100th Post, Ergo 100 Things About Us

The Correspondent

For the 100th post of our family blog, here's a random list of 100 things about us:

1. Mr. Knightley and I met on a blind date through friends of friends.


2. I fell in love with him that night.


3. Four months and four days later, we were married.


4. It was not a shotgun wedding.


5. We've been married 16 years, and we're more in love every day.


6. Mr. K has practiced law for 21 years.


7. He also has the Spiritual gift of pastor/teacher.


8. He served as a full-time pastor from 2001 - 2005.


9. He reads koine Greek.


10. He's studying Hebrew.


11. He's a wonderful preacher/teacher.


12. He also has a remarkable gift for one-on-one discipleship.


13. He speaks with wisdom and tact.


14. He also has an incredible sense of humor.


15. He's my very best friend.


16. As for me, I'm slow to learn, and I don't test well.


17. My brother hates it when I say that.


18. But it's true.


19. And besides, my brother's a genius.


20. He's also six years younger than I am.


21. We talk on the phone long distance every Sunday night.


22. I would describe my personality as one part Adrian Monk, one part Gregory House, one part Dr. Jekyll, and one part Mr. Hyde.


23. Before meeting Mr. K, I worked in the Governor's Mansion for my state's First Lady.


24. It was the best office job I've ever had.


25. And I've had a lot of office jobs.


26. Even though I'm 41, people who meet me for the first time tell me that I look like I'm in my late twenties or early thirties.


27. In college, I was a music major on a music scholarship.


28. I didn't get my degree in music, though.


29. However, I still enjoy a very wide variety of music.


30. Even though I'm a Christian, I don't really care for Contemporary Christian music.


31. Except for Steve Green, Michael Card, and a little bit of Steven Curtis Chapman.


32. I love hymns.


33. They actually teach theology.


34. I only keep in touch with one collegiate friend.


35. I'm thankful we're still corresponding.


36. I don't consistently keep in touch with anyone from high school.


37. Mr. K, on the other hand, is in touch with ~ 6-8 friends from high school, college, and law school, on and off.


38. We've home educated all of our children from birth.


39. Our educational philosophies are a combination of the Charlotte Mason method and the Christian Classical method.


40. Nine months and 10 days after our wedding, Elinor Jane was born.


41. Elinor Jane is a very responsible, hard-working, Mother-Hen-type oldest sister.


42. She is also very gentle and compassionate.


43. Sixteen months after EJ's birth, Mockingbird was born.


44. Mockingbird is a fast learner with a natural bent toward all things technological.


45. She has a quick, dry sense of humor that keeps us in stitches.


46. Both Elinor Jane and Mockingbird have matured to the point where they receive correction humbly, and they both sincerely want to live righteous lives.


47. Almost 4 yrs after MB's birth, Christiana was born.


48. Christiana has a sweet, loving disposition.


49. She also plays hard right beside her younger brother, climbing, runnning, jumping in mud puddles, fencing with toy swords, and riding her bike.


50. When Christiana was two-and-a-half years old, we had our first miscarriage.


51. It was a very difficult experience.


52. Two years after that, Rocko was born.


53. Rocko is all about trains and trucks and swords and guns and bows and arrows and good guys and bad guys and knights and castles and green army men and football.


54. But he also has an incredibly tender heart.


55. When Rocko was almost 2, we had our second miscarriage.


56. Ditto # 51.


57. Then, 3 yrs later, The Honorable Judge was born.


58. He's a pistol.


59. But he's learning to obey.


60. He hit the baby milestones much earlier than his siblings, including walking at 10 months.


61. Oy vay.


62. He also gets away with more than his siblings ever did.


63. Probably because Mr. K and I are older.


64. And more tired.


65. My girls taught themselves how to handsew.


66. And crochet.


67. And knit.


68. And make homemade butter.


69. As well as homemade applesauce.


70. I don't know how to do any of those things.


71. Vive la love of learning!


72. All three girls play the piano.


73. They're blessed with an extraordinary teacher!


74. It's not me.


75. I don't know how to play the piano.


76. But I do play the clarinet.


77. Mr. Knightley plays the guitar.


78. And he has an incredible singing voice.


79. We all enjoying singing.


80. Mr. K's trying to teach us how to harmonize.


81. It's slow-going.


82. All seven of us are bibliophiles.


83. As a family, we love Jane Austen's works.


84. One of EJ's favorite authors is C.S. Lewis.


85. One of MB's favorite authors is J. R. R. Tolkien.


86. One of Christiana's favorite authors is C.S. Lewis.


87. One of Rocko's favorite books is Firefighters A to Z.


88. The Honorable Judge recently devoured his Pat the Bunny book.


89. Literally.


90. A couple of Mr. Knightley's favorite authors are the Holy Spirit and Charles Dickens.


91. I enjoy a variety of authors.


92. Mr. K leads us in family devotions at night.


93. We're reading through the Bible as a family.


94. We're in Nehemiah.


95. He also does a read-aloud afterwards.


96. He's currently reading 1776 to us.


97. Other read-alouds we enjoyed were The Lord of the Rings triology, Treasure Island, Swiss Family Robinson, and Pride and Prejudice, to name a few.


98. Sometimes we like to listen to books on tape when we're in the van.


99. We've enjoyed A Door in the Wall, Robin Hood, At the Back of the North Wind, and Wind in the Willows to name a few.


100. We often quote lines from our favorite books and movies in the course of everyday conversation.
     
     That's 100 things and probably more than you ever wanted to know!