The song came on the radio, and all three of us started singing along. Nothing particularly special about the lyrics, but the catchy tune means we all know them and belt it out every time.

The three of us don’t often agree on music – Mark preferring classic country and stand-up comedy, Annalyn preferring children’s music and saccharine pop, and me preferring, well, everything when I pick it out and a lot less when they do – but every once in a while, the radio stars align and my little family rocks.

After the song ended I turned to Mark and said, “You know, that’s a funny thought. Isn’t it?”

Of course, he didn’t know what I was talking about, so I pointed out that the song we just sang along with is called, “The One That Got Away.” (If you’re wondering, I’m referring to the Jake Owens song, not the Katy Perry one. Although I love that song, too.) And isn’t that, I asked, a weird concept?

Really. Think about it. Someone could be out there in the world right now, thinking of you or me as the one that got away. And you have no idea! You’re just living your life and he or she is out there, reminiscing about that one moment/date/class/stare you shared that one time. What?! That’s crazy!

Or is it . . .

Earlier this week, my friend Cha Cha (no, not her real name. in case you thought it was.) wrote about the crazy “where are they now” scenarios we concoct about old flames. As usual, she cracked me up – and I couldn’t help but admitting one of my own.

[FINE. Since you asked. Though Mark is the only guy I ever dated, I did have crushes before meeting him. I wasn't dead, you know. Anyway, one guy I liked has lived in Florida since shortly after we graduated and works as a bartender. I always think his life must be a little bit like Cocktail. You know, the fun part not the depressing part. And, of course, he thinks of me often, regretting that he never asked me out. Of course.]

When I look back over the guys I’ve known, I can’t imagine anyone actually considering me the one that got away. But who knows? It’s possible somebody’s out there singing that song and thinking of me right now. Right? RIGHT?

IT’S POSSIBLE FOR YOU, TOO! Come on . . . you’ve thought about it, too . . . RIGHT?

A few years after college, a friend of mine mentioned – casually, like it was no big deal (NO BIG DEAL?) – that a guy we knew back then had had a crush on me, even going so far as to say that he’d be a better boyfriend than Mark was. (As if.) When I asked her who (WHO?!?) had said this, she couldn’t remember.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

So, like I said, it’s completely plausible that you and I are “the one that got away” for someone. And after a week of serious posts, I thought it would be fun to borrow Cha Cha’s question today and ask:

Do you ever think of “the one that got away”?
What kind of scenario do you imagine for him or her?
Or…are YOU the one that got away?

Remember that time I said I wasn’t going to try to write blog posts late at night? Yeahhhhh, about that . . .

Look. I might be taking steps to stop living in panic mode, but old habits die hard! So even though I have done so much laundry that I broke my dryer (no joke.), I’ve crossed a few things off my to-do list that I’ve been putting off for weeks, and I’m slowly finding a new work rhythm, I’m still sitting at my laptop at 10:00 at night, watching a DVR-ed episode of Arrow (I don’t know. I can’t quit it.) and wondering why I can’t put brilliant words together in the form of a blog post.

I can’t very well NOT POST, though. You know why? Because today (Friday-today, not Thursday-night-today) is the 5th anniversary of my blog! FIVE YEARS!

This means that five years plus one week ago, I DIDN’T HAVE A BLOG. I wasn’t A BLOGGER. I didn’t GO TO BLOGGING CONFERENCES. I didn’t have BLOGGING FRIENDS. My life as I know it today? IT DIDN’T EXIST.

Dude. That’s trippy.

Seriously, starting a blog is one of the best things I’ve ever done and a decision that has changed my life in so many brilliant, blessed ways. I’m incredibly grateful for every experience and – more importantly – every relationship that has happened as a result of this little blog. I think a milestone like this deserves a proper celebration. Not a slapped-together-late-at-night celebration.

So please join me next Friday for a proper Blog Birthday Party!

And in the meantime . . .

Over the past month I noticed a theme in the novels I was reading. In books as diverse as a political thriller and young adult paranormal stories, the plots all focused, in their own ways, on the importance of names. One of the books (go ahead. guess which one.) proposes that if nobody remembers your name any longer, you’ll lose your grip on life, on sanity. “Once your name is no longer spoken, what good is life?”

Hmmmm. Interesting, right?

I’d like to dive into that, process some Real Deep Thoughts about this name thing. But – I hate to break it to you – that’s probably not going to happen. So, let’s just have some Friday Fun instead, eh?

Let’s talk about names. Specifically – how did you get your name? (Or, if you prefer, where did your kids’ names come from?)

My name is from the Bible (duh. and yes, I’m serious.), but my middle name (Adrianna) is an unusual combination of my great-grandfather’s name (Adrian) and my great-aunt’s name (Anna). I used to hate it when I was younger but I love it now – both the name itself and its heritage.

What’s in YOUR name? Where did it come from? <---Tell us in the comments!

I love taking personality tests.

The day Smitty and I found an old book about personality types based on astrological sign in her parents’ attic was one of our most fun sleepovers. I still remember laughing so hard as we read about our supposed destined traits (and then, of course, as we looked up our romantic compatibilities with our crushes of the day). And I love Myers-Briggs so much that I’ve taken the whole, long, pay-for-it test twice, and honestly? I’d take it again today in heartbeat.

I love answering questions about myself and then reading about myself. Yeah, I hear it. It’s possible I’m a little self-centered. (Is there a personality test for that??) But more than being obsessed with myself, I think my love of personality tests comes from the desire to be known.

Isn’t that why most of us love those quizzes? To feel like someone finally gets us?

