I've been tagged!

Thelma @ http://thelmassewnthings.blogspot.com/ tagged me to tell you seven things about myself. I so love this "meme" that has been going around on blogs as it allows everyone to get to know everyone a little bit better on a much more personal level... you know, besides sharing our creations. So here goes:

Friday, May 18th, was an anniversary of sorts for me. Eight years ago, {WoW! Has it really been that long ago?} I was in an automobile accident. I was riding with a friend, coming back from our morning of tanning at a tanning bed salon, when a sixteen year old boy who had just recently either gotten his temperary permit or his license, ran a red light and pulled right out in our pathway! Trying as best she could to avoid an accident, my friend, Amanda, instantly hit the brakes. With tires screaming and screaching, we were unable to stop and hit them broadside. I'll never forget this day for as long as I live as everything seemed to suddenly be happening in slow-motion and my heart broke instantly for the kids in the other car. My own daughter, Amber, had just graduated for high-school the year before and I realize how just precious her future was and I knew in my heart the same hopes and dreams that these boy's mother had in her heart for these children. I instantly began praying, as the tires were squealing and we were slipping and slidding on the asphalt that God spare them and if anyone was going to be hurt out of this ordeal to let it be me. I know that's crazy, but what's even crazier, is that I was the only person injured in this accident. Putting my foot onto the floorboard, searching desparately for a brake pedal that isn't on the passenger's side of the vehicle, I fractured my right heel, literally severed my achille's tendon, and put the bone into my calf muscle. It was a major life-changing event. After surgery to repair my foot, a year of physicl therapy, having a cast from my toes to my, well, I'll a few things to your imagination!, and learning how to walk all over again, my one year marriage {an eleven year relationship} crumbled under the stress; and my best friend {Don} became my knight in shining armor, rescuing me from myself, my worst fears, and enabled me to grow wings and learn how to fly once again.

I learned a lot about myself during that time. I'm so much stronger than I'd ever given myself credit for being. For the first time in my entire life, I knew what I wanted out of my life, and I quickly learned who my friends were. Yes, it was a painful process, but I truly believe my life has been so much more enriched because of that day. I hold my God closer, I hold my family closer, and I try my best to simply "be there" for my family and friends when they need me. I feel blessed every day that I am able to walk and I learned not to take the little things for granted. In fact, I probably cherish things a whole lot more than I ever did before.

During that time, I learned alot about myself. Somehow, months of being on complete bed-rest does that to you. I found myself re-discovering my artistic side that had somehow gotten pushed out of the way with working full-time in a busy Dr's office; attending collage full-time pursuing a degree in Nursing, caring for my family and friends. I learned that art heals and can be a powerful tool in saving lives! I saw things in other people that I disliked and I saw them in myself, too. Those things I changed, gradually over time making me the person I am today. I one day desire to use my artistic side to assist others as they heal... physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I'm unsure of how and when this will happen but I'm certain that God has a plan for it in someway and when the time is right the opportunity to do that, the opportunity will appear. And I also learned another valuable lesson. It is okay to pray for yourself. During that accident, I could have prayed for the safety of all of us and there is a good probably we all would walked away safe and sound. Somehow, someway, its in my nature to consider other's first. I've often considered this trait of mine to be both a blessing and curse, lol! I learned that God loves and cares for me just as much as he does anyone of us... there are no favorites... he neither loves any one of us no more or no less. My thoughts, hopes, and dreams are just as important to him and it is okay to ask for those things of him for myself. Somehow, throughout the years, I became so wrapped up in praying with others that I never prayed for myself, my life, my desires. I learned I was missing out on a very important relationship of knowing God and allowing him to know me. My relationship with him is so much deeper and more meaningful because of that. And he truly cares about the little things that mean so much to me!

I love creating! The medium isn't important to me. I'm just as happy with a coloring book and box of crayons as I am with a studio filled with a lot of amazing products and supplies. For me, the passion and the pleasure is in the process of creating and in sharing that with kindred spirits!

I've one dear daughter, Amber, who is 26 and one dear, grand-child, Alexxis. Both of them light up my life. I believe I've discovered the secret of why God created grand-children, it allows you to get in touch with the child within you without looking stupid doing so, LOL!

My online screen name, nchantin, used in message boards and groups, as well as my email addy comes from a childhood nickname my grandfather bestowed upon me as a child. I didn't know my grandfather for long; he was an electrician by trade working with high voltage. He was once electricuted and suffered a stroke which left him bedridden for years, unable to speak above a whisper. While visiting my grandparents, I always made time to share my discoveries and delights with him. In the basement of their home, there was a room filled with seashells brought up from their home in Florida. Visiting that room was a place filled with magic for me as I listened for the sound of waves from the ocean within them. Excited, as I imagined I heard them, I'd rush upstairs to share them with my grandpa holding the seashells up to his ear so he could hear the sounds of the waves too. He always called me "enchanting" and would tell me and my grandma that I was a special child very in tuned with nature, mystery, and magic!

So, how many is that? LOL! My real name is Cathryn. A very unusual spelling.... As a child, my sister, Mary and I would tease our mom regarding our names as she had seven children: four boys and three girls. We lived on Universal Avenue and the next streets over from us were --- Catherine and Mary: so we told her she had so many children she ran out of names and named us after them, LOL! We laughed so hard as we'd tell her that and she'd tickle us, asking if we found that funny! My grandma was the only person who ever called me, "Kate" until I was 38 years old and family friend called me Kate. By doing so, he brought back a multitude of memories that I shared with my grandmother as a child.

I was born on Valentine's Day! {See, I really am a sweetheart!} *smiles*

I want to tag:
Linda http://redplaid3.blogspot.com/
Rebecca http://rebeccavdw.blogspot.com/
and Sharon http://commonsense2creativity.blogspot.com/
And anyone who hasn't been tagged! LOL! {I searched several blogs and it seems most have been tagged already}