Yes, I’m a bit tired of all my morbid, despairing posts. Seriously, life really is too short to get all caught up in this waiting bit. So, I thought I’d share some things about me you might not know (for all two of you who read my blog!)
1. As a kid, we used to swim in the lagoon in Liberia on surfboards. With crocodiles in the water. And no, there was no parental supervision or knowledge, I believe, of these adventures!
2. I have climbed both Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya in high school. And I got terrible mountain sickness on both mountains. Don’t try to impress the boy you like while climbing mountains. The smells that emit from your body while in high altitude are not very charming, even for a girl. Lesson learned the hard way!
3. I learned to sail a boat on the Indian Ocean. I thought I was a pretty amazing sailor until the first day (yes, I had a big ego back then…who else would think they are a good sailor by just sitting pretty on a boat?) when the boom hit me square in the face. I suffered a rather unpleasant headache for the rest of the week.
4. I never thought I’d get married young. I was 23 (barely!) and so in need of some maturity. Bless my dear husband for his continued patience as we have grown up together. I always thought I’d be a career woman who would travel the world. Ha! Little did I know how much I LOVE stability!
5. I have a thing for Garth Brooks, and rap, and reggae, and all African gospel choirs. Not in one song, mind you…but a thing none the less.
6. This summer has brought out the inner martini in me. Oh yeah, I’ve learned to love a good martini. And frankly, they love me back!
7. I have not run more than 5 miles at a time since my marathon in June. That race wore me out in a way I have NEVER experienced. I’m finding the bike and star climber to be rather fun. And working out in air conditioning with my kids in childcare and Jon and Kate plus (or is it minus now?) 8 on the tv is rather fun. For now. Not for much longer I think!
8. I always knew I would adopt a child. I never knew when that would happen. I am beyond excited to bring home our daughter, or as Tobin calls her now, “Our little brown baby.” (Don’t worry, we are working on the appropriate terminology for being a blended family with him)
9. When I was 14, and we were living in ND (I know, that is a WHOLE other post!), my dad was asked to go back to the Liberia just as the war was breaking out. (Charles Taylor was taking over Liberia). We had no contact with my Dad for 3 months. Due to my mom’s friendships with the US embassy ladies, we were able to get bits and pieces of information. We found out that he was in the last group of expatriates to escape Liberia before all hell broke loose. He was flown out on a Dutch cargo plane owned by the Russian mafia. That story has always helped me in the “2 truths and a lie” game. Love it!
10. I still have a thing for chocolate. No matter what time of day, no matter the heat index, not matter the company, I’m always game for a good piece of chocolate.
Here is a picture of me, 23, on my first day of work as a real grown up. WOW, wish I could have that wrinkle free skin back!
I was born in Jos, Nigeria many years ago. I spent the next nineteen years living in Liberia, Kenya and Ethiopia.
I am a new reader, so you have at least 3 of us out here:) Part of the subset – ‘runner moms adopting kids from Ethiopia’
Hey…since your are sharing, I would love to know how you all came to the name Desta. I know it’s beautiful and I know it’s African, but how did it come to be “the one?”