MY BIRTHDAY!!!

'Tis the day of my birth!

39 years ago my mother was in pain as my father looked one in hapless wonder at the 10 pound girl that was popping out of the womb

5 times I have come close to no longer being alive or have to serious injury: meningitis at 4 months old, near drowning at around 5, jumping off the side of the pool backwards requiring 5 different sets of stitches, pulling a large set of tables and chairs on top of me at church as I was trying to use them for a good swing, having a nap in the Regina in the cold shed as no one was home.  Yep, I have been an easy one.  :)

6 is the number of countries I have lived in over the past 39 years.  15 countries I have visited on top of that.  5 provinces in which I have lived in Canada thus far.

2+1 degrees I have obtained or am currently working on.

23+2 is the size of my immediate family.  The Bates family has grown over the years and I love every one of them for different reasons.  (Note the cookie gift from sisters.)

140 posts on this blog since November 2009.  There are approximately 102 million blogs in the Internet.  Thanks to all those who have stopped by here, especially those who have made comments here or elsewhere.

4 active and delightful hobbies that occupy my time: blog stalking, ceramics, volunteering at live musical events, and photography.  I should add spending time with interesting and open-minded people in there too, 4+1.

40 more years of life to live before I am willing to slow down.

39 new, interesting, exciting, different, enjoyable, thought provoking, 

challenging, mind-boggling, wonderful, guffaw causing, outrageous things 

I am going to try this year, the last year of my 30's.  

February 2010: Luxor Temple in Egypt

Feel free to join me!  

Yippee to another incredible year!!!