Howdy Y’all.
I am happy to be writing again. I owe it to my friend Maggie at Sober Courage . We have a lot in common other than being sober and words can not express how grateful I am to have found her. Whether you are in recovery or not, wondering if you want to get sober/clean or have someone you know that is in recovery or is struggling, it is my belief reading Maggie’s blog Sober Courage can give you some answers and hope. Check her out! She has nominated me for “THE SUNSHINE AWARD”. Thanks Maggie, I’m honored!
To accept the award, each nominee must do the following:
1) Display the award on your blog.
2) Announce your win with a post and thank the blogger who nominated you.
3) List 10 interesting things about yourself.
4) Present 10 deserving bloggers “who positively and creatively inspire others in the blogosphere.
5) Link to the awardees and let them know of the nomination
As I suffer from, I’m not much but I’m all I think about syndrome, this was pretty fun. Here are 10 interesting things about me you might not know:
1) I did not graduate high school but I got my Good Enough Diploma (GED) shortly after I dropped out in 10th grade. Nor did I attend college. Instead,
I went on 3 different Outward Bound Courses (one lasting three months) and they changed my life greatly. I fell in love with rock climbing, sailing, and sea kayaking on these courses and continue my deep passion for being in nature as often as possible. It’s quite easy for me as I live in Jackson Hole, Wy
2) When asked what I wanted to be growing up my consistent answer was a mom. I am now married to my awesome husband who’s in recovery as well and we have a miraculous son who will be 2 in April. I say miraculous b/c I was falsely diagnosed twice during pregnancy. The first time I was told our unborn son had trisomy 18 (having an extra chromosome) and probably would die in the womb & we should consider termination. The second time after many horrible tests we were told that he was missing his corpus collosum (the lining between the left & right side of the brain that communicates back & forth between the two sides) and to not rule out termination. Oh and also a clef lip & plate. I opted to drive to SLC, Utah to get a second opinion prior to doing the unthinkable. It was a 5 hour drive in winter conditions, solo, the day before Thanksgiving. The results…
There is NOTHING wrong with your son! Talk about gratitude & being thankful the day before Thanksgiving!!! He walked at 9 1/2 months old. He is handsome, charming, funny, loving, and very smart we’re told. He truly is a miracle. Thank God for my first experience with mothers intuition.
I drove all the way back home that night I was so happy & on cloud 9.
3) I make hula-hoops. Really really big hula-hoops. They go with me on nearly every outing for the past 13 years. I even talked a police officer at a concert into trying it and managed to get the entire crowd to cheer. I have been in the newspaper 4 times over the years just for hula-hooping. Most of my acquaintances associate me with them. One summer I lost 2″ around my waist from hooping 30 mins everyday. I can also strip to the beat of any tune while hooping the entire time. You’ll have to trust me on this one or ask my husband. I hooped while pregnant, I can hoop when holding my son, I can go from head to toe, and do many at a time as well.
4) I am quite the chameleon and can fit into many different social settings. I have been known to call myself 1/4 hippie, 1/4 redneck, 1/4 cowgirl, & a 1/4 princess which makes one whole Clairey.
5) My family has been telling jokes for generations & I have carried the tradition on. I love the attention and making people laugh so this was an easy task. I know zillions of jokes and tell them often. I’ve made a few up even. I no longer tell the ‘no arms & no legs’ jokes though. About 2 years ago while at my longtime friend & mechanics shop I told one of them to a customer of his. He introduced himself as Bill. Very excited as I had made up a joke on that name, I followed my introduction with… “What do you call a guy with no arms & no legs in your mailbox?”
He shrugged as I loudly & very excitedly stated, “BILL!!” It wasn’t until after we shook hands and he left that it was brought to my attention…
“Clairey did you notice he shook your hand with his left hand?”
GASP! He only had one arm!!
I later apologized upon seeing him again. He smiled and said it was actually kinda cool cause I didn’t notice.
Needless to say those jokes are no longer in my repertoire.
