gabe or playing with my crafts.

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Questions from January ICLW:
1. What do you plan to do in the future? (from Intricately Complex) A friend of mine and I are planning on starting a cross stitch design company. I don't know if we will ever make a lot of money through it but I know we will be good at it and it will bring me immense satisfaction.

2. What about when your kids are all grown and out of the house? (from Intricately Complex) What I do after the kids are grown and out of the house really depends on what the future brings with my husbands health. If his diabetes is completely under control and that doesn't affect his ability to work, I could see myself being a stay at home wife and do a LOT of volunteer work and possibly investing a lot of time and energy into my design business. If my husband's health does affect his ability to work at any time, I would probably either go back into EMS (emergency medical services) as I was once a paramedic or, I might finish my nursing degree and work as a nurse. (I would probably only get an RN since I already have a bachelor's degree.)

3 What is ptt length? (I thought I knew all of the IF abbreviations by now.) (from Karen of Clio) The abbreviation ppt stands for partial thromboplastin time. The shorter your ptt, the faster you clot.