Meet The Cast Monday #7: SoulMate Friend

Today you guys get to meet SoulMate Friend. She and I met at OSU in a really round-about way, through a girl that neither one of us are friends with anymore. So glad that all happened---someone was watching out for us! And even though we are really different, we have this connection and I feel like she always gets exactly where I am coming from! She lives in Oklahoma with her awesome husband, Tuba Man, and son who you frequently read about on this blog, Little Linebacker. She works in public relations, volunteers for a children's museum, and is a worship leader at her church....can we say over achiever?? She is absolutely one of my best friends in the whole world!

Here she is.....SoulMate Friend!

What is one thing that you constantly pray for?
My son. That he will be healthy and come to know the Lord early in his life. That he will be aware of and follow the calling the Lord has for his life, and that he will be successful. {His Aunt Tiffany always adds in prayers for college football glory since mom has these things covered. :)}
Do you believe that opposites attract?
You need only to spend a few minutes with my husband and I to know my answer to this question...yes! :) Dave and I are complete opposites, but I think it actually makes our marriage stronger. He balances me, and sees things in a way I can't. It's challenging sometimes, of course, but I wouldn't have it any other way. {I will never forget once before they got married, she told me that she just couldn't believe how much she loved this man, because he was everything that she was not. I have loved the thought of that since that day!}

What was your favorite part of college at OSU?
Football games. No doubt. There was nothing like gameday on campus. I miss those days!
You came to visit me in San Francisco when I was there for the summer.....what was your favorite part of that trip?
That's a tough one. I enjoyed so many things about the trip! I loved the tour of Alcatraz and the fact that Tiff scoured the city for days for a deal on tickets! I also loved attending a Sunday morning mass at Saints Peter and Paul's Cathedral. I had ever attended a Catholic mass before. It was beautiful. I would be remiss if I didn't talk about some of the food. The Greek yogurt at that little breakfast place was amazing! I also adored the gelato. I was bummed we couldn't try those yummy cookies Tiff told me so much about, but we ate plenty :) I also loved being able to ride on a street car for the first time. Oh, and I think my absolute favorite was getting a cab to take us up the huge hill to Tiff's apartment. The look on the driver's face was like, huh? But my legs just couldn't do it! {Please understand that the reason the cabbie thought we were crazy is that it was LITERALLY three blocks to the apartment. But it was three blocks straight up the hill that you see below. The picture really doesn't do it justice.}

You and Tuba Man have been married for over 5 years now. What are some lessons that you have learned about love?
Hmm. It really does grow with time. I would have never imagined five years ago that Dave and I would love each other like we do today. It's not always an ooey gooey make your single friends want to puke kind of love, but a deeper I can't imagine my life without you kind of love. He's my best friend, my partner, my rock. When I look back, I am so proud of the life we've built together. I've learned that it can be tough and requires work. But it's so worth it.
What has been the most unexpected part of becoming a mom?
That, regardless of what people say, it's hard and doesn't always come naturally. Now, I wouldn't consider myself the natural mom type but still, it's a lot harder work than I expected! There's no real planning anymore, and everything revolves around this one tiny person. That said, it's also completely wonderful and had mellowed me in a way I didn't expect. I don't really care so much about planning anymore. I care more about our family being together, making memories.

Where would you like to be in 10 years?
I would like to be working less and being a mom more. I want to attend all my kids' school parties and field trips. I want to pick them up from school and help them with homework. I want to volunteer in my community and be making a difference. I want to be happy.

You are a worship leader (along with Tuba Man) at your church. What is your favorite worship song?
Oh this changes all the time. Right now I'm really liking stuff by Jimmy Needham (although I don't really think that qualifies as worship). I also love Kari Jobe, Hillsong, Shane and Shane, Casting Crowns, MercyMe...

What is one (or more) things on your bucket list?
Go to the Superbowl. Attend as many college bowl games as I can. Take a cruise. Buy a house on the lake. Take my family to Disney World. Give an amazing gift to an amazing cause.