Catez at AllThings2All tagged me to participate in this Seven Sevens meme. I like lists, and I like Catez, so here goes.

1. Seven things to do before I die

a. Go to Europe, particularly England. I’ve been an Anglophile ever since I read all those kidlit books and murder mysteries set in England: C.S. Lewis, R.L. Stevenson, E. Nesbit, Lewis Carroll, Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers.
b. See all my children to adulthood. My mother-in-law prayed that she would live to see her youngest grown, and she lived for five years after I married her youngest child, Engineer Husband. My youngest is four, so I have a ways to go,
c. Write a book. I know, I know. Just start writing, discipline, etc. However, blogging is about all I can handle at this season in my life.
d. Read all the books on my List–which keeps growing. Therefore, I’ll never finish it, but I’ll always be working on it. Until I die.
e. Live near my parents so that my children can enjoy their grandparents and vice-versa. But they won’t move, and I can’t so . . . .
f. Memorize at least one book of the Bible. I need to start working on that one.
g. Plant and grow a really good and fruitful garden. I’ve planted really bad gardens and really weedy gardens. The perfect garden eludes me.

2. Seven things I cannot do.
a. Draw. Dancer Daughter draws beautifully. Some of my other children show artistic talent. I do a great stick figure.
b. Dance. Again Dancer Daughter and some of the other urchins are elegant dancers. I don’t where they inherited the ability, but it wasn’t from me.
c. Play the piano. I have such talented children.
d. Make crafts. I don’t have the patience or the ability to sew, crochet, knit, stamp, embroider, or do any of the dozens of other crafty things that other women do. And whenever I’ve tried I get pity and offers to fix whatever I’ve produced. 🙁
e. Harmonize. I have an alto voice, but whenever I sing in a group I can’t really do anything but the melody–sometimes an octave lower with the men.
f. Play sports. At least one of my children did inherit my nonathletic abilities.
g. Read music. I know which note is an ‘A” and which is a “G”, but I can’t figure how people know which tone to sing in response to that note on the page.

3. Seven things that attract me to Engineer Husband:
a. His looks. He’s a very handsome and distinguished looking guy.
b. His intelligence. I like intelligent people.
c. His seriousness. I know you’re supposed to say “sense of humor,” and I enjoy silliness and laughter as much as the next person, but a steady diet of frivolity and froth would make me crazy. I’m glad Engineer Husband can laugh with me, but I’m even happier that he can think with me.
d. His faithfulness. He’s faithful to the Lord, to me, and to our family. What more could I ask?
e. His courtesy. He’s the most considerate person I’ve ever met.
f. His passion. He’s passionate about science, math, the Bible, apologetics, and me.
g. His service. He spends his days, and sometimes nights, serving me, serving our family, serving the Lord, finding ways to serve more. He’s amazing.

4. Seven things I say most often
a. I do not understand.
b. If you had the sense God gave a cabbage. . .
c. Lord help me . . .
d. OK, settle down.
e. Rub my shoulders.
f. I’m tired.
g. Let’s go.

5. Seven books (or series) I love (easy question)
a. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
b. The Lord of the RIngs by JRR Tolkien
c. Lord Peter Wimsey books by Dorothy Sayers
d. All the books by Charles Dickens
e. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt and its sequels
f. All the Bertie and Jeeves books by P.G. Wodehouse
g. Jan Karon’s Mitford books
Go here for about 60 more favorites. Who in the world could limit herself to only seven?

6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over if I had the time)
a. White Christmas. We just watched it tonight. We watch it every Christmas.
b. The Princess Bride.
c. Lord of the Rings. All three of them, extended editions, on or around Tolkien’s birthday, January 3rd.
d. Henry V.
e. It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. The best comedy ever made.
f. The Sound of Music
g. The Importance of Being Earnest
Go here for Semicolon’s 105 Best Movies Ever

7. Seven people I want to join in, too
a. Eldest Daughter
b. Dancer Daughter
c. Organizer Daughter
d. Sister at Seize the Book
e. Donna at Quiet Life
And is it true that Real Guys don’t do memes?
f. David Wayne at Jollyblogger
g. Ariel at Bittersweet Life

I can think of a few other guys (whose names I will not mention or link) who could afford to spend a little more time on memes and a lot less time sniping at each other. If any of you want to participate and change both subject and tone of the blog conversation, feel free.
And here are the seven sevens you’re supposed to list:
1. Seven things to do before I die
2. Seven things I cannot do
3. Seven things that attract me to [my spouse or significant other or best friend]
4. Seven things I say most often
5. Seven books (or series) I love
6. Seven movies I watch over and over again (or would watch over and over if I had the time)
7. Seven people I want to join in, too