Hi and welcome back to Take a Trip Tuesday!

Each Tuesday, we take a trip.  Go meet someone and do what I do best.  Ask them TONS of questions.  We’ll find out about this person and perhaps some great places about where they live…just in case you want to go and visit their town…so come with me on a little road trip.  Today, we’ll travel to the southwestern part of Indiana to meet a great friend of mine who I met back at Central College, in the fall of 1991, when we were just young freshmen girls living on the third floor of Graham Hall.

Today, I’d like to introduce to you ~ Michelle (Homan) Dellinger

What is your current job title?
Part time pediatric occupational therapist and full time momma (overtime is not required)

Share with us about your family.
My husband, Greg, and I have been married 12 years.  It took us a little while to find each other, but in truth it was right on time.  We have 4 children with one on the way!  Salena is 10, Baxter is 8, Eliza is 6, and Lee Emma is about 20 months.  The first 3 came boom-boom-boom, but then we really struggled to get to Lee Emma, going through 3 miscarriages.  We were quite stunned that we are having another baby this October! (and we just found out this week—it’s a boy!)

Our four children (and one on the way!)

You are living in Vincennes, IN.  Where are three places everyone should go if they come to visit your town?
I moved here, my hubby’s hometown area, about 10 years ago so I really should know this area better than I do.  First, I would recommend the George Rogers Clark Memorial.  It is a really interesting National Park explaining the history of the area and of course Mr. Clark’s role in the American Revolution.  I would also visit Greg’s parents and his aunt’s farms—they are neighbors and there is a beautiful pine forest (former Christmas tree farm) between them perfect for walking, cross-country skiing, or a gator ride.  Greg’s mom is about the best cook ever—homemade pie anyone?—and Aunt Mary’s has a gazebo and pond perfect for paddle-boating, fishing or swimming.  My kids think it is their own private Disneyland.  They don’t seem to have quite the same appreciation for our own place, but I would think you’d want to visit here too.  Greg is a conventional and unconventional farmer.  He and his dad have corn and bean crops, as well as a saw-mill.  We have lovely woods off the back of our log home, and Greg has started lots of berries, grapes, and other perennial food-bearing plants on our property.  Oh, and we have honey bees.  Who wouldn’t want to see that?
What is something you love about your home?
Our back deck that overlooks our backyard and woods.  Sitting back there with my hubby after the kids go to bed.  Mmmm, closest thing to heaven.  Need to make sure we do that again sometime—it’s been awhile.

The beautiful view from our back deck

Share with us what your favorite meal is.
If someone else cooks it… no, I do love to cook, I’m just in that early-summer overwhelmed state of “what do I feed all you people who think you need to eat 3Xs a day.” I love Thai, especially red curry, but we don’t have that available in our small town.  That or a Target.  The sacrifices we make for love.

Tell us about an amazing place you have visited.
I’ve been fortunate to have traveled a lot prior to starting our family.  I spent a semester in Europe in college, and did one of my clinicals in Seattle for 3 months after grad school.  Our honeymoon was pretty sweet in Poudre Canyon of Colorado.  My tour of the Midwest is pretty impressive I think, actually living a variety of cities and states.  Plus lots of little trips visiting family and friends around the country, including Hawaii.  I would say the most amazing…would be Seattle.  This one place had it all—amazing rainforests, mountains, ocean, metropolitan area, coffee, neat and friendly people.  If you appreciate culture and nature and beauty in several forms, this place is about as great as Europe.  Really, if you’ve never been, go.  Ang, makes me want to visit Tricia.

What is currently on your DVR?
Your readers may be stunned to discover we don’t have a DVR.  We don’t have cable, just network tv.  If you turn on our tv you will probably find it on PBS.  Usually this isn’t a problem, but I am a little concerned about this reality show that will be starting in August on HGTV called My Big Family Renovation.  It will be on at 11pm!  It is about the Hatmaker family—Jen Hatmaker is one of my favorite authors/speakers/bloggers.  She is rolling on the floor funny and doggone inspirational in her perspective of living life for Jesus.  I heart her.  I may have to enter the world of streaming.

Your favorite books of all time?
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen—can’t say how many times I’ve read it.  Now I’ve also enjoyed the afore-mentioned Jen Hatmaker, especially “7”.  The last fun books I read were probably the Yada Yada series by Neta Jackson—but I got nothing done during that series.  Now I facebook instead of read.  Plenty of drama, but yet I’m not quite drawn to turn the page.