Whether it’s selfishness or a more universal desire for connection and understanding, the fact remains that I love personality tests. (Did I mention that?) So when my pastor sent our staff a link and access code to the Strengths Finder test this week, I was excited to take it right away.

Of course, since procrastination is an unfortunate yet large part of my personality, I didn’t exactly take it right away. But I took it today, okay?!

Anyway.

I couldn’t wait to get my results and compare them to everyone else’s. See, I’m quite sure loving personality tests isn’t solely selfish because the majority of my co-workers love them, too. And they’re truly selfless people who I adore. [So there.]

Since I joined my church staff last spring, I’d been hearing about who had the gift of that and who had this strength. I already knew that I’m an I, and much as I want to be a Lion, I’m really more of a mythical LioBeavter. (That’s an I for Influence in the DISC personality test, and I’m a bizarro mash-up of the Lion, Beaver, Otter and Golden Retriever in Smalley’s personality test with no one type showing up stronger than the other.) But today I would finally learn more about my strengths.

Crossing my fingers that the results would be accurate, I started clicking away. I made it through the questions, though they were – typical for a good personality test (and yes, there is a difference) – difficult and convoluted on occasion. Finally, I clicked “Next” for the last time and then I waited for the site to tally my results.

Strengths Finder didn’t let me down. It called me an Activator and Communicator, with minors in Responsibility, Input and Belief. That seemed about right.

Later in the afternoon my friends and I were comparing our results, and Stephanie mentioned that one of her top strengths is Empathy. We talked about what that means, because I think of myself as highly empathetic. After all, I will cry over any injury, illness, pregnancy, promotion, lost pet, sick child, disappointment or excitement you share.

But, I had to concede, though I marked “strongly describes me” on every question regarding things like, “I cry a lot,” my answer to other questions quickly revealed my bias toward myself over others.

Still, I’ve always been empathetic. Just ask my mom, who will immediately whip out the story about Preschool Me. Reportedly, I came home from preschool crying one day. She asked me what was wrong and it turned out I was upset because my friend had gotten in trouble. Enter my life-long belief that I am empathetic.

[I could give you other examples of my soft, empathetic heart here. But that seems like bragging and since we've already covered my self-centeredness ad nauseum today, I think I will pass.]

After I sent my Strengths Finder report to my pastor (because we’re going to talk about all of our results at length soon . . . I can’t wait!), he came in to chat with me. We talked for a bit about how my results were similar to someone else’s and how that looks in each of us (and how it explains why we get along so well). Then I mentioned my surprise at not getting Empathy like Stephanie did.

You know what he said? Nothing. He said nothing, because he was laughing too hard! Laughing! At me!

I suppose that’s fair, since we’ve discussed before that neither of us has the spiritual gift of mercy. Which I suppose translates into me not being empathetic. But, but, but . . .

I really thought I was empathetic!

After he [finally] stopped laughing (not to worry, I was laughing, too), we discussed how my not-quite-empathy stems from my tendency to make things about myself. So when you tell me your cat died, I AM sad for you – because I know how sad I would be if my cat died.

I’m not going to lie. I still think that’s called empathy. But it’s possible that, despite my many years of experience taking personality tests, I don’t know myself quite as well as I thought. And it’s so very interesting to me to think about different personality types focusing on self versus others or viewing people as a means to an end versus people as an end.

Or something. My mind is still spinning a bit from this revelation. The Input part of me wants to learn more, more, more about these personality types, while the Belief part of me is shaken by the idea I might not be as well-versed on who I am as I’d thought.

Meanwhile, the Communicator figured I might as well write a blog post about the whole thing!

Have you ever been surprised by the results of a personality test? What’s your favorite part of your own personality? And what’s your favorite personality test?

I don’t really know what that means, but I like saying it. I crack myself up every time I do. Anyway.

I’ve got big news to share. Big. News! Are you ready? Drum roll . . . and now you should probably lower your expectations . . . more drumming . . .

I finally got a DVR.

Yeah. I totally did. Finally! Do you realize that if you search “VCR” on my blog, you’ll get four pages of results? FOUR. PAGES. Heh. I really have loved that thing.

When Mark unhooked our old TV and hooked up the new one, he didn’t even flinch when he pushed the VCR aside. He took it out to the garage like it was no big deal. NO BIG DEAL?!

Now, look. I am super excited about the DVR. As soon as the cable guys left yesterday (after a five-hour stay at my house, during which they used my bathroom and asked me for a drink – IS THIS NORMAL?), I set that puppy up to record all my favorite shows. And Doc McStuffins and Veggie Tales.

But then I thought to myself, after a devastating weigh-in post-Thanksgiving, “I need to work out. I think I’ll do my Tae-Bo tape . . . my Tae-Bo TAPE . . . my OH NO!”

I may have gotten a little misty at that moment.

I also really wanted to cry when I realized that after decorating the top of my entertainment center for 10 years or more, I no longer have a place to put my picture frames and candles and nativity scenes.

Don’t worry. I moved those pretty things to a bookcase and got over it.

But then I realized that despite the TWO HUNDRED channels we now have (My husband, upon realizing we have the Speed channel, about cars: “Oh, I’m so excited about this one.”), we no longer have the Hallmark Channel. And during the holiday TV movie season! The humanity!

Clearly I’ve been experiencing some DVR-induced emotional whiplash. (This should come as no surprise, if you recall my haircut choices after the major life changes of getting new glasses and a new-to-me car.

So there you have it. I have a DVR now, and it is awesome. It doesn’t play my Tae-Bo tape. But it can find and record every episode of Friends out there. I think I’ll take it.

What shows do you DVR?