**taken from Kelly. 

I need to thank her for helping me (unintentionally) for giving me the idea for my first official post at my new home. 

Hi my name is Dawn.  I go by many names–but my faves are honey and ma ma (sadly this one only happens are accident).  My students call me Dawn or Finley and I answer to either as well as Teach (I am fond of this one too.).

I have been a wife for over 7 years and I have loved every minute of it.  I cannot remember what it felt like not to be Mrs. Fin.  I wake up everyday happy and amazed that I have such an awesome husband.  I am proud to be his wife and proud that is is now called Dada.  I owe much of who I have become to my husband.  He is my rock.  He forces me to question what I believe and who I am.  I never wanted children or to be married until one fateful night when he held my hand across the bar…at that moment I knew I would marry him and have his children.  I still have issues about not yet being able to have a biological child.

I have been a mom for a little over a year and I still have to pinch myself to remind myself that I am not dreaming. The journey to mother hood was long and hard but worth every defeated step and painful procedure.  I didn’t not carry my son in my womb, but I couldn’t love him more if I did.  He is pure joy.  He has taught me a great deal about life and myself in the 13 months he has been my son.  I am still blindly walking through this world of parenting and learning that there are no rules–except for Love They Child.  That I do. 

I have lived my life in fear too long.   Not a danger fear, but ruled a fear of failure.  I don’t know where this comes from–well yes I do but it is profoundly personal (but it does happen to one in four women).  At an early and impressionable age (15) I was made to feel useless and worthless and nothing I did or could be was good enough.  I have carried that burden with me for far too long.  I am shedding it–or am at least going to try shedding it. 

I fear failure.  It is sadly an unfounded fear as I have been lucky in life and have accomplished all things that I have set out to do.  The fear is paralyzing and is keeping me from being the best person I can.  I am ready to be the best person I can.  I no longer strive for perfection because I have long learned that perfection does not exist in the real world.  Moments and people are only perfect in context not in an absolute sense.

I have a love/hate relationship with both gambling and alcohol.  I love to gamble but I can easily do it and forget the rest of the world.  That is a dangerous slope to traverse.  I have decided recently that it isn’t worth it.  I have to remind myself of that often, but I don’t miss it.  The excitement sure, but that can be had in many different ways.  I do not drink often.  I love wine, but I love wine not in the same way that I use to love drinking.  I enjoy wine and its complexities as I do a good cup of coffee.  I have it only at special occasions and I no longer ever drink to extreme excess.  I long ago came to a fork in the road.  Thankfully I picked the sober one. 

I am a horrible chit-chatter.  I like substance to my conversations.  I don’t like small talk–I think this is why I haven’t been to Blogher either year.  I have great friends, but making new friends is hard for me.  Maybe this is why I like blogging.  I have lots of “friends” and I don’t have make small talk. 

I love learning.  I love reading.  I love to write.  I do all of those things almost everyday.  I read whatever I can get my hands on and once I start a book it is rare for me not to finish it.  But sadly it does happen.  Some drivel just cannot be read.  I am a trained photographer–although so much of what I learned in school has long been forgotten.  I too often forget to take my camera with me places I should.  I love to capture real moments.  Life is in the details. 

I love my brothers.  They both have taught me many things in life and I am proud to be their sister.  They make no apologies for who they are and they love fiercely.  I would do anything for them and I know they feel the same way. 

I love to cook.  I finally have a kitchen that allows me to cook.  I just wish I wasn’t so tired after chasing around my toddler to cook.  Food is to be enjoyed.  I wish I had the time to enjoy it. 

I am the person you tell your deepest darkest secrets too.  I am the best listener you can find and the most loyal friend to have.  I know when to listen and when to give advice.  I know whether you need a shoulder or a kick in the ass.  I am fiercely loyal and passionate. 

You can call me Mom, Teacher, Wife, Daughter, Sister and most importantly you can call me Friend.