Making Memories

Hello! My name is Amanda. I am a twenty-something Catholic wife and mother. I am also a vegetarian, animal-lover, bargain hunter, and couponer. Overall, I am a rather “green” person. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology, but before I decided to pursue theology, I earned a certification in horticulture. Over the course of several years as a mother, I also earned an e-business certification. With all my different areas of study, I like to think that I’m relatively well-prepared for anything that life throws me, but we’ll have to see how that works out.

As you have probably figured out by now, I have a wide variety of interests. I spend most of my time, however, attempting to grow as a person by serving my husband, children, Christ, and community as a whole.

I enjoy receiving emails from my readers. If you wish to contact me, you may do so at: amandamakingmemories at gmail.com

Other lead characters:

J.R.: My husband. He is a creative spirit at heart ( studied photography and landscape design in college) and sportsman. We were married in June of 2006.

Gabriel: Our firstborn. He was born in August, 2007.

Joshua: Our son and the current baby of the family. He was born in October, 2009.

Some Random Facts about Me:

1. My personality type is INFJ, and my temperament is melancholic-phlegmatic.

2. In general, I would rather give a prepared speech to a large crowd than mingle and make small talk one-on-one with the same people.

3. I used to be a strict vegan, I still eat very little dairy, eggs, or sugar (aside from the naturally occurring sort).

4. I don’t drink soda either. Fun fact: I don’t think I have ever referred to it as soda in real life, everyone seems to refer to it as “pop” in the area in which I live.

5. I live in a small, rural town. The total population is less than 3,000 people. We are about fifteen miles from any worthwhile grocery store, but closer to thirty from my preferred stores. When we moved to this town after living in a larger, better developed area, people would ask me how I liked it here. My answer was always to tell them about how inconvenient this city is compared to the last.

6. The relative inconveniences we face by living in this town are made up for by JR being close enough to work that he could ride his bike and our children living within seven miles of both sets of grandparents.

7. I’m the oldest of six children. My two oldest brothers and I were born less than three years apart, then my three youngest siblings were born when I was 16-22. So Gabriel has an uncle that is not quite one year older than he is.

8. I really loved having my brothers so close in age while I was growing up. I still referred to them as my “built in best friends” throughout college.

9. I have an extra-large extended family, as both of my parents have eight siblings each.

10. Past-me wouldn’t believe it, but one of my favorite genres as an adult is science fiction.

11. If money, time, and space were no object, I would decorate my home office with a steam punk theme.

12. Since our current home is very small, it is inevitable that we will move at least one more time. My inability to keep up with my children and housework in our current home, however, leads me to believe that I do not want a McMansion.

13. I really hate moving. My feelings about moving, however, are colored by my (negative) experiences. I cannot recommend moving when you a) have a six week old baby, or b) are attempting to survive hyperemesis gravidarum.

14. I managed to earn my bachelor’s degree in four years despite switching colleges and majors. The only reason I pulled this off was a couple of online courses during the summer and carrying twenty credits for a few semesters. I graduated magna cum laude, but cannot recommend this course of action if you value sleep and an active social life.

15. The rigorous college schedule and ability to function well on little sleep in college did NOT prepare me for motherhood and children that didn’t sleep well.

16. I used the past tense in reference to sleep above, but my children have not been particularly good sleepers well past infancy. My definition of decent sleep is just pathetically low.

17. I am approximately 50% Irish. I have great grandparents on both sides of my family that came directly from Ireland as children, and then dropped the O’ before their last names in order to fit in here in the United States.

18. My husband and I both have horses that live at our parents’ homes. Their names are Scooter (his horse), and Jubilee (my horse).

19. I showed horses when I was in junior high and high school, but figured out that I enjoy horses much more without the stresses of showing while I was in high school.

20. My husband planned our honeymoon to Mackinac Island (to fulfill my request that it be some place we could get back to visit semi-regularly), Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton, and the Badlands. It’s going to be difficult for him to ever plan a better vacation.

21. I was always at least a little bit of a tomboy while I was growing up.

22. God knew what He was doing when He gave us two boys. I’m not saying we wouldn’t like to have a daughter some day, just that my little family is perfect as is and that I believe whoever our family members are is exactly as it is meant to be.

23. I have a tendency to start reading a book and then not be able to put it down until it’s finished.

24. In general, I enjoy comedies more than dramas.

25. My favorite colors are blues and greens. Additionally, I prefer bright colors to pastels.

26. Since I was a teenager, I have always thought vintage clothing, decor, and the like are great.