Pages

28 March 2012

Getting to know {me}


1.  I share my name with my mother (I am Isabel Maria and she is Maria Isabel). My nickname was - and still is to all my family and friends in Portugal - Bébé.
2.  I am 4th out of 6 children (3 boys, 3 girls). It so happens that my husband is 3rd out of 6 children, too (3 boys, 3 girls)
 3.  My mom is an identical twin. It so happens that my husband’s mom is an identical twin, too.

4.  My mom and dad met at the French School in Lisbon.
 5.  The French School became a family tradition, with three generations of our family passing by.

6.  My dad was a professional handball player for years.
7.  I was always taller than the kids my age.

8.  I was awarded  a “Prix d’Excellence” in my first year of preschool.
 9.  In my first report card ever my teacher wrote “Loves to play with her friends but knows how to defend herself”.

10.  I got in trouble at school often for being too chatty.
11.  I started doing ballet when I was 4. A few months later, the ballet teacher told my mom I wasn’t gracious enough for dancing.

12.  Subsequently, I thrived in gymnastics.
13.  I was forced to quit gymnastics at 10, when we moved to the suburbs and mom was expecting baby # 6. I was crushed.

14.  I have always wanted to learn to play the piano.
15.  I have not lost hope that I will learn to play a musical instrument one day.

16.  My first boyfriend was my next door neighbor. Our families still live next door to each other.
17.  I shared a room with my two older brothers until I was 10.

18.  I didn’t own a car until I was 25 (until then, I drove my family’s beat up hand-me-down Peugeot and after that a motor scooter).
19.  I didn’t buckle up until I met my husband. He would always ask me to, “because I love you”.

20.  I saw Pope John Paul II twice.
21.  I have crossed the Equator twice.

22.  I have visited over 35 countries, and have many more on my wish list.
23.  I was named “Best Dressed” in college.

24.  My college graduation ceremony took place in one of the oldest monasteries in Lisbon.
25.  The first time I saw snow was in my early twenties.

26.   My first job was wrapping gifts at one of my dad’s retail toy stores at Christmas time.
27.  I did photography modeling and was casted in a handful of TV commercials when I was in college.

28.  I was paid $20 a day for modeling.
29.  I met my prince charming on a blind date.

30.  My son Alex is named after our friend who set us up on a blind date.

31.  I love pink.
32.  I love pink so much that I chose to wear a pink dress on my wedding day.

33.  I had my first child when I was 32.
34.  I dreamed of being a mom ever since I was a child.

35.  Only one out of my four children has brown eyes like me.
36.  In 19 years of marriage I have lived in 11 different homes.

37.  One of the favorite places I have ever called home was Rabat, Morocco.
38.  I am still bitter about the fact that I can’t have a maid (and a gardener and a driver…) like I had in Morocco.

39.  I taught quilting classes for 10 years.
40.  I still have an obscenely large amount of fabric.

41.  After my husband retired from the Marine Corps in 2000 we spent one month traveling across the US with three children under the age of 5. He had no job and we had no place to live.
42.  I love living in a small town.

43.  I am a soccer lover through and through. Sorry, but nothing compares… (Okay, gymnastics is up there, too!)
44.  I am addicted to chocolate.

45.  I inherited my sweet tooth from my mom. Thanks, mom…! I believe that’s why I love baking so much!
46.  I do not like cheese and I do not like wine…  What kind of European am I?!!

47.  Language barriers will always be present. Even after all these years, I still get confused about the words “push” and “pull”, as “push” sounds exactly like the Portuguese word “puxe”, which means pull!
48.   When I am here I feel European. When I am in Portugal I feel American.  I am both yet I am neither… One foot on each yet never fully present…

49.  The hardest part about being an ex-pat is not having my mom closer… Moms are everything, aren’t they?


I chose to share 49 things about me, because I turn 49 today… Forty nine reasons to celebrate! As my kids were counting down to my birthday, I kept saying I really wasn’t that excited…  But, why not? This time I choose not to ignore it, there is so much to appreciate, so much to celebrate! I do love my life! I hope you have enjoyed getting to know me a little better… I know I have enjoyed sharing myself with you!

