Fabulous Blog Tag!

My blog was tagged by Kerri last week!

Here is what she had to say about me: "Holy cow! 4 amazing and cute kiddos and law school. That alone is enough. But she also blogs and is still active on forums, offering encouragement and information to other PAPs and her love and passion for Guatemala is ever apparent."

Thanks for all of the kind words Kerri! Hopefully we can meet up one day irl!

Anyways, here are the rules to receiving this award:

You have to pass it on to 5 other fabulous bloggers in a post.You have to list 5 of your fabulous addictions in the post.

You must copy and paste the rules and the instructions below in the post.

Instructions: On your post of receiving this award, make sure you include the person that gave you the award and link it back to them.

All right - here we go! My Five Biggest Addictions:

(Not necessarily in any order)

1. My computer with Internet hookup! - As Kerri said... I am on many, many forums. (Usually as PackGirl) I do blog (you are reading it!), I have a facebook addiction...and I need the Internet to do homework and such. Otherwise, I have to use the library...full of very large books... stacks, upon stacks upon stack of law books.... I thank my lucky stars every day for Lexis and Westlaw!

2. Music - Middle school until I hired into the plant at 21 I was a band geek. Started on flute, hated it... taught myself trumpet over summer break did that for 2 years... went to high school decided I didnt have the ego nor was I an A$$ so I wouldnt make a very good trumpet player (no offense to anyone...but if you do play trumpet... you know what I mean)... so, I became a French horn player. Little did I know that would change my life. I knew I had talent...but wow... I really did... I spent the summer at Interlochen the summer of my sophomore year... (got accepted to the academy also for school...but didnt want to go)... I was state ranked my junior and senior year as #2 (a friend was #1)... I studied under Louis Stout for 3 years and went to music college where I studied under Ethel Merker (first female in CSO (under 1st chair, Louis Stout). My freshmen year, I was #6th in the state of Illinois.... some personal problems happened, and a year and a half later, I was back in Michigan working on the line.... but.... I still adore music.

Music for me is the ultimate emotion. I would be one of those people who would have a "Theme Song"! My favorite music is old country music. Conway Twitty, Jack Greene, Ronnie Milsap, Kitty Wells, people like that. I also enjoy 80's rock... the kind ya wish you had a convertible to just sing it out! Oh... I'm also a karaoke addict! At least music school paid off in some way!

I miss my horn like hell....but.... if I dont have the time to put my all into it, I'm not gonna do it at all... I'm just glad that I have enough education to teach my kids.... This year, I'm going to start E and K either on violin or piano on Suzuki method. Unlucky for them, no matter what instrument they choose, their mom can play it! HA! Yes... hopefully I am an overbearing Band Booster mom here! :)

3. H2O - Surprisingly, like Kerri, I must have water with me at all times. At school I have those large lexan bottles that I continuously refill...at home, I have large insulated cups that is always near me... while writing this I have drank one dry already! I enjoy Iced Tea also...but must be fresh brewed.... when I have a migraine... pepsi is a must. Usually though... Water, Water, and more Water!

4. My Bed - I love my bed. Ok... I love any bed with a super firm mattress with a television I can see from a comfortable position. Not many know, but I have a severe back injury. I've been a chronic pain patient for longer than I care to discuss.... so.... sitting and such is very difficult for me.... so... lying down is fantastic. Even before I was hurt... I loved nothing more than just to lie in bed. It's just an awesome feeling for me.... I also crave sleep...but... since College the first time around, it's hit or miss... either I'm working 12 hour days 7 days a week and going to school while on my apprenticeship... or I have four under four and going full time to law school. Obviously, I feel that sleep is disposable.

5. My BlackBerry - Since I am so busy, It is so nice to have such a little device that does so much! I taught my parents how to text, so we can text (and usually do) all day long! I can also text my friends, text my dh, and I'm sure soon enough I can bug the heck out of my kids by texting them! Really though... I am lucky enough that I have had a cell (ok car phone) since my senior year of high school... before that... I had a Pager!!!!!!!! ;) I just love my BlackBerry though... Internet, camera, texting, email.... it's great.... I stay connected.... people can reach me... and I'm just happy with it. I have no clue how people existed without cells and email.... gosh... If I had to tell every single person things that I can just type and hit post.... ugggg...... I dont think I would be as active.... I like talking to people...but I'm also very comfortable behind the screen or on the keypad!

So... there is a little more bout me! (and surprisingly...hardly nothing bout the kids...)

Here are the 5 people I am tagging:

Donna - Donna and I (and her husband) met while we were both in Guatemala City at the Marriott. We were picking up E and she was picking up her little son E! They are 2 months apart. We had a great time together though... going to the mall...eating at Pollo Campero, having a few Gallo's. Now, we keep in touch via email and blogs...but we only live a few hours from each other...so it's just a matter of time till we get together again and get all 6 of our kids together!!!! Donna is a great mom.... she's the mom that I wish I was most of the time. Her boys do all kinds of neat things, they belong to play groups, heck, she even took her son to Tea with Santa! She's great with her boys... and she's just a great woman to know!

Super Cool One (I'm not sure if she uses her real name online) - I dont know SCO irl...but I have followed her story on a.com, SoA (which is now Adoption Threads) and now on Tao. I've admired her for her tenacity and her strength. She has adopted 3 children from the foster care system and it seems as all three of the processes had their own ups and downs. Her girls are school aged also, so it gives me some insight as to what my kids will face being part of a trans racial family. I really enjoy her blog and hearing her opinions on the forums.

Kathy - Kathy is a single mom to an absolutely adorable little guy, John Carlos. I really enjoy reading about his antics... seems he is just all personality! John Carlos sounds a lot like my guys...and it's just great to read about other little ones going through the same things... also nice to hear about another mom going through the same thing... although my hats off to Kathy for being a single mom! I think JC would have a great time playing with my crew one day!

Gwen - Gwen and I met because we both used the same crappy agency... and the same crappy facilitator. But... her little girl Mia came home relatively young and now they are getting ready to do foster-adopt! I'm so excited for them!!!!! Gwen, Jenny, and Mia live only about an hour and a half from us so we trekked up to their house this past summer.... I'm sure they are still traumatized by that! We had a great time... and I'm hoping that we can get together again when the weather in nicer and my boys dont destroy their beautiful home!

Jen - Someone else I have never really met, but have followed online on various forums. Jen lives in Canada and she adopted from the US foster system. It's interesting to hear about being a transracial family where it is more of a rare occurrence. I've also been very interested in reading about her sons' reunion with their families here in the US. I just really appreciate learning from adoptive parents who have been at this longer than I have.... and who's children have also. Thanks Jen for sending support out there... and sharing what you have learned and what you continue to learn!

So... those are my five tags!!!!!

Of course, you can tag yourself also! *hint hint*!!!!!!