The Rita Everyone Knows-And the One Some Don't!

The word "everyone" in the above title is not meant to be all inclusive. Of course, everyone doesn't know me. It's really just an expression to convey that everyone that does know me is aware of certain things about me. Even those that know me, and some know me very well, don't know everything about me.

I'm not talking about tabloid trash here. I don't have an alien baby. I don't have extra limbs that I conceal under loose clothing. I'm talking about uneventful, common facts that aren't exactly news worthy. But these facts are part of who I am.

Let's start with the known. I'm a mother of three and a wife of one terrific guy! I married my highschool sweetheart in 1993. I must say, I have enjoyed the journey! I'm 38 years old and rapidly graying. I have had this gray streak since I was 17, but it has gradually spread out over the years. As of the past six months, my streak looks to be sprinting as fast as it can in a race to cover my whole head.

I am a born again believer who is happy with life and happy about God. My husband is the pastor of The Jefferson Lighthouse Baptist Church. We are fundamental, independent Baptist who believe the Word of God. I am the piano player at my church, and I sing as well. Christianity has never brought me one ounce of misery, only joy.

I homeschool my children and have done so since kindergarten. It can be quite a task, but I will quickly say, it's one of the greatest joys of my life!

There are some unknown things, that is, unknown up to this point. Nothing earth shattering. It just reveals who I am and what drives me.

I love E-Bay. I purchased the textbooks for school this year on E-Bay and saved about 73% compared to the publisher's price. Score! I also love flea markets, though the one near me is toooo crowded so I never go. I love antique stores. In short, I love a good deal!

One of my favorite things to do is buy something at an incredibly low price and then turn around and resell it for profit. It's funny, sometimes Kevin (my love) says, "I can't believe you are going to sell that! I thought you liked it?" I tell him, "This was strictly a purchase for resale. Yes, I like it. But I like the profit I can make from it better." I can be pretty savvy when it comes to turning a profit. But only on a small scale. The stock market is waaaayyy out of my league.

I love sudoku! One of the best strategy games out there. I love games period. Scrabble, Yahtzee, Free Cell, Oregon Trail, Bejeweled....you name it. I like Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. I even have it on my cell phone. There's nothing like losing a game designed to show you how dumb you are!

I write poetry. Unfortunately, I don't do it enough. Inspiration doesn't always strike me, and I experience writer's block quite often. I will probably post some of my poetry on here when time allows. My favorite poets are Robert Frost, Amy Carmichael, and William Wordsworth.

Let's see....I read the dictionary and absolutely love doing so. I have several house plan books by my bed. One day, we will build. I read and read and read. I have stacks of books by my bed. In fact, reading is like a sleepy tonic for me. It's how I relax. How I learn. How I get my mind off of things.

I love taking tests and quizzes. I've taken umpteen I.Q. tests, with the highest score of 132. The lowest is noone's business but mine!

I sew, especially window treatments. I do alterations and easy stuff like that. I love classical music AND classical theatre. Shakespeare is the stuff! The greatest play of all time is Fiddler on the Roof, and I would love a shot at playing Yenta.

I'm terrified of heights. I'm talking about a paralyzing fear of heights. I'm afraid of guns, but I sure do believe we have the right to own one! If you want to see me get beside myself, show me a snake. YIKES! I hate the disgusting things!

You know, I could go on and on. But this serves as a general introduction, and as I write more, my personality, fears, and dreams will come through. Writing is a perpetual motion: it doesn't end with the writer, and hopefully, doesn't end with just one reader.