Why the Adventures of an All American Girl??

To all those who have pushed, pulled, kicked, screamed…….and, yes some of you got down on your stomachs flailing your hands and feet……The All American Girl has finally taken the plunge. This is the first installment of my blog. For those of you who don’t know me, supposedly I have a unique…….that’s a good word, unique life. From my humble beings to now, my family and friends have enjoyed all the ups and downs of my life. They think I have something to say, something for people to learn from. Me, well, take what you can and give what you can. So, without further ado, I’m calling my blog the Adventures of an All American Girl (A3G).


Let’s get right to the name…..why Adventures of an All American Girl. I LOVE adventure. In the true sense, as well as, the liberal use of the word. I have traveled to…….let me count for a moment………16 different countries and to my Welsh friends, 17:) In addition to LOVING traveling, I really enjoy the outdoors. I have hiked and camped my way too many wonderful spots across the USA and the world. It’s easy to see how my experience traveling and outdoor adventures I would include the word adventure in my title, BUT what I find the most exhilarating type of adventure is one of my spiritual journey. EVERYTHING, and I do mean everything, I have chosen to do or not do has served a greater purpose in my life. I have learned more by screwing it up then I have by any victory. Don’t get me wrong, many of my “victories” are very sweet and special indeed. Most have taken years of dedication and discipline to achieve these are meant to be savored, cherished but they wouldn’t taste so sweet to soul then if I hadn’t had the failures or as I like to say setbacks along the way. As Thomas Edison once said, “I haven’t failed; I’ve only found 10,000 ways that don’t work”. I’m a glass is half full kinda gal. That takes care of the adventure part.


So, what’s up with the All American Girl part…….this is what I have always called myself. I grew up in Northeastern Wisconsin. Our house was literally the last row of houses then it was all prairie and corn. Corn, and more corn……..hehehehe……..how about a serious game of hide-n-seek or tag in that…SPIDERS……….YAHHHHHHH!! All the small town people are smiling now, for you city folk, go watch the movie “Children of the Corn” there’s a good occult flashback film for you!!


It was back in the days when your mom opened the back door early in the morning, and the herd ran out as she shouted don’t come home until the sun comes down. Me, being forever curious and often lost in my own little world took this seriously. I have no memories of this but apparently my two older siblings would have to hunt the neighborhood trying to find me for dinner. I was found, often playing with some kid(s) blocks from my house. Ahhhhh, those were the days when we could let our children run wild and free!! So, I figure you can’t get more American then being blonde, blue-eyed and raised in the Midwest. Oh, did I mention the spray of freckles across my face??


On another note, much of my life has been formulated from sport. There are plenty of great, funny, inspiring and some sad stories, which I’m sure will all come out in one form or another later. But I managed to work hard enough and discipline myself enough to run at the university level. It was there I became a multiple NCAA All-American. This has taken me years to say out loud!! (What’s an All American you might ask?? In my sport you had to place in the top 8 in the nation at the national meet to earn the honor). I, still, sit among my colleagues whom I have worked with for years without them knowing. Because I have found the opportunity to give back and coach, I do “get founded out” once in a while. They all seem so surprised…….that is more freaky to me. Why not me!!!!?? Don’t let this cute face fool you!! There’s a hard core scraper inside………Yes, one of those older siblings is a brother. The kind that pinned me in the sandbox and made me eat sand…………..grrrrrrrrr…………..hehehehe………..at the same time my BIG BRO would beat the crap out of anyone who touched me. I’m not sure if this was out of love or territory, ‘cause he certainly didn’t have a problem beating the s&^% out of me!! I have yet to meet a girl who has a big brother who isn’t a scrapper!!! Little sisters of the world UNITE!!! If my brother happens to read this……..thanks:) I love you:):)


There is one more point to me being the All American Girl but that will have to wait for the next blog entry…….:)

Thanks for your support......sounds like a Bartel and James commerical!!

The Adventures of the All American Girl

Why?

I"m playing!! Just learning.