Being born on April 1st...

Being born on April 1^st, I get a lot of people asking me if I do anything ‘special’ or ‘different’ to celebrate April Fool’s Day. 

            ‘Does your family ever play tricks on you?’

            ‘Do you get ‘fooled’ a lot?’

            ‘Do you like getting tricked?’

            To all these questions, I usually reply ‘no’. :)  I have yet to meet someone who did play a trick on me.  And my siblings certainly don’t…my parents have made sure of that. :)

            A lot of people comment on how unusual it is to be born on April 1^st, and yes, I agree.  But at the same time, I think it’s kinda fun to have such an unusual birthday. :)  I only know two other people who were born on April 1^st – a little cousin of mine (who is turning 2 today! – and if you want to real ‘title’…he is my second great cousin.  Yup!) and a family of friends that we have known for quite a few years…their little girl is turning 2 also! :)  I am sure there are many more April 1^st people out there…I just have yet to meet them. ;)

            But when people are like ‘ooh!  You were born on April Fool’s Day?!’, I’m quick to reply ‘yes, and do you know why it’s called that?’.  That usually stops them from going any further. :) haha  And actually, I don’t remember where or who told me this fact about April 1^st, but since knowing it, I have…well, let me just tell you the history about it first. ;)

            Back in the olden days ;)…April 1^st was observed as the New Year.  Yup, that’s right!  The months began: April, May, June, July, August…and so on.  March was considered the last month of the year.  Anyway, well…the majority of people decided to move the New Year to January 1^st, but others thought to continue the tradition of April 1^st being observed as that special day.  So…the January 1^st-people called the April 1^st-people ‘fools’.  Pretty nice, eh?  Well, anyway…since hearing this little fact about the day I was born on, I have since begun making my ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ on April 1^st. :)  I know, I know; I’m so smart. ;) haha  And I think it’s pretty cool too, since it’s the first day of a new month AND it used to be observed as New Year’s, so ‘New Year’s Resolutions’…yeah, anyway.

            SO! :)  I have put together a list of my New Year’s Resolutions…I don’t even know if you’d be interested in reading these, but I just decided to put them up anyway.  Everyone else did…three months ago. :P :D

Miss Raquel’s New Year’s Resolutions:

1.     To grow closer and more intimate with my Savior. 

2.     Memorize more Scripture

3.     Read the Bible all the way through again.

4.     Make a list of 100 books to read before April 1^st, 2012.

5.     Keep pursuing art – especially watercolor and portrait.

6.     Continue on with my music – piano and violin.  And maybe pick up guitar.

7.     Save up money for an iPod touch (or maybe just go all the way and get an iPhone? ;) and/or a Nikon D50.

8.     Save up money for my trip to Argentina with my cousins.  (This is actually two years away, but hey!  You need to have spending money too ;)

9.     Finish my novel.  At least one of them.  I have three going, at the moment.  A Native American based one, a modern day one, and the other, I am currently writing with my cousin – which has proved to be a very interesting journey.  Oh, and that one is fantasy. :)

10.                        Keep up in my future-wife-and-mother-training.  I have the best teacher, anyway. ;)

Yes, I’m only giving you ten of my New Year’s Resolutions. I have so many others – most of which aren’t even written down.  I just have them on a sticky note in my brain. :)

Well, I hope you all have a super fun April Fool’s Day!!  Oh, and don’t let me stop you from making jokes on people. ;)  You don’t know how many times I’ve laughed out loud after hearing of things that people have done to other people on April 1^st.  HILARIOUS!!  But honestly, if people at art school start giving me a hard time about my birthday being on April Fool’s Day, well…they might just be sorry. :D haha  No, honestly, there are a few people there who might give me a hard time.  Well, I have my big bro, too.  Instead of taking care of them myself, I’ll just have Noah do it. ;) heehee