heart rocks & hashtags

This space is supposed to be filled with trying to explain who I am…what I’m about…what I believe. Super intimidating but here goes:

I enjoy all types of art. Some consider themselves watercolorists, some oil painters, and some sculptors. I don’t know if I can put myself in a category. I truly like all types of mediums from watercolor to printmaking to pen and ink to even felting (something new I just learned how to do). I like them all.

I love Rice Krispie treats. No sprinkles. No chocolate drizzles. Don’t even think about substituting marshmallow cream for the marshmallows or try to sneak in a generic brand of Krispies. Just three simple ingredients—butter, marshmallows, and cereal. Rice Krispie treats have been my birthday cake for as long as I can remember.

I’m kind of OCD and a bit of a perfectionist. I thrive on routine and like everything in its spot, which makes logical sense that I scored as a high functioning “1” on the Enneagram test.

As a child, I played softball until it became fast pitch and my dad said “No!” I loved to read which is probably why my first job was at the local public library. I rode my bike all over town for miles and miles. I played Super Friends instead of Barbies because Bat Girl’s belt was way cooler than a princess dress. I hated lima beans and swallowed them whole because I had to “eat at least half of them.” I wrote my name on just about everything and blamed it on my baby sister…the wall behind the recliner, a tricycle, and the house. (Did you know that if you take a green leaf, lay it on the outside wall of the house, and draw on top of it with a rock, it leaves a beautiful green mark?)

I was a nerd who loved school all the way from Kindergarten until I graduated. I was one of three salutatorians to speak at my high school graduation. Our GPAs were so close that there were six commencement speeches that year!  I went on to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. I guess I’m still a nerd because “Learner” was one of my top five Clifton strengths.

Being outside makes me happy.  I love climbing on rocks, hiking up mountains, splashing in creeks, biking all over, sitting at the beach, throwing rocks into the lake, laying in a hammock under the shade of a tree, reading out on my back deck…I love being outside.

I collect rocks shaped like hearts. I’ve collected them for so long that I see them everywhere…even when I’m not really looking. Heart rocks have always been a way that Jesus speaks to me and tells me that He loves me. They have a way of “being found” at just the right moment when I need it most.

Even though I sometimes slip up and call them pound signs (hence showing my age), I love hashtags…the funnier the better. I know that they started as a way to be able to track and find certain topics and discussions, but they have since evolved into ways to “describe” a post…many times loaded with sarcasm and hilarious quips. They make me laugh.

I have always gone to church. From the time I was born, my parents made going to church a priority. Growing up in a youth group where you might be kidnapped to eat breakfast at a local restaurant in your pajamas was the best. I made a decision to follow Christ and was baptized when I was 17. I have what some would call a quiet testimony. I didn’t suddenly meet Jesus and turn from a life of crime and drugs. I simply made a public profession to follow the One who already loved me more than I knew.

I’m a daughter, a sister, a mother.
I’m a (former) teacher, an artist, a collector of heart rocks.
I’m a writer, blogger, author.
I love silly jokes, stupid gifs, corny memes, and hilarious hashtags.
I’m a bookworm, a nerd, a notetaker, a list maker.
I’m quirky, weird, and a little bit OCD.
I’m a perfectionist but far from perfect.
I love popcorn, Swedish fish, soft pretzels, and gummy bears.
I’m a friend, a confidante, a listening ear.

I’m an unapologetic follower of Jesus.

Teresa