About Me: Ten Influentials

In case you missed it, I recently started a little "About Me" series. I'm working through a list of things I want my kids to know about me. I thought it was sort of a cool getting-to-know-you project and would also be nice for this scrapbook that Reid will eventually look through.

Here's what I've done so far:

1. List 20 random facts about yourself

2. Describe 3 legitimate fears you have and explain how they became fears

3. Describe your relationship with your spouse

4. List 10 things you would tell your 16 year-old self, if you could

5. What are the 5 things that make you most happy right now?

6. If you could have three wishes, what would you wish for?
7. What is your dream job and why?
8. What are 5 passions you have right now?
9. List 10 people who have influenced you and explain how.


Again, these are in no particular order, and goodness, I could probably name 100.


My parents - Obviously. I think that's a given - and I certainly don't mean to lessen the value. Parents are usually the top influencers in a person's life in one way or another. Mine, in ways I'm sure I'm not even aware of, have helped shape me into who I am today. They instilled a set of moral and ethical values that have defined my choices. They've always acted in love and strived to give me a multitude of opportunities and experiences. I could go on but I'll keep it brief. They are great parents, I'm thankful, and they are great grandparents to Reid now too.


A slew of other family - I could probably take up all 10 of these with family members - both mine and Dac's - but I'm going to branch out here and make myself get a little more creative. Dac and I have great families. I have plenty of family members I'm real close to that have inspired and influenced me over the years and continue to do so now. They've done so in different ways too. (I've been influenced to work with a servant's heart, appreciate and prepare delicious food, to share and be generous, to be myself and not care what others think, to be kind, to be tough, to drop everything to help each other out, to believe the more the merrier, the list goes on and on...) We're blessed.


Mary - Mary is a family friend. She's attended our little church as long as I can possibly remember. She taught my high school speech and drama classes and was the director of the many shows I was involved in. I spent countless hours with her during high school both on stage and off. She taught me to have high expectations for myself and strive for the best. While she wasn't the first person to do so, she helped instill a sense of class and professionalism in the way I present myself, and put a drive in me to work at 110%.


Bob - Bob was one of my youth group leaders. I had a few really awesome youth leaders growing up that all impacted me in good ways but I'm choosing to single out Bob as one of the most influential. Bob had a big, compassionate heart. He always greeted with a smile and bear hug... but was genuine... not an overly, unrealistically perky Patsy Paul. He really influenced me to pray, appreciate the Bible, and respect others. Gossip and laughing at someone else's expense were simply not allowed.

Sky - Sky is my 'little' through Big Brothers Big Sisters. I'm sure you've heard me talk about her before. She has influenced my heart and has already helped shape how I have and will parent Reid. She has influenced how I look at those with different back stories than my own. She's made things a little less black and white and a lot more grey. She's shown me that there's always hope... for everyone, in every situation. She's reminded me that it's ok to be different and follow your own beat. She has shown me my ability to love a child that's not my own and has widened my parameters of "family". It certainly doesn't just mean those with the same DNA, same parents, etc...

Fellow photographers - This may seem a little odd, but I have been heavily influenced by other photographers - both around here and all across the nation. Certainly I've been influenced by their work. They have inspired my own work. They've also influenced me in other ways. The community is a great one, truly. For the most part competition just isn't an issue. Not a big or unhealthy one anyway. Plenty of times we've asked to borrow something or for a second opinion, etc... and others have asked us too. We have made great friendships with a few that extend beyond talking shop. I like it. =) I feel like it's a group of people that have each others backs in life... professionally and otherwise. One photographer gave me this advice the day I went back to work after Reid was born. "It's not the quantity of time you spend with him, it's the quality." I think about this several times a week.


Pastors - I've had a few pastors really have pretty big impacts on my life... all in different ways of course. There was Mike, who was there when I was a kid. He was our leader as I went through confirmation, which was a pretty big deal. There was Billy, who probably takes the cake as far as most influential. It was partly due to timing since he was there as I was going through high school. His family was incredibly involved and very much became part of our church family. Dac and I were both involved in a Bible study that he led and became pretty close. We went and stayed with him and his wife for pre-marriage counseling and he came back to marry us. =) While at college, I attended a couple churches... one of which was Lifechurch.tv. It was SO incredibly different than what I was used to. In fact, I put off going there (kind of in protest, ha!) because it was SO big, so trendy, so, you know, BIG. (Did I mention that already?) I finally went and wish I had started going two years earlier. The philosophy of the church was one I could really get behind. The sermons... awesome. Craig really helped shape my thoughts about the kind of life I wanted to live and the importance of community. Now, Rachelle, who is at our church now but hasn't been for long, is influencing in other ways... helping to point my focus back to what matters most and what it's all about. Although all quite different, all of these pastors have been influential (as have others) and all have reminded me that Christians look different from each other. They have different political views and different strengths and different focus'. That's ok. That's cool.


Reid - Cheesy? Maybe. Reid, in his short little life, has influenced me in big ways. I am more aware of how I talk to people, especially Dac. I am more cautious about putting myself down in front of him and in general, except for the occasional venting session. He makes me want to be happier, more well-balanced, and healthier. He makes me strive to be more in the present and to stop working and worrying so much.


Dac - Dac has been a major influence. Now, I'm not the girl that completely changed when she met a boy. No. I am still very much me. I still wear my hair in a ponytail (when long enough) and still wear a uniform of t-shirt and tennis shoes. Dac has really only influenced me to add to the ME I always was before... especially since we've been married. Dac reminds me to take a minute. He encourages me to try new things and to be more open-minded. I'm someone that has a hard time committing... I have buyers remorse with shoes, can't commit to a light fixture, heck, I can't even commit to who I want to be when I grow up, but I commit to him. =) He influences me daily to be a better person.


Susan - Susan was my physical therapist a few years back. She took a very nerve-wracking, painful, sensitive situation and turned it into an experience that was kind of life changing in more ways than one. Almost immediately, I felt at ease and was able to better understand and cope. I felt stronger and more in control... and hopeful. I spent a lot of time with her over the course of a couple years and she became a friend. God's hand was definitely in that situation.