Qanda...

Qanda- sounds like some obscure holiday, doesn't it? Oh, that's Kwanzaa, and that's not really obscure, is it?. Never mind.

Anyway, it's time for my Q and A from my 200th post comments. Here we go...

Sassy Engineer asks:

What is your favorite thing about being a mom?



Oh, OK... sure. Let's start with an easy one. My favorite thing about being a mom... that's pretty hard to pinpoint. First off, let me say that I think my life would be incredibly boring without my girls. Painfully, incredibly boring. That's not to say that those of you without sweet peas have incredibly boring lives. It's just that I, personally, would probably fall into that incredibly boring category.

I would have to say that my favorite thing, beyond the whole my life is now fulfilled and I have a greater purpose line, would be the constant stream of entertainment they provide. My kids are funny. Like, really funny little people who will grow up to be funny, sassy, most likely sarcastic adults. I've done my job! Really, though... they make me laugh and smile every.single.day. Not everyone does that for me. Also, I love, love, love when I can see the little wheels in their minds turning away. They are fascinating in that way. It never ceases to amaze me how much Sassy knows, and she just turned three. She is one smart cookie, and so is Little A. I love seeing them enlightened. It's just a great, sort of inexplicable (can you tell? stumble... stumble...) thing. Love it!

Mandy asks:

What is your favorite tattoo? Which one hurt the most? Do you have any we can't see?



My favorite tattoo is my newest- the two swallows I have on my chest/shoulders. I think they are my favorite because they are pretty, they are original (not the concept, but the design), it was a bold move on my part to get a tattoo that I can really show off, and mostly because each bird is for each of my sweet peas. I thought long and hard about what I wanted to do in representation of them. Swallow tattoos were originally given to sailors for a certain amount of nautical miles they completed on tours. From my research, they have also come to represent love, care and affection towards family and friends, showing the loyalty of the person always returning to them. Oh, and did I mention they are totally cute??

The one that hurt the most for me, personally, was the one on the top of my foot. Ouch!

Yes, I probably have some that you can't see on a regular basis. Would you like the rundown? Here they are, in order of appearance (to the best of my recollection, at least)...

1. 4-leaf Clover with tribal sprigs on my lower back.
2. Celtic Star on my outside left ankle.
3. Celtic Shamrock on my outside right ankle.
4. Yellow Rose on my inside left ankle (for Grandma Willie).
5. Pink Rose on my inside right ankle (for Grandma Gladys).
6. Addition of the Gaelic word "neart" to my 4-leaf Clover (meaning strength).
7. Purple Iris to the back of my neck.
8. Gaelic word "slainte" to my left wrist (meaning health, or "to your health").
9. Angel Wings to the back of my right shoulder.
10. Celtic Knot to the top of my right foot.
11. Blue & Green Swallow to my left chest/shoulder (for Sassy).
12. Pink & Purple Swallow to my right chest/shoulder (for Little A).

There you have it, folks. Some I like, some I love. None I regret. All represent, very clearly, different times in my life. All bring back vivid memories. Some have deeper meaning than others. One has absolutely no meaning to me whatsoever. That's the truth of my tattoo story!

Mae asks:

If you could be any (non-human) animal, which would you pick & why?



I think I would be a giraffe. While the giraffe isn't my favorite animal, it's one of my favorites. I think that being a giraffe for a day would give me an interesting perspective on something I know nothing of... being TALL! Last time we were at the zoo, I found it completely fascinating to watch a younger giraffe attempt to lay down. It looked like so much work. I mean, seriously... it took him 27 minutes to get to the ground, and he stayed there for about 43 seconds before getting back up. I was exhausted just watching! Also, it's really fun to watch them eat and use those long, purple-ish tongues. Once, we went to the zoo after hours for a program, and we saw two male giraffes fighting. They sort of charged each other and used their necks as whips and clubs. It was bizarre and kind of frightening, but really neat to see. So, yeah... I think I would be a giraffe, if only for a day.

Mindy asks:

Is it OK for me to ask where you live? Because I think we're in the same area (I noticed this from the Sugar Sisters Birthday party post!)



Sure, I suppose that's OK! I try to keep some sort of "anonymity", but it's really hard. I've already stated that we are from KS, and I link to local attractions all the time! Plus, I am convinced that 98.7% of my readers consist of friends and family, so they already know where we live. So, anyway, we live in a suburb of Wichita. It makes me laugh out loud to say that. A suburb of Wichita. To me, that's an oxymoron. I no longer live in suburbia. Far from it, so it seems to me. We are relatively new Kansans, and getting used to he idea more and more by day!

What did you do prior to being a stay-at-home mum?



Well, now I am intrigued to read your blog and find out what neat part of the world you come from, Mindy. Or, maybe you just type comments really fast like I do and long for comment spell check. I will have to investigate! Before I became a SAHM, I worked as an ATC, or Certified Athletic Trainer. My degree is in Health & Human Performance, and I am board certified to perform as an ATC. Many people who are unfamiliar with the profession automatically go straight towards identifying us as personal trainers, and most have no idea of the medical background encompassing ATC's work.

In short, I was responsible for the prevention, evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation of athletic injuries. ATC's work in close conjunction with a variety of doctors and physical therapists. So, yeah... that's what I used to spend my days doing. There are some aspects of the job I miss very much, but being an ATC is extremely time intensive and I don't always miss the demands! Here are some additional facts about ATC's, since I know you are all eager to learn more!

This post just got very long, very fast. So, I will save the second half of the questions for Qanda, Part II! Slainte!