6) I love singing! The Sound of Music, Annie, & the Little Mermaid soundtracks where playing in my vehicles long before I was a mom. I recently sang the National Anthem with a friend at an event here in JH. Oddly though for an attention whore like myself I have terrible stage fright. Being the voice of a Disney Princess is on my Bucket List.
7) I have loved to fish since I was a little girl. It’s one of the few times in my life that this hyper ADHD, bi-polar kid can quiet her mind and relax. Growing up in SC spin fishing with friends was the best. After moving west I put up a big stink about learning to fly fish. I know how now and greatly enjoy it. My husband is an avid fisherman as well. We agree so much on our love of fishing we made sure it was mentioned in our wedding ceremony & vows.
8) I am one of the most sensitive people on earth. Ask anyone who knows me, to the point I was called Sensy Sassy in school. My maiden name is Sasser. I’ve been told my heart is ridiculously big and that it’s my greatest asset and also at times my biggest defect. I would have to say I agree with that.
9) I am the two-time winning and still reigning “Chokecherry pit spitting Queen” of Lewistown, MT. This past summer I spit that little sucker 41 & 1/2 feet. Let me tell you how proud my parents in SC are of this accomplishment…LOL. Fortunately they have a sense of humor as well. OH, in the paper for that as well.
10) I fell in love with Laura Ingles Wilder when reading her books as a child. I wear braided pigtails often and think of her. I believe this is where a few things that are on my bucket list came from. I achieved one of those dreams last summer. I milked a cow. Yup even squirted milk in my mouth! I told the family about my lifelong obsession with Laura when I asked if I may milk their cow. When they replied, “yes” I was so overjoyed I cried. Told you I was sensitive.
Here are some pictures I’ve added of my interesting things…
And now, for the 10 bloggers whom I feel positively and creatively inspire me and many others in the blogosphere.
My nominees are…
- Message in a Bottle
- Pattern me Mommy
- The book of Jamez
- Get Curious
- One too Many
- Carrie on Sober
- Beyond the end of the road
- Process not an Event
- Al K Hall-ic Anonymous
- Erica getting Sober
I hope you all accept this award and I look forward to learning more about each of you. I’ve had great fun today discovering some new recovery bloggers, catching up on reading some blogs I already follow and reading my childhood friend, Anna’s blog at Pattern me Mommy . So many gifted people out there!
Thank you again Maggie. Another day without picking up equals a great day!
Big HUGS to you all,
Clairey
Omg. I don’t even know what to say! I think I love you even more! You are awesome! What an amazing list! Awwhh and #2 of course is so scary/touching, gosh I can’t even imagine! and wow, I am so glad it all turned out ok, and he is so beautiful! He is for sure a miracle baby!
And hooping and spitting and singing and claiming and jokes and milking! Man I don’t think I have done any of those! Well, hooping a little when I was a kid, but that’s it. I love the pics and seeing your smiling face. What a life huh? And clean and sober, that is just truly amazing.
Thank you so much for sharing your life with us. I know this is exactly what is possible when we get clean and sober. You my friend are an amazing inspiration and I am just so filled with gratitude to have met you!!! Sending many HUGS as always.
Ps. Did I say amazing enough times! Lol!
Thank you Maggie!! I had so much fun doing this post. I’m so grateful you nominated me! Hoping some more folks got the chance to read all of our blogs as well. I would like to add that I was not clean (if I recall mushrooms were involved) in the photo of the police officer hula-hooping. I know, ironic huh? Lol. Just another reminder to me what a sneaky little girl I was when using!! Ha ;0)
The events during pregnancy was my entire 2nd trimester. The Dr. Is no longer in practice….
Hugs to you my dear!
Which reminds me,
What do you call a deer with no eyes???
No eye deer!! (Spoken with a thick southern accent)
❌⭕️❌⭕️
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this blog post
Thanks! hopeing to start writing again. I’ve been on a break. Feels good that some of my writing makes people happy!