Happy Wednesday everyone!  I’ve had a great week so far and it’s not over!  I turned 49 yesterday and received the most beautiful cards, sweetest texts, lunches, dinners, and wonderful presents from my loved ones and friends.  Thomas always makes my birthday special by making the whole month about me!  One might not think to ask for an updated garage with custom cabinets, ceiling fans and lighting put in the guest bedroom and bathroom for their birthday but I did.  He is making it happen for me!  I even got a new pantry built just for all of my dishes for the tablescapes you see on the blog!  Yeahh me!! 

At one year away from 50, I’ve learned so much over the years about myself and life in general. I thought it would be fun to put together a list of things about me that you might not know. 

1. I have always loved fashion even at a young age. When I was in grade school, my favorite lunch box was my light blue Smurf lunch box. I used it every day and wore a matching blue jacket, jeans, and white tennis shoes on my first day to school to match my lunch box!

2. When I was in grade school, my favorite dressy outfit was a pink chiffon dress with ruffles, white tights, and white patent leather shoes. I wore it for school pictures and was so proud of that picture.

3. My favorite casual outfit when I was a kid was a white top with puffy sleeves with red cuffs that had a mickey mouse face embroidered on the right corner with red pants and white tennis shoes. I wore a gold hotdog necklace every time I wore the outfit.

4. When I was little, I fell on the escalators at the Fort Steubenville Mall and my hotdog necklace got stuck in between the moving steps, pulled me further into the step and started choking me. They had to stop the escalators and break my necklace to get me unstuck.

5. I was born with flat feet and had to wear very ugly brown leather shoes that had arches built in them so that my feet could form correctly until I was almost 2 years old.

6. My most embarrassing moment was when I dropped my Macy’s credit card in between the glass jewelry display cases. Two maintenance men had to shut all power down to the display cases and take all the cabinets apart to find my card. What a fiasco!

7. When I was 4, my mom got my long hair all cut off and I looked like a boy.

8. I took Jazz and Ballet when I was younger and was a cheerleader 8th through 12th grade. I was varsity captain my senior year.

9. I modeled for Fashion Bug and hated it. My modeling career lasted one show and it was over.

10. My favorite places to vacation are Franklin, TN, and Savannah, GA. We will be going to Asheville, NC next year and I’ve heard I will love it!

11. My worst and best experience was moving to Missouri for 5 years.

12. I have a younger sister and we are 4 years apart. She was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis 10 years ago. I admire her will and determination as she powers through each and every day.

13. One of my favorite things to do is go out to dinner. I love trying new restaurants. I plan my outfits accordingly. I love to match my lipstick with my outfit.

14. I am a planner and enjoy planning activities months in advance.

15. My favorite food is Italian…anything Italian. I love pizza.

16. My least favorite food is German and Indian.

17. My favorite color is Red.

18. I wear a lot of black but am slowly trying to bring more color into my wardrobe.

19. My favorite holiday is Halloween.

20. My least favorite holiday is New Year’s Eve.

21. I am an Introvert which surprises people.

22. I can pick up on others emotions to the point that I cannot concentrate. These experiences are random with random people.

23. I grew up in a 100-year old farmhouse in Paris, PA. It was originally the train station, then the Hanlin Farm, and then my parents bought it and renovated it.

24. My dad renovated the attic for me and my sister, built two bedrooms, custom closets, and built custom bookshelves for me. I would re-arrange all my books and trinkets every week. I loved organization and still do. My anxiety heightens when my home is not organized and clean.

25. My mom decorated our bedrooms in red, white, and pink. I had a double canopy bed with pink ruffled bedding. Our furniture was white French Provincial and I had a makeup vanity to match. I thought my room was the prettiest I had ever seen. It was my sanctuary all through high school.

26. My dad built a barn and my parents got me and my sister two horses, Sparky and Shamrock. My favorite memories from my childhood were having our horses and working on a friend’s farm with my family. We had horses, ponies, cows, dogs, cats, and two ducks.

27. I got my love for interior design and fashion from my mother.

28. I built my first apartment with my dad from the ground up when I was 23. I worked with him every weekend for one year and he taught me everything I know about home remodeling. I helped with everything except the roof because I am afraid of heights. It was one of the best years of my life.

29. I took a 23 and Me test and found that I’m 48.7% British and Irish, 33.2% French and German, and 0.5% Finnish.

30. I have a Certificate in Executive Secretarial, an Associates in Business Administration, and a Bachelors in Business Management and Organizational Studies.

31. My most exciting and proud moment (before marrying Thomas) was buying my first house and making it on my own. It was a 3-bedroom brick ranch and I loved it. The next purchase I made was putting a fence up in the back yard for my two rescue dogs Bear and Bella. I had promised them I would find them a nice yard and I held up my promise. They have since past away but I still miss them dearly.

32. I am very much a home body and my favorite time spent is at home with Thomas, Jake, and Maggie. Our home is our sanctuary.

33. I suffered a miscarriage which nearly broke me. I believe in my heart it was a boy. We would have named him Jake and he would have had brown eyes and brown hair. I know he would have had a funny personality and would have taken after Thomas.

34. My greatest career pleasure is my blog, Two Adorable Labs.

35. I met Thomas who showed me what unconditional love, commitment, devotion, and friendship really means. I never knew what true love meant or felt like until I met him. I have in him someone who loves me at my best and at my worst.

36. I am a Godparent to a 4-month old beautiful boy named Max.

37. I truly believe God has a plan for everyone and I am where I should be. He puts people in our lives for a reason. Sometimes they are meant to stay and sometimes they are not meant to stay. Be quiet and listen and his plan will unfold for you. Situations and experiences happen. Some bad, some good. I may have mourned the loss of our baby when I miscarried but I was graced with a godson who is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. I can’t wait to watch him grow.