29 Questions for 29 Years
Some of you already know that today is my 29th birthday! So, I thought I’d kick the blog off with “29 Questions for 29 Years.” Some of these are fun, some are a little more serious, and I hope all of them provide a little insight into my life.
Do you have any nicknames?
Vic, V, Vicky (only a very select few can use this), Dick, Victorybod, preacher lady, Love Preacher. I mostly prefer being called Victoria.
Are you named after anyone?
I was named after my great grandfather, Victor Julius.
What is something you’ve done that you’re proud of?
I’m proud of a lot of things I’ve done. Multiple open water swims in Lake Superior with the Point to La Pointe. Seeking help for mental illness. Going to seminary.
Do you collect anything?
Rubber ducks and gnomes! The gnomes are a recent addition and I’ve been collecting ducks for 15+ years. Oh, and how could I forget about all of my Pair Eyewear toppers?
What does your average weekend look like?
Friday – Typically hubby and I do our own thing on Friday nights. He usually plays video games and I watch Netflix or scroll Etsy. Sometimes we do date nights on Friday, and then we like to get Mexican food.
Saturday – We try to sleep in for a bit, or at least as long as the dogs will let us. Then Saturday is either a project day or a lazy day. If it’s a project day we’re out running errands, doing work around the house, and checking things off the never-ending to-do list. If it’s a lazy day, just hanging out. Maybe taking a nap together. Doing laundry, we wash our bedding every Saturday.
Sunday – Church in the morning and usually a stop at the grocery store on the way home. Then it’s cleaning day! We each clean a floor of the house – I have the main floor and he has both staircases and the upstairs. We also take time to call James’s family on Sundays and get caught up on what’s happening in Texas and Oklahoma.
When did you first feel like an adult?
Gosh, sometimes I still don’t feel like an adult. I look at the house I have, the life I’ve built with James, and think “Is this really ‘ours’? Have we really made it this far? We don’t have to give this back to someone?” It’s a little surreal. I often find myself seeking advice from other people. At the same time, I think I really started to feel like an adult after I turned 25, which makes sense because that’s when brain development usually ends. Before that I still felt so unsure about so much, relied on so many people. I still rely on lots of people for support, but now it's different.
What is the biggest risk you ever took?
Moving to Iowa to work as a doula. I didn’t know very many people. There was no guarantee of income. It was a big move. And I did it!
If you could choose one superpower, what would it be?
Healing people.
If a song played every time you walked into a room, what would it be?
Put a Little Love in Your Heart. I like Dolly’s version best.
What’s your favorite dinosaur?
A Parasaurolophus. I’m going to get a tattoo of one someday.
What’s your favorite color?
Can I say tie-dye? Because I love tie-dye! Otherwise, I really like teal, gray, and navy. Also, some shades of purple.
What albums do you listen to on repeat?
Thrive by Casting Crowns
Rainbow by Kesha
The Highwomen but The Highwomen
Wheels of Light by Beautiful Chorus
The soundtrack to the Guardians of the Galaxy movies
What movies have you seen over and over?
Up
Dirty Dancing
The Santa Clause
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
What is your favorite joke?
Why can’t you hear a pterodactyl go to the bathroom?
Because the p is silent.
What is the best Halloween costume you ever wore?
Oh my, I have so many Halloween costumes I’ve loved. In 2021 I went as “Rosie the Riveter Reformer” because it was also reformation Sunday. In 2019 I made a costume to be Madeline. In 2018 I went as the Bachelorette and wore a full ballgown all day. In 2017 I made a gumball machine costume. Notice how there wasn’t a costume in 2020…
What is your favorite animal?
Our dogs, Margot and Bear.
Our cat, Doom.
Capybaras.
Do you have any regrets?
This is hard. As someone who has made a lot of bad choices, I definitely sometimes wish I made other choices. While I sometimes subscribe to the idea that what you go through makes you the person you are, there are times I really wish I didn’t experience that pain.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
A doctor.
What has God been teaching you lately?
Patience. Connection. Listening.
What are you looking forward to this year?
Hopefully having a baby. We’ve been trying for close a year now and we’re excited to be working with some new providers and getting some answers.
Where is your dream vacation?
New Zealand. The Maldives. Greece.
Where are you most aware of God’s presence?
Just about anywhere. Working at a hospital during COVID, God’s presence permeates my day. I also feel God strongly during certain songs at church. And we have lots of encounters in the car.
What are your strengths? Your weaknesses?
Strengths – I’m organized, loving, passionate, committed, open.
Weaknesses – I overcommit, I’m suspicious, I’m not always a great listener
What are your core values?
Commitment, Connection, Intensity/Passion, Love, Grace, Joy
Where is your happy place?
On Lake Superior, especially in the Bayfield, Wisconsin area.
What do you do to decompress?
Nap. Chiropractor. Acupuncture. Color. Play Sims. Bake.
When have you felt closest to God?
During this fertility journey. I’ve always always always known I wanted to be a mother and the journey to start our family has me calling on God every single day. I’m carrying so much pain and hope right now and I know that without my faith I’d be drowning.
When have you felt the furthest away?
After my grandpa passed away in 2012. And then again in 2015 when I was sexually assaulted. When your world is flipped upside-down and backwards, you can have a lot of doubts.
What is one thing on your bucket list?
Skinny-dip in all the oceans.
Are the other questions you’d want to ask a seminarian/future clergywoman?