24 comments:

  1. Happy birthday dear Isabel!!!!!!! Many happy returns!!!
    Loved to learn more about you. I don't like wine too:)
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Happy Birthday dear Isabel!
    I hope the year ahead brings all wonderful things your way..
    I have loved learning a bit more about you...and yes, Moms are everything!
    Enjoy your special day!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Happy Birthday sweet girl!!!! I hope your day is absolutely wonderful and filled with all the things you love....and I loved hearing all about you!! Sending you big birthday hugs, xxoo, Dawn

    ReplyDelete
  4. Happy Birthday dear friend! We will have to celebrate when I get back. La Provence for breakfast? Big birthday hugs and kisses,
    Lisa

    ReplyDelete
  5. Happy Birthday. That was a fun post to read today. Have fun day!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Happy birthday!
    I follow you since a long time, but I forgot to become a follower... Done!
    Silvia

    ReplyDelete
  7. Happy birthday sweet Isabel!
    I turned 50 this year (yikes!) but am realizing it's just a year! I still feel like a kid inside but I have more moxy and am more sure of myself at 50, the best of both worlds! karen....

    ReplyDelete
  8. Awwwwww! Thanks for sharing you! I wish for you a blush pink cake with ganache filling!
    Happy Birthday Hug,
    Deb @Garden Party

    ReplyDelete
  9. ~ Happy Birthday!! ~ Such a neat post!! :) Enjoy your day!! xo Rachel

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!!! it was so fun to read about you today, what an exciting life you have led...I love, love birthdays...a day to do whatever you want...
    hope you have the happiest, ever!
    melanie

    ReplyDelete
  11. Happy Birthday my friend!!
    You are special because you are YOU!!!
    I am proud to know you
    Julie :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Happy Birthday and thank you for sharing so much of yourself with your readers!! You have had such a full life and should celebrate every birthday as a gift for more fullness to come!!
    Have a fun packed day,
    Annette

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy, Happy Birthday!!! And what an amazing life you have had so far. It sounds completely wonderful!!
    Here's to even more adventures!
    Sincerely,
    Melinda

    ReplyDelete
  14. HAPPY
    49th
    BIRTHDAY!!!
    You have done so much in those 49 years! Good for you!
    Deb

    ReplyDelete
  15. Happy Birthday! I'm glad that you're posting more frequently - I love your style! Barbara ( not a blogger)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I loved how you have shared so many things about yourself. Um a quilter,that is so cool. Hope your day was everything you wanted it to be. Big Hugs! Florence

    ReplyDelete
  17. Happy belated birthday Isabel! Thank you for sharing yourself with us. You are a treasure!
    xoxo - Laurie

    ReplyDelete
  18. I hope you had a fabulous birthday. Hugs from sunny England, B x

    ReplyDelete
  19. have a great birthday isabel! it was fun reading the 49 facts about you....i still get a tickle from when i found out that you like that phrase from love actually too......."just in cases" hahahaha, have a great weekend! sharon

    ReplyDelete
  20. Olá Isabel!
    Muitos Parabens pelos seu 49 aniversário! Que 49 curiosidades sobre si tão peculiares!
    A dúvida do "pull" e "push" tirou toneladas de cima de mim! Já que também faço essa confusão! :)
    Felicidades! Aqui de Portugal mil bjs,
    Ana Maria

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy Birthday Isabel! You are so beautiful, I can't believe you are 49. I would have guessed that you were younger. I love the preschool comment of "Loves to play with her friends but knows how to defend herself".....Love it!

    Blessings,

    Christa

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow - a belated Happy Birthday to you! I loved reading more about you, and can identify with the foreigner and language issues you have - so do I here in France!

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a fun post!! You are a blessed lady to have experienced so many things in your life :)
    Happy belated birthday to you!!

    ReplyDelete

I so enjoy and appreciate your comments!! Thank you so much for stopping by!!!

Related Posts Widget for Blogs by LinkWithin