Answers - Part 3

Olivia asked:
1. Do you like to swim?
I like showers!? For real tho', I kinda swim like a rock... but yes, I love being in water.
2. What's your favorite Bible verse?
My life verse is 1Peter 2:9 "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of Him who hath called you into darkness into his marvellous light."
3. What's your favorite book of the Bible?
Psalms
4. What year did you graduate in?
2005 -- and I love that cuz' '05 just sounds like such an even number of a year to graduate... yes, that's my small bit of nerdiness coming out!
5. What's you favorite outfit?
Uh... I love jean skirts and tee shirts... for dressing up, I love a good black skirt, adorable button-up dress shirt, a suit coat and beautiful high heel shoes!!
6. What's your favorite kind of shoe (e.i. heels, flip-flops, etc.)
Depends on my mood... in the summer, I LOVE flip-flops!! But I also really love high heels - even tho' I am 5'9"!
7. What was your favorite toy as a child?
Ok, this will date me... but Mom said I really liked "My Little Ponies" and also Tiff and I loved "Pet Shop". The real thing tho'... not these chunky-dunky junk they sell today. These were real-like little animals! Way fun! (I think I'm gonna go play now!!)
8. If you could meet anybody in the world now, who would it be and why?
My future husband... so I could know who he is! *smile* Elisabeth Elliot... her life-testimony has been such an influence in my life and it would be cool to sit and talk with her.
9. If you could meet anybody from the past, who would it be and why?
David... from the Bible that is. Or Esther. How where they able to stand up to the giants of their day?? How can that apply to my life today??
10. What's your favorite magazine?
This sounds really crazy, but I enjoy parenting magazines and also sometimes get a kick out of exercise magazines, tho' they are rather self condemning! Arghhh.
11. What's your favorite ice-cream flavor?
Bunny Tracks!!
12. What's your favorite song?
My fav fiddle song is Orange Blossom Special. My fav contemporary Christian song is, well, I have lots of favs but really adore "Blessed Be Your Name" by Tree63. My fav hymn is Amazing Grace... well, I guess I don't really have a fav, but I like it a lot!

Louise asked:
I have noted with amazement, that you and your siblings live life with passion. In everything... Why is that??
Ok, Lou... you win the prize for the most thought provoking question!! To be honest... I'm not really sure. Of course as you mention, a relationship with Christ is a huge thing for me! As you know, He is our reason for living. Otherwise, I would say that we Chmelars are very impulsive... doing everything that tops our little hairballs - within reason, of course. If we're in, we're all in. We're also very competetive! If we decide that we want to get into freestyle frisbee, we're gonna go to national championships. If we want to start cup-stacking, we work on tirelessly to break the world record for speed. If Tiff and I think that it would be cool to have our bedroom in our unfinished attic, we move clean, move and decorate in one day... only to realize that yeah, it is January and about fifty degrees up here. (We did make it one night tho'!! Down coats, piles of blankets and all!) If we're gonna hobby farm, we're getting every small animal there is... starting with fifty various foul!
So what am I saying?? I guess our life has always been an ever changing adventure... and we can't wait for each new stage. Our parents have taught us to find the fun in everything... even the hard things. We laugh a lot. (Our parents are great laughers!!)
Life is really too short to get caught up in the little things. Now, lest we sound more spiritual than we ever could be... we have our days. And when we have days, boy are they DAYS! We get mad at each other, we get discouraged, we cry and yell sometimes too! But no matter what happens, Mom has taught us something that I think is underrated. A discussion may have been a heated thunder-storm, but she always ends it with these words. "I am not your enemy, you are not my enemy!" I think that's important to remember when we have those days... cuz' everybody does. We just gotta hug, remind each other that we are still a family (and always will be), and keep marching on!
So tho' I feel we are unworthy of your kind words... I do have to say it's the bestest to be a Chmelar!!

* * *
Thanks everyone for your great questions! Keep asking cuz there's still 8 days before the contest is over. I'd love to hear from my more silent blog readers!! And be watching at the end of the week for a little hint on the prize!