Friday: You Asked. Now You Shall Receive.

Several months ago I started a grandiose tradition known as "You Asked. Now You Shall Receive" Friday. The premise was that you all would email me questions regarding my truly exciting life and I would answer them.

It's purpose was twofold:
1. To give you a sneak peek into my life. Because clearly, having a BLOG is not "sneak-peak" enough.
2. To make me feel like someone gives a heck about what kind of dryer sheets I use.

Neither of these things have really panned out.

Mainly because, like, three of y'all emailed me questions. And also because I forgot I had even started the tradition. Which I'm not exactly sure even constitutes a "tradition"...but I digress.

So it's Friday, and well, I'm taking full advantage of it. I had just enough questions to scrounge up some material for this week. But you know what that means? (Here we go listing again.) It means two things:

1. Next week there will be no Friday unless you all email me questions. Seriously, Friday's will be cancelled all over the world.
2. This week won't really be that good because let's be honest, I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel on these questions.

*Note: Don't be offended if "bottom of the barrel" questions happen to be yours. I just realized how rude that sounded. I do apologize. I don't take it back mind you...but I do apologize.

Jenni asks: I'm curious ... I want to know how you picked Remi's name. And do you mind telling what her middle name is? I lovvvvvvvvvvve different names!

Sure, Jenni. My child's full name is REMI HOPE RADKE. That's right...I'm a Radke. NOT a Lee. (But don't get ahead of yourselves, that one's a comin'.) I named her Remi when my cousin, Meridith, found it on the internet and it sounded good with Radke. It has no special significance, no woman in the Bible was named Remi, and it doesn't belong to a third cousin twice removed who was a war veteran. I just liked it. It means "champagne." Isn't that corny?

Hope is the most special of the two names. I always loved the name Hope but felt it was a little "General Hospital" for a first name. But it was important to me to use it because of the all the power that little name holds. Hope. I needed it, and man, did she ever bring it. I still love it.

Anonymous said: Some may not know this, but I know your last name is Radke. Why Lee?

Well, here's the dealio. For years I have gone by the last name Lee. It's my maiden name and when I moved to Nashville I began doing studio work under the last name Lee and made a lot of connections with that name, and well, it stuck.

In fact, to be honest, only those I go to church with know me as Radke. Everyone I've worked with in this town have always known me as Melissa Lee. When I started my blog and I started traveling and speaking/singing at various churches I asked the AG what I should do...he suggested I stick with Lee. He said it was easier to remember, to pronounce and just rolled off the tongue better. And if he's a Radke and saying that, well, then who am I to disagree?

So Lee it is. It is actually very natural to me. In my heart I'm a Radke - because I'm the AG's and he's a Radke. But in my head and on paper I will always be Lee. So when they sign my big, fat checks, I would prefer they make it out to Melissa Lee. Actually they could make it out to Rosie O'Donnell and I would take it if it was a big, fat check.

Okay, that might be stretching it.

Hannah asked: Melissa, when you are home alone what is your biggest weakness?

Well, Hannah. Believe it or not - it's celery. I love celery. I love the crunch of it and what it does for my body and my health. I love how it makes me feel and ....oh, okay, I can't even finish that with a straight face.

Hannah, I know you are thinking I'm going to say something like Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Blue Bell vanilla completely drowned in Hershey's syrup. But I'm not. Although I could.

It's naps. Hannah, I am a napper from waaaaay back. I always took naps. I never complained. I never cried. Heck, mom says I used to suggest them. And still to this day I enjoy turning the ceiling fan on high, spreading out a blanket across the bed and curling up in a fetal position, kind of nap. It's never a long one, only 3 or 4 hours...just kidding...but I still love them to this day.

Except when the AG home. He is a productive kind of guy (which I hate, loathe and despise) and sees them as a waste of time. Except on Sundays. Then you had best not ring our phones between 2 and 4. That's all I'm gonna say about that.

So there's our Friday edition. Wasn't that fun? Now you see a personal side of me that you wouldn't normally see any other time except right here on this blog, Monday through Thursday. See what a rarity that is?

But I need your help. If you have a question - and nothing is off limits - then email me. I would be happy to look your question over, pray about it, decide that it's too embarrassing to answer and pretend I lost it. So send away!!

Until then, remember, I like y'all. I really really like y'all. So have a wonderful weekend and a happy new year. (I'm just sayin' - in case I forget later.)