It’s time to reveal a little bit more…again…

I turn 40 this week and one of my favourite presents is this beautiful picture drawn by my five year old daughter Holly. She gets her artistic skills from her dad. I can’t draw to save myself, and here are 40 other things you may or may not know about me:

1. I was born in Mackay and I still refer to trips there as “going home”.
2. My mother was born in Austria.
3. I am naturally drawn to anything European.
4. I only went to Uni to follow a boyfriend to Brisbane – I had no idea what I wanted to be until my late 20s.
5. I’ve been married twice. The first time was my first real boyfriend who I met at 14.
6. He and I are still great friends and people think it’s weird that our families catch up.
7. My husband Jason and I got married in Las Vegas. Elvis was not involved
8. I’ve been a type 1 diabetic for well over half of my life.
9. I give myself a needle 4 times a day.
10. I handed the Dalai Lama copies of the Mind Gardener Guides during one of his visits to Australia (as you do!).
11. My first child (daughter) was born 6 weeks premature and I had to go home from hospital without her.
12. I spent as much time as I could in special care with her and cried for all of the other hours at home.
13. My second child (son) was 4 weeks premature – I was more prepared this time.
14. But I couldn’t hold him for a week. So I spent every moment I could sitting by his crib in special care with my hands in through the holes, one stroking his hand and the other stroking his toes.
15. To this day (4 years later) he still asks me to “Tickle hands, tickle toes” when he wants to be comforted.
16. Pre-kids, I very rarely cried but I do so randomly and frequently now at things like dance performances, school awards, accidents or when my child is hurt by a mean word from someone.
17. I’m of the “it’s ok to be a just ok mum” philosophy and I don’t feel mummy guilt nor the desire to create the “perfect child”.
18. I am lucky that my husband made the choice to be a stay-at-home dad for a few years.
19. I have a habit of observing dads everywhere I go and I am yet to see one as amazing as he is (although there are some really, really great ones – like yours!).
20. He is also a very talented artist and a self taught builder of absolutely anything.
21. I exercise for an hour a day, every day.
22. I got suspended from high school – it involved alcohol.
23. I love music, singing and dancing – it usually involves alcohol.
24. I actually don’t drink much. Except water. I love water.
25. My longest friendship has continued for 40 years.
26. I can still remember a dance my friend and I learnt and performed at my grade 4 concert. We have been known to still perform it (basically at every occasion).
27. I pretty much know the words to every song I have ever heard.
28. I can get a million things done in a day – I am a powerhouse when I am determined.
29. I love what I do and would do it for no pay.
30. I have no ambition and struggle to come up with anything for my bucket list.
31. I have an inability to daydream or dwell and reflect on the past. This was not the case 10 years ago.
32. Martina was my first boss.
33. We have one of the most amazing business partnerships I know of.
34. I love the beach and our favourite family holidays are always there – Caloundra, Noosa, Yamba wherever.
35. I love cooking and it’s one of the ways I express my creativity.
36. I am naturally very shy.
37. I would much prefer to listen than to talk.
38. My ideal night would probably be a night in and quite possibly by myself!
39. I only have one sibling. My sister is one of my best friends.
40. I still call her what I did when I was 2 years old; “Wow” (Narelle) and so do my kids.

Thanks for being part of our birthday month!