List 10 people you have influenced you and describe them.

1.  Chuck Tuggle - my husband and life-long love of my life and best friend.  He taught me sooo much: not take myself so seriously, to lighten up, how to back up a boat trailer, how to fish with a scum frog (whoop, whoop), how to make teaching personal, how to arm wrestle, how to whistle with my thumbs, how to "face the bear", to realize that you do what you can do, to not take "no" so personally (still working on that one) - and I could go on and on and on.  He protected me when no one else would and chased my demons.  He showed me that real friendship lasts a lifetime and real love lasts longer.  He taught me that real love is unconditional - not pointing out the faults, but celebrating the good things; never judging; always constant....always......so proud that he loved me. Oh...and he taught me that the safest place in the world was inside a hug.

2.  My dad - so proud to be his daughter!  My dad was as close to a real life war hero as you can get. He was honest to a fault, worked so hard to provide for his family, treated people honestly and fairly, and was this larger than life person in my life and being his daughter defined me who I was.  He loved his children and grandchildren, and had a great life.  My dad taught me to work hard (by watching him), that you don't have to say you love someone all the time to "tell" them you love them (he showed me), that you don't have to talk alot to know alot, that if it's "my time to go -it's my time to go" (i.e. I'm not going to worry about it or stop enjoying myself in the mean time), that honorable men don't have to boast or brag...and shouldn't.  He also taught me to not discuss "work" or business at the dinner table....

3.  My mom - my mom and I were never "close" as I've mentioned before.  I know she loves me and I love her and am so proud of her.  She is a strong, strong woman and would move heaven and earth for her children and..she has.  She is smart, well-read and has always been the back-bone to the family.  She is the hardest working woman I've ever met - at 80+ she was still cleaning out her house gutters!  She was a neat freak and every annoying thing she ever told me about myself.....was true.  Every "motherly" tip was also true.  She, too, was a WWII hero - working in factories in NY on her own to support the cause for the war.

MY KIDS! My kids teach me things every single day....and influence me as well.  They are the strongest people I know.  We have been on a long journey together and for much of it, it has been the three of us - me learning from them much more than they will ever learn from me. 

4.  Tyler...he has influenced me with his quietness (never been around a boy that much before him), his ability to make almost every animal sound there is, his laugh that comes from deep inside him and his ability to let things "roll off of him" and not hold grudges.  When I get all worked up and talk to Tyler he will either calm me by saying, "I'm sure that's not what they meant", or "They must have had a bad day, " or......"MOM, you're exaggerating" or I really know I have the "right" to be upset if I get a "that stinks" or, "that makes me mad too"  "I'm sorry, mom." He's amazing.

5.  Bonnie.....she brings me out of my shell, will go to battle for her family (she can say what she wants about us, but if anyone else does - WATCH OUT!) She pushes me to face the bear and get out there and do more.  She is generous to a fault, does not hold on and lets things go, and she realizes that relationships change and that's okay.....something I've always struggled with.  Now if I call her up and am whining about something I have to be careful because she will get all stirred up and want to fix it.....she's the bull dog.  She's amazing.

6.  My grandma Hustedt.......I find myself thinking of her so often......she taught me empathy I think because I wanted to help her and her walker.  She taught me how to crochet and to help in the kitchen and that peanut brittle batter is HOT! ha  I liked her laugh....she also showed me another side of my dad ....being a son and I remember the first time she scolded my dad in front of me and I was torn between feeling bad for him and being angry at her....that was my dad.

7.  My sisters...now this might seem odd because my sisters and I aren't that close.  But for as long as I remember when I was little I wanted to be just like them.  There were a lot older and had their lives all figured out and I always worried if I would ever get it all figured out....of course I realized most of us are just doing the best we can.  I don't mean thi in a bad way, but one thing Ilearned from both of them and I think super influenced me was the way they treated their spouses. ha  I must have been at an impressionable age but I just remember them nagging and bossing and especially one sister putting her husband down in front of everyone all the time.  something in me never wanted to be like that and I never was.......I probably should have been more like it and found a happy medium, but I can honestly say I don't think I ever "nagged".  I would ask if my husband would (please) do something and if they didn't.....I didn't myself because I just didn't want to be a nagger. They also showed me that you can have almost nothing.....have come close to losing everying.....and someone will still be jealous of you because you're you.

8. My English teacher in high school influenced me with her love for teaching and us kids!  She also understood me, I think at a time when it seemed no one else did and for that I loved her.  I'm a teacher because of her today and will never forget her!

9.  My friends - they've all taught me wonderful things about being a good friend, being generous and kind.  they've taught me forgiveness and acceptance and they influence me daily.

10.  TOBY! Toby influences me all of the time.  His happy spirit reminds me to enjoy the simple things, not to hold judges, to only pout as long as needed, that there is nothing quite as "freeing as a happy dance and a great big stretch!  He's taught me that a thump in the night can be a good thing - like a dog's tail thumping in the darkness because he knows you are near.  If you have to be anything - be happy.