Hello, It's Me!

This is me, Nicole, today January 8th, 2013. Just a random cell phone photo. That's about as real as it gets :)

I post a lot about my family, pictures of them, but not so much about me. I am a very simple person. I love being home. I like things neat and orderly, but I like being a mom better, so I have learned to let some things go.

I groom dogs. Cats too. I use to have a great blog, but I deleted it a while back and regret it. I did start a new one, but the photos aren't the best. You can check that out here at Groomer Nicole. I am not a great writer, but I have lots of ideas and strong opinions, so I try to jot them down. I am a very open person, and some people do not understand how I can share so much with the world. Some days I think maybe I am making a mistake, but then I get an email or blog comment, telling me how my words, our story, has inspired them. So I keep posting.

I am married to my best friend. He is my everything. He annoys the heck out of me, and yet, I still  adore him. I can't imagine being without him. We are about to celebrate out 19th year as a couple. Its not been easy, bit it surely has been worth it. We have been blessed with 9 beautiful children. We had 3 early pregnancy losses and I have an older step-son, that we lost contact with many years ago. One day the Lord will re-unite all of us.

I am a Mormon, a member of The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints. I haven't always known, I found out about 4 1/2 years ago. I am really glad I did. Once I found out, everything started making sense. Its truly been a blessing for my life!

I started wearing a head covering back in May. I had no deep reason, I just felt compelled to. Strongly compelled to. I saw other Christian women in my area, who wore various types of head coverings, and I just thought it was a great outward expression. I liked how they dressed, their demeanor. I liked how there was no mistaking who they were. It was a wonderful statement of faith, without having to say a word. I asked my husband what he thought about it. He just said it was up to me. So I started wearing one.

And it has been wonderful. I feel naked without it now. I wear one always, except at bed and such. I have looked at other styles, but this one seems best suited for me at this time. I have looked at several patterns, made my own, and this is what I came up with.

I love living a simple life. I am easily over whelmed by clutter, and no, books aren't clutter! I have purged most of our material posessions, yet we still have so much stuff! Even for 11 people, I still think its too much. Clothes, food, books dishes. That's about all we have. I hope to continue to simplify. I like things streamlined and organized. I am not into knick knacks and such. Simple, Clean, Organized... perfect!

I love to learn. I have considered many times to study law, but I find I don't really like laws.. I prefer liberty.. So I study ways to secure liberty. I am very active in keeping people informed on what is happening in our society. I am sure people think I am borderline obnoxious, but I can't not do what I do. ( double negative, I know). I am passionate about certain things, like circumcision, abortion, natural birth, personal freedom and I am sure I can come up with more..

That's me in a nutshell. At least from my perspective.