Share with us a funny memory from long ago.  This could pertain to elementary school, high school, or last week…
I grew up in a farming family in Iowa, and one day we loaded our pick up with my parents and 3 brothers to take a load of hogs to town.  Afterwards we stopped at a local bar? diner? not sure how the Chatterbox would fit into today’s definition of eating establishments—but anyway, we realized it was an issue that I was barefoot and my dad and my brothers weren’t wearing shirts.  After a little conversation with the owner they served us, but I think we started the “No shirt No shoes No service” revolution.

Okay, give it to us straight up.  What are your top five go-to snacks?
Is this if I’m pregnant or not?  Water with lemon or mint, chocolate, apple, coke, or any homemade baked good, especially if it has chocolate.

If you had to live somewhere else in the world, where would it be and why?
Where ever my husband is.  I’d love to travel the world, but it would only be home if he was there.

Three things you’d take if stranded on a deserted island…
My husband, my toothbrush, and coconut oil (although if the deserted island has coconuts I’d be gold.  Seriously, that stuff is so useful and healthy!)

What are four items that are always in your refrigerator?  How about your pantry?…share three things in there.
Fridge: Eggs, Rice flour, Rice or Almond milk, carrots.
Pantry: Dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, cherries, etc), gluten-free (gf) crackers, gf pretzels, dried beans

What is your favorite thing to cook, grill, or bake?
If my husband is around to do kid duty I love to try new recipes.  Right now a Cajun steak and shrimp dish with pasta sounds good!  If he’s not, I like one hit wonders that have your meat and vegetables in one dish, like a baked pasta with red sauce, jambalaya, or a hamburger casserole.  Throw a bag of frozen or fresh veggies in there and all I need is one scoop per kid, serving is a breeze.

What are you really good at?
Telling people what I think they should do. (YIKES)  Oh, Homie!  You crack me up!  
Greg says that is not a good one.  Guess I’m not good at coming up with what I’m good at.  It is that “really” qualifier—if you asked what I’m pretty good at, I’d be able to rattle off a number of things.  Singing, playing guitar, cooking, making homemade greeting-type cards—I’m pretty good at those things.  Greg says I’m really good at those things.  So maybe I’m pretty good at fishing for compliments too.

Favorite sport?
If I’m watching, football.  If I’m playing, probably tennis.

What is your favorite season and why?
The beginning of the new one.  I’m just always ready for change by the end of a season.  I’m probably most ready by end of winter, and sometimes spring slips by too quickly, so maybe spring is my favorite.  Hmmm.  I never knew that about myself.

What are your favorite reads?
I think I answered this already, but I love historical fiction like Jane Austen’s novels.  I also do regular bible studies so I have really dug Jen Hatmaker and Jennie Allen’s books lately. (“Restless” by the latter was excellent!)  Yes, Michelle, I love those two gals, too!  I’m doing Jennie Allen’s “Stuck” bible study right now with some friends…definitely a great read!

Your top three favorite songs of all time?
“I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor, anything by Indigo Girls, and JJ Heller’s “True Things”

What is a memory you have of me (us)?
Oh Conover, this could probably get us both in trouble!  We journeyed into adulthood together through our college and post-college years, trying to navigate independence and relationships and getting real jobs.  A memory I have—helping you move into one of your first apartments—what was the name of that complex in CR?  But it was fun to help you, spend more time with your family– I think we ate pizza after unloading everything.  Did it start raining?  My memory is not as good as it should be, but you have a strong presence in my life during those years, especially after college.  And it has been a true delight to grow with you as wives and mommies!

Well, that wraps up our interview.  Michelle, thank you so much for sharing about YOU!  You are an amazing friend…I’ve loved getting to grow up with you as we’ve become the responsible, mature adults that we are!  We’ve had many great memories that began back in that fall of 1991, when I first met you.  I remember you and the girls on our dorm floor surprising me for my 18th birthday with that t-shirt you all signed.  (I probably still have it down in our basement…)  I loved our sorority memories, after college memories, and of course, our annual summer Girls’ Reunion with some of our college friends.  Love ya, Homie!  Thank you for being a guest on this blog!  Next week, we’ll look forward to meeting another person!

Remember, be thinking of how you’d answer all of these questions because I’ll probably be asking to interview YOU sometime soon! Finding out the little details about people…that’s what makes life so beautiful and interesting!!