25 Random Things?

I can hardly think of 25 random things that you do not already know about me. I’ve been tagged in more of these than I can count and I’ve scoffed at the idea until now because, well, I have nothing better to write about! (P.S. I realize some of these items make me sound like quite the, um, well, “prude”(?) but I was trying to think of things that might be surprising to my current readers – who might know me as rather, well, um, “granola”(?) )

1. I was born on a communal plantation in Mississippi — my father delivered me
2. I was a varsity basketball cheerleader my freshman year of high school (and hated it. with a passion.)
3. I went to 9 different elementary schools.
4. Since my hair began to grow, I have had a patch of hair on the crown of my head that is made of FRIZZY curls, which I finally cut super short and parted my hair to “comb over” it so no one sees this when I was 8. It’s still there. Another reason I don’t let other people cut my hair, so I don’t have to explain it!

5. I have had 4 last names. “Snoddy” (unofficially), “Melancon” til I was 7, “Melody” til I was 18, and “Ortecho” since then.
6. I am 1 of 7 brothers and sisters, but was only raised with one older brother.
7. I started what I called “Yesha Ladies Ministry” in my public high school to mentor young girls.
8. I played the viola for 5 years, though somewhat half-heartedly. I developed tendinitis in my shoulder really bad and decided to give it up.
9. I was in a handful of high school plays and musicals, including the “nurse” in Romeo and Juliet in which the fat suit made me pass out for a few minutes after the curtain closed. No one even noticed.

10. At 16, I “kissed dating goodbye” and avoided males until I met Hubby (almost 18).
11. I got married at 18. I had my first child at 21. I started my own business at 22.
12. I lead “MarriageLife” ministry/student organization for married and engaged students at my college for 2 years.
13. From middle school (when I actually began to notice) until I graduated college, I made less than 5 B’s total.
14. I was raised by my single father since I was 2.
15. I used to love Mariah Carey. I had all her cassette’s, was in her fan club, and named my siamese cat “Mariah”. I lost interest around the “butterfly” album.
16. I once paid a taxi 25 dollars to pick up cookie dough for me when I was in middle school staying the night at a friends house (if Carissa ever reads this: do you remember that?!)
17. I sang a lot in high school, in the praise band, etc. Largest crowd I have had a solo in front of was around 700. One of the colleges I was originally going to go to was in Missouri, and after my audition I was offered a $4,000/year scholarship to sing on their contemporary christian traveling girl team. I really haven’t sang much in 6 years, though, so this seems like a world away.

18. I was really scrawny before puberty and very self-conscious about it, I even drank protein shakes to GAIN weight.
19. I have a large scar on my calf from my cat (you guessed it, Mariah the crazy siamese) who attacked my leg when I was 14.
20. I have never smoked anything (cigarette, pot, etc) or taken any drug. The strongest drug I have ever taken was something for my nausea when I was pregnant.
21. I have only laid with one man
22. I love peanut butter. There are very few things I don’t like it on. I eat it daily on bread, waffles, pancakes, celery, carrots, desserts I call “peanut butter balls”, so on.
23. I have hands-down, the WORST silent-but-deadly gas ON THE PLANET… which I am so glad I can blame on IBS.
24. In 5th grade, I was suspended from school for one day and given 3 weeks of detention for being one of a group of playground kids to coerce our two friends into kissing! LOL (My dad wrote a strict THIS IS BS letter to the principal and I got out of the detention.)
25. I have 12 aunts and uncles, plus their spouses and children. I would guess that’s around… oh, maybe around 30 first cousins alone. Dem Cajun’s don’t know how to use birth control

Whew, I did it! Who knew I was so interesting? (not.)