Tagged!

I've been tagged by Misty for the "8 Things Quiz" so here goes

8 Things I'm Passionate About

1. Jesus Christ, knowing Him more, becoming more Christlike, and singing worship
2. Haus & our kids
3. Our family who are the dearest people in the world to us
   
4. Homeschooling
   
5. Adoption, the OCEAN group, and building an adoption community of friends
6. Working hard and playing hard
   
7. Reading, watching movies, and enjoying an evening with friends
   
8. The beach! Vacation! Getting away to some place with sand, crystal blue water, palm trees, and an umbrella and pineapple wedge in my mai tai!
   

8 Things I Want to do Before I Die

1. Live in a foreign country (in Africa maybe?) for more than a year
   
2. Go on a long-term mission serving those who need Jesus
   
3. See my children grow up to be disciples of Christ, happy in their work, marriage, and family
   
4. Travel to every continent
5. Finish reading all of Shakespeare, and my long, long, (and getting longer) To Read List
6. Start a crisis pregnancy ministry
7. Help Michael build a ministry to men & women in prison
   
8. Sing the National Anthem at Angels Stadium (Lame, I know, but I've always wanted to do it. It's not very likely since I'm too chicken to audition, though, in case I might actually get a booking... *blush*)
   

8 Things I Often Say (Only 8?!?)

1. Hi there, friends!
2. Hooray!
3. Mama said NO, baby. Don't touch. No biting! Now give a kiss. Be loving! Be gentle! Shhh! Be quiet! What a good girl! (ALL day long)
   
4. Get out of bed before I turn the hose on you!
5. Brush your teeth! It looks like a swamp in there!
6. Who... left the refrigerator open?!... put Legos down the garbage disposal?!... mislaid the keys?!... has my hairbrush?! etc.
   
7. Put it away before I throw it away!
8. Did you thank Jesus today?

8 TV Shows I Recently Watched

1. NCIS (Love it! Tony doesn't even have to talk. Just looking at him makes me crack up.)
2. House
3. Crossing Jordan reruns
4. CSI Miami
5. CSI New York
   
6. Jon & Kate Plus 8
   
7. Adoption Stories & Birth Stories
8. Law & Order
   

8 Songs I Never Tire of Listening To

1. "Heartbreaker" (Pat Benatar)
2. "You Know My Name" (Chris Cornell)
   
3. "Satisfied" (Crystal Lewis) *actually, anything by Crystal
   
4. "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" (Israel Kamakawiwo'ole)
5. "She" (Elvis Costello)
   
6. "Prayer" (Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli)
   
7. "Endless Love" (Mariah Carey & Luther Vandross)
8. "Whip It" (Devo)... Yes, I am THAT much of a dork!
   

8 Things that Attract me to my Friends

1. Having a sense of humor, even when life goes pear shaped. The older I get, the more I find that having FUN and laughing through challenges and suffering is so important!
   
2. Honesty, transparency, openness
   
3. Trustworthiness
   
4. The ability to forgive and apologize freely
   
5. Depth of character
   
6. The ability to laugh at oneself... that great blend of confidence & humility
   
7. Kindness and compassion, a heart for those in trouble or who are hurting
   
8. Inclusiveness. I truly admire those who include others and make everyone feel welcome and liked.

8 Things I Learned in 2007

1. Jesus loves me (relearning this one!) and He's in control.
2. Life is beautiful! Despite all that is challenging, messy, heartbreaking, frustrating, confusing, and chaotic... life is such a GIFT!
   
3. Through Granddaddy I learned that it is possible to reach the end of a long life fully faithful in Jesus, deeply in love with my spouse of 60+ years, with grace and dignity and a sense of humor, and worship on our lips, praising the Lord, blessing those we love, having repented for all wrongdoing and ready to face the Lord.
   
4. Having 5 kids is an enormous blessing
5. Having 5 kids is dang hard!
   
6. Two toddlers can do anything in less than 30 seconds. They can empty a bureau in less than 30 seconds. They can cover themselves head to toe in peanut butter in less than 30 seconds. They can poop in the tub and wipe it all over in far less than 30 seconds. They can slip a tube of lipstick from the counter into the dryer while you're transferring laundry from the washer so the whole load gets ruined and do it in just a few, teeny tiny seconds. They can empty a gallon of milk onto the kitchen floor and sit down in it in less than 30 seconds. Shall I go on?
   
7. I need a full-time maid.
   
8. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

I'm tagging Emily, Suzi, Karen and Lori!