Meet Bea

I've seen other blogs do this and I think its a great idea, so every few weeks or so I'd like to feature one of our loved ones - Eisley's relatives - and introduce them to you!

Who better to start with then my sister:

Bea with newborn Eisley

Known as: Auntie Bea. Bea is short for Beatrice, which is not her name. Her name is Brittany.

She filled this out for us:

Education: often arbitrary, but worthwhile all the same

Worst habit? I guess I should say coffee. That's supposed to be bad, right? I don't feel bad about it. Coffee makes me happy.

What is your biggest accomplishment? I knew you were going to ask me this. Honestly I feel like if I can make it through the day without losing my patience or my temper with my girls, that is a huge accomplishment. Writing, and school, all the other things that someone on the outside looking in might call an accomplishment--that stuff is fun for me, and sometimes--often--easy. A true accomplishment is devoting one full day to my daughters and managing to do it without losing my cool. I have two toddlers, ok? It's hard for me!

Me & Bea in high school. Bea was a great role model for me back then, I hope Eisley has a role model like her someday...

How would you use $10,000 right now? Some to pay off debt but most to go on a vacation in Italy, Spain, and the south of France. And a long afternoon of shopping for paperbacks.

What is your dream job? Full time writer.

What is your best childhood memory? I could never pick just one. My favorite memories are of things we did together as a family; camping trips and drives in the mountains, Saturday's at the Art Museum. Hamburgers on the grill and guacamole in the kitchen and Garrison Keillor on the radio. Some of my best memories are of our trips to California, New Mexico, and Seattle. Dad buying me Lord of the Rings. Mom taking me shopping for my 14th birthday. I left the bag of stuff she bought me at the pizza-by-the slice joint. It was still there when we rushed back.

Favorite vacation: the five days I spent in Paris. I love traveling even more than writing.

Here we are last month at Boo at the Zoo.

Nicest thing anyone has done for you: my family supports my dreams; my husband takes care of the girls a WHOLE LOT on weekends so that I can write. Somebody once gave us a car. One time a guy I didn't know walked up to me at church and handed me fifty bucks, and that fifty bucks was all we had in the bank for a week. A friend of mine once gave me money spontaneously at another time when we really needed it. Indy once wrapped her arms around me when I was frustrated and cranky at the airport after 6 days in California and sang to me, and stroked my hair.

Favorite thing about your husband: this is private! I like to keep my most special feelings to myself. I will say that I appreciate being able to go out and write nearly every weekend morning for almost four years a whole heck of a lot.

At my wedding in 2004.

Dream Vacation: Ok well since we're dreaming: Iceland first to see Reykjavik (say RECK-ee-a-VEK). Then onto Ireland, see Dublin, than do a little hiking at a place where the people that own the property feed you scones and tea afterwards. Then Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Spain, Italy, Greece, the Czech Republic. That about covers it. For that trip.

Favorite Place to Spend Money: bookstores! by far, by far, by far.

Favorite possession: my ipod, and my painting by my dad that hangs in our living room. Song that best describes your life: I'm going to be enigmatic and say "Past the Mission" by Tori Amos.

Thank you, Auntie Bea, for doing my first survey. ;-)

I love you, big sis!