Member Spotlight - Mhend!!

VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Member Spotlight - Mhend

Tell us a little about yourself - your family or household, kids, pets, occupation, etc.
Well, I am 36 years old and married to a musician / engineer. We met in a smoky little bar called the Kaffeeklatsch in 2000. He had a gig there and the bartender ,who was a dear friend of mine, insisted that she introduce us. I had become a regular there as I was trying to “find myself” after suffering from a broken heart. (I found out that Corona and tequila shots really numb you to the pain and seems to speed that process along - although I would not recommend this particular method for everyone.) Anyways, back to the topic of my husband and I. We dated for a few months, but then I broke it off (still having trouble with that broken heart thing). We decided to remain friends, and we truly were. We did everything together. Eventually, we decided to give dating another shot. It worked out, and we got married in 2002. We have 2 children. Perry is 6 and Jillian is 2. I had 2 miscarriages, one before I became pregnant with my son and another before my daughter. My son was born almost 3 months early and had a very rough go at life in the beginning. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks before he was born and developed Toxemia 2 weeks after I delivered while he was in the NICU. He was there for 2 months. Now he is healthy and vibrant and full of life, and I am finally beginning to believe that he is ok. It’s only taken 6 years! My daughter Jillian is amazing. I still can’t believe I had anything to do with creating those two beautiful souls.

I was married once before to my high school sweetheart. It didn’t end well . I don’t really know what else to say about that, except for WHEW!

I grew up in a small town in Alabama (pop. 400) in a very religious home. My parents were great, but the religion thing messed me up for a long time. It was incredibly strict and judgmental. It caused a lot of pain and I lost something precious that can never be replaced. After that, I closed the door on that denomination and have never looked back. I will be able to hopefully spare my children that kind of trauma! I still consider myself a Christian, I just won’t ever be part of that particular denomination again. I am all about peace and grace and love these days!

On a lighter note, I have one brother who is a couple of years younger than I am. We are very close and he and his wife have made me an auntie - twice! I love it!


What part of the world do you live in?
I live in Huntsville, AL

How did you find the NCT community?
I am honestly not sure. I was surfing the net but I don’t remember what for…probably for cooking stuff or recipes.

Do you have any hobbies besides cooking?
I love photography, reading and watching movies. I am also a hard core RED SOX fan, forever!! I have my husband to thank for that. He took me to see them play in Boston at Fenway and I have never been the same.

If you could choose any profession or occupation, what would it be and why?
Growing up, I wanted to be an archaeologist, Indiana Jones style! I let that go and decided to become a Librarian. I love books, everything about them. The smell, the way the pages feel and the sound they make when you turn them, so it was a natural choice for me. I went to UAH and Athens State University pursuing a degree in history and planned on graduate studies in library science. I gave it up when I became pregnant with my son and decided that was more important.

What is a typical day like for you?
It would truly bore you to tears. LOL

Give us 5 words that describe you.
Patient
Loving
Passionate - I know, doesn’t fit with the Librarian image…but it’s true!
Intelligent
Sarcastic - to a fault sometimes.


Name 5 things that would be on your "bucket list".
See New York City - The one major city I have yet to visit.
See Italy
See Africa
Finish College
Get a tattoo


Name 5 things you can't live without.
My Kids
My Books
My Camera
Passion - for anything really.
Music


Who is your role model and why?
Don’t really have one.

Tell us one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to know.
I am double jointed. I can bend my forefinger back to my wrist. Ewww. Oh and I have to add one more thing: I would gladly pack up my kids and follow the Dave Matthews Band all over the country if things like money and education were not an issue. J


What would the child you once were think of the adult you have become?
She wouldn’t recognize me.


What is the best moment of your life so far?
When the doctors told me my son was going to live.

How and at what age did you start cooking?
I was around 11, I think. My mother had a breakdown of sorts and I had to step in and take over: cook dinner, make sure my brother did his homework, etc.


Do you have a signature dish or one that you make especially well?
My kids love my BBQ chicken, although I hate the stuff.

What is your favorite spice?
Paprika

What is your favorite restaurant meal?
The Crab Cakes at 801 Franklin, a local restaurant.

What would your last meal be if you could choose anything at all?
The Crab Cakes from 801 Franklin and my husbands Salmon.

If you could host a dinner party with 6 well-known guests, living or dead, who would they be and what would you serve?
Dave Matthews
Alice Walker
Anne Rice
Billie Holiday
John Coltrane
Robert Frost
If I could have all these people in my house for one evening, honestly, I would not be spending it cooking. LOL. I would be way to busy interrogating them. Maybe we could hire the chef from 801 to come and make us those crab cakes.

Who would you most like to prepare a meal for and why. What would you serve?
My Grandfather. It would be hamburger steak, green beans, squash, cornbread and of course, some fresh from the garden tomatoes.


Who would you most like to have prepare a meal for you?
Gordon Ramsey. I would love to know if he is as good as he thinks he is.

100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered?
My favorite history professor always used to say,“ Don’t worry about it. In a hundred years, it won’t matter.” I disagree. Memories and stories passed down from one generation to the next absolutely make it for centuries. The romantic in me hopes that I have loved hard enough in my life for it to be remembered and talked about for 100 years! Who knows? Stranger things have happened. :flowers:
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VeraBlue

Head Mistress
Gold Site Supporter
Thank you so much for this glimpse into your life!! What a beautiful story coupled with such beautiful children!!

Thank you again!!
 

Meme4251

New member
Very nice write up Mhend....Really enjoyed the reading....You have 2 beautiful children...Thanks for sharing....:clap:
 

Doc

Administrator
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Very well done spotlight Mhend. Thanks for participating! :thumb: And thank you Vera for getting our spotlights going again. We had a little lapse there and I missed them so.

Beautiful young ones you have there. Congrats. Sorry to hear about the miscarriages. Tough for sure. I very happy to have you as part of our NCT community. :tiphat: :clap: :clap: :D
 
K

Kimchee

Guest
Thanks Mhend!
These always help me keep my perspective on life in general...

and really help make this place more of a community than a message board. :)
 

QSis

Grill Master
Staff member
Gold Site Supporter
Mhend, that spotlight was so GREAT!!!

Loved it!

Thank you for sharing you with us!

Lee
 

Cooksie

Well-known member
Site Supporter
Great read, great photos! I enjoyed it :clap:. Lol, from archaeologist to librarian, it's funny how our paths in life change.
 

buzzard767

golfaknifeaholic
Gold Site Supporter
I love the spotlight, Mhend. Thanks for the pictures as they always add a lot to the post.
 

Mama

Queen of Cornbread
Site Supporter
What a wonderful spotlight Mhend! You're kids a beautiful! I know you are proud! Thanks for sharing!
 

buckytom

Grill Master
thanks for the very interesting look into you, mhend.

i know exactly what you mean about having to do with the creation of something really amazing and beautiful. :thumb:

as far as the religion thing goes, a lot of people are concerned with the messenger rather than the message. that's all that matters.
 

mhend

New member
thanks for the very interesting look into you, mhend.

i know exactly what you mean about having to do with the creation of something really amazing and beautiful. :thumb:

as far as the religion thing goes, a lot of people are concerned with the messenger rather than the message. that's all that matters.


Thank you. I agree about the message. Just wish it hadn't taken me so long to get their claws outta me.
 

Fisher's Mom

Mother Superior
Super Site Supporter
Such beautiful kids, mhend! And a beautiful life you have made for them. Thank you so much for sharing yourself with us.
 
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