Day 15

List 10 things that make you awesome

You're shitting me, right?  Who the hell wants to do this???  I'm not good at self promotion. I'm pretty sure we all suck at it.  Okay, well, MOST of us anyway.  I've met some pretty freaking conceited people in my day that would probably rock the hell out of day 15 if I'm being honest.  Okay, let me give this a whirl.  For the record.  I'm starting at 8:16a.  Let's see how long this takes me.

1.  My sense of humor.  I think it's pretty damn good and I can usually make people laugh when I tell a story.  I am sarcastic and fairly witty and I find people will almost always find me amusing.  At least I think they do!! 

2.  I'm loyal.  Not in a dog kind of way.  Well, actually, maybe.  If you treat me right then you can count on me forever.  But once I find out you've back stabbed me I'll never be the same.  I get hurt easily and it's hard for me to forget.  It'll stay in the back of my mind forever.  

3.  My kids will tell you I'm an awesome Mom.  They'll say it because I'll buy them a Pokemon card set, Lego Friends or take them to the movies.  I'll say it because I get complimented on their behavior by their teachers or when I'm out in a store and they aren't acting like little animals.  I love that they want me to come to their school and volunteer or chaperone a field trip.  They WANT me around.  That makes a world of difference to me.

4.  I'm an awesome wife.  If you ask my husband he will tell you I run the world, in a good way.  Not like a demanding crazy person.  He'll tell you he can't do anything without me.  I just say I'm doing what needs to be done to keep our family going.  He thinks the world would fall apart without me.  We have our issues but he is the perfect husband for me, faults and all.  Even with the socks under the coffee table.  Ugh.  

4.  My party planning skills.  I think I can throw an awesome party.  Sure, I might Pinterest the hell out of it first but I'll whip up a cake or cupcakes to match that theme like nobody's business.  You want Angry Birds?  You've got it.  You want CandyLand?  Candy bar coming up.  Winter Wonderland?  I'm on it.  It makes me feel really good to be able to give my kids what they want.  It's their birthday party after all!! 
(OMG, this is really hard and I'm only at number 4?!?!  Can I phone a friend???)

5.  I'm dependable.  If you ask me to do something, I'll do it.  I won't back out on you at the last minute, I won't make excuses.  You can count on me.  Count on me through thick and thin our friendship I will neeeever end.  Oh, sorry, had a little Whitney moment there.  My bad.

6.  I work full time (just cram 40 hrs into 4 days) and I can still volunteer at school on my "day off" and be there for my kids.  I know a LOT of us do this.  So we are ALL awesome!!  YES - we are!!  So you all need to do your own Day 15 and put this in there.  But, since this is mine, I'm totally putting this under my why I am awesome list.  I get to do it all. MOST days, I somehow manage to pull it off.  I'm tired as hell and I have my craptastic days but I get to do it all.  I think that makes me pretty damn awesome.

7.  I'm resilient.  No matter what life throws at me I'll get back up and keep on trucking.  I've had some rough times.  I moved out on my own at 17 because my Mom moved across the country.  Because of this, I didn't go to college - I had to work to keep a roof over my head.  Had surgery to remove 3 tumors from my left breast in my early twenties.  Had another surgery to remove two more in my mid twenties.  Then another found and removed a couple of years ago.  Lost my Mom when I was 30.  Grew up without a Dad.  Had many other things happen in there but, you know what, we all have our shit.  I could have used any / all of this as excuses to make poor choices.  I didn't.  I wouldn't.  That's not me.  I took all of that and used it to make me strong.  I'm working in a job I love, in a great position, for a Top 100 company.  I have an amazing husband and three amazing kids. I'm doing it.  

8.  I'm open minded.  About pretty much anything.  I'm not rigid in my beliefs.  Now don't get that twisted - I HAVE my own beliefs but I won't try to force them on you and make them yours.  I can have an objective conversation and I can be generally curious about other opinions.  I have a great curiosity about a lot of things.  But then I can walk away and not be angry or argue my point.  It's okay to have many different opinions and outlooks.  Life would be awful if we didn't!   I can appreciate any point of view that isn't my own.  Genuinely.  I'm okay with people having their own minds.  Please do!!

9.  I love to cook.  Nothing gives me more pleasure than sitting down with my family and eating a full, old school style meal that I've cooked for them.  Hearing my kids say Mom!  This is so good!   The favorite in our house is hands-down my homemade meatballs and sauce.  Now that one is a full day commitment.  But it's so worth it because the grins on all of their faces, hubby included, when I make it - THAT tells me I am awesome!!

10.  At the end of the day I'm awesome because I am me.  I say this over and over and over, to the point where people are probably sick of hearing it....but........love me or leave me.  This is what you get because this is who I am.  

FYI - it's 9:14a.   That's how long it took me to come up with 10 points of awesomeness about myself.  Oy.