9 Fun Facts about Kirsten

I've always thought a post entirely about myself felt a little narcissistic...so we'll call it a testimonial. There. That's better, and at least sounds more spiritual. :)

Why the number nine? Partly because it's an eye-catching number. Partly because my OCD friends will cringe a little bit at the lack of "5" or "10" fun facts. Does that count as my first "fun fact?" Nah. So, sit back, enjoy, and I'll be expecting to get to know you in the comments!

1. In N' Out

I love me some In N' Out burger...with the sizzling, juicy meat and the fresh tomato, onion, and melty cheese...with that one-of-a-kind In N' Out sauce that just can't be

replicated anywhere else. 'Nuff said. Are there other burgers out there? No, actually.

2. Thunderstorms

Something else I really enjoy? A surprise, spring thunderstorm. I love the rolling thunder and standing on the porch, smelling the rain and watching streaks of lightning fly across the dark clouds. There's something adrenaline about the whole thing.

3. Oldest of Three

I am the oldest of three siblings, two sisters and one brother. Does this make me bossy? Yes. Yes it does. (Teaching was a no-brainer profession for me.) All of my siblings, however, are taller than I am, leading to many questions when we were younger...including whether I was twins with my four-years-younger-than-me-sister.

4. Sunsets and Moons

My dad and I have this tradition of calling each other when the sunset or the moon is especially breathtaking. God is such a beautiful artist, and I love to marvel at his work!

5. Pregnant???

Ha! Made you look. As some may know, I LOVE theatre. Watching it. Critiquing it. Participating in it. Writing for it. Whatever the case may be. I have been in a few shows at a local, Christian community theatre. In one play, I was a minor character (which led to lots of fun character development). Per permission by the director, my character was pregnant, and I had a different snack on stage for EVERY scene. Needless to say, this was one of my favorite roles to play!

6. 14 Weddings, 7 Years

Speaking of parts to play, I have helped or participated in 14 weddings since 2016. From food prep, to videography, to coordinating, to bridesmaid, and maid of honor, basically, every role but preacher and bride...I've done it. :)

7. Fiddlin' in Italy

One year after my wedding saga began, I traveled to Italy to play violin with some students there. We played Vivaldi...in Venice! By far the most memorable, however, was playing Orange Blossom Special (a popular American fiddle piece) in a pavilion in downtown Pordenone. The Italians loved our little slice of home music.

8. Flooded Basement

While I should probably save the full story for another post sometime, I will mention that I have been teaching violin since I graduated high school. During that time, I've had students from all ages and backgrounds, and we've had fun making music. My favorite story though is teaching violin in a sketchy, flooding, concrete basement while tornado sirens went off around us. The cherry on top was my student playing "Nearer My God to Thee" during this lesson. (If you don't know the history of that tune, you should look it up.

9. And finally...

but not at all most importantly...I love pickles. Pickle ANYTHING. Fried pickles with ranch, grilled cheese with pickles, pickle soup, straight out of the jar, any slice or size. I've even tried pickle ice cream! Just don't give me any of that bread and butter nonsense. Dill is the only way to go.

And there you have it ladies and gents. Nine fun and totally random facts about Kirsten Nicole. More than you needed to know? Probably. But I hope you were amused! What's a fun fact I should know about you? Comment below!