"This Is Me" Thursday--I Am

First of all, I'd like to welcome my new followers. Thank you for stopping by. I hope I can keep you entertained and perhaps share some valuable information along the way.

One of the blogs I follow is written by a young lady whom I admire. At 21, she's profound and quite sweet. Every Friday, Julie Rose Sews  posts a "Fill-in-the-blank" entry and I thought it would be fun to do a series like that here. So, for a while at least, Thursday's will be "This is Me." I'm hoping to tell you a little about myself and at the same time, become self-aware.

Please feel free to comment and share. We'd like to get to know you, too.

I am:

• A mother, step-mother, wife, daughter, sister, cousin, and friend. Someday, I'd like to add 'aunt' and 'grandmother' to that list but I can wait.
• A published author and poet and an aspiring novelist.
• A partner in a small business. Our automotive repair shop has been in business for 15 years and we're still going strong!
• A student at the Institute of Children's Literature. I received my diploma for their basic course and am now enrolled in the novel course.
• 49 years old. Believe it or not, I'm looking forward to turning 50.
• A Gemini. A true Gemini. ;)
• My mother's oldest child. I have a younger sister and brother and we're all extremely close.
• Part Blackfoot Indian, Italian, Polish, and English. Call me a mutt but I embrace it all.
• Proud of myself and all I have accomplished so far in life. But...I'm not done, yet.
• Denise Marie. I've had three different last names in my life but I'll always be me.

Who are you?