Up close and personal with Christen Joy (McCroskey) Noblitt

I knew of CJ all through high school because Jane Grills used to talk about how great she was all the time, and I didn’t like it because Jane never wanted to be my friend, so in turn I decided without ever even seeing CJ that I wasn’t a fan. Oh jealousy, you always make us think dumb things.

We had lots of mutual friends in my later years in high school, but I still don’t think I knew her until I started working at Chick-Fil-A where she became one of my favorite people in the whole wide world!  Here’s an interview with her so that you, too can get to know her!

Please state your full name and age.

My full name is: Christen Joy (McCroskey) Noblitt
I am 25 years of age (and man do I fill old already)

CJ, I know you like music because I remember us talking about it a lot and I remember all of the great bands that you recommended that I listen to! Currently, what is your favorite band? What is your favorite song (if you have one)?

I do LOVE music! I listen to it all the time, in my car, at work, when I’m cleaning, etc. I was just thinking about this the other day… how many people listen to that one band that has lasted over decades?! For me, that band is Dave Matthews Band. I started listening to Dave before it was “cool” and they are still one of my favorites! But I like a lot of other types of music too, Needtobreathe, Goo Goo Dolls, Jason Mraz, and I’m still a fan of old school Hanson (haha), just to name a few off the top of my head! I constantly listen to the radio switching between all the stations, country, oldies, christian, southern gospel, praise and worship, rock, lite rock, and little hip hop and r&b thrown in there for a mix. Can’t think of a favorite song right now.

You are married. I know you are. I was there for the nuptials. What is your favorite part of being married?

Married life is wonderful. There are rough patches, but I love the fact that the same person that frustrates the heck out of me one moment is the only person in the world I want sitting beside me the next. I love sharing my thoughts and life with one person. I love not have to explain myself, he gets me, he even knows my next move. I love seeing some of my personality quirks rub off on him… he’s starting to do dorky random things just like me and I love it! There are moments of sheer aggrevation, and irrational rage, and immediate remorse, but mainly the days are filled with admiration, respect, and good laughs. And, now I can’t sleep without him beside me.

If I were going to start a band and I asked you to be in it, would you? What would you want to do? Play tambourine? Sing? Dance?

Wow a band. I don’t think I would could should ever be in a band. I’m awkward, I have little talent… But I enjoy singing. If I were good at it, i would sing. not up front and center, but just somewhere in the background. I would have a blast dancing around and acting goofy but the second I think the spot light is on me… I’m done.

You work at the courthouse in downtown Greenville. Is that still true? What is your favorite part of your job?

Yes I work at the courthouse in downtown Greenville. I don’t feel I should comment on my job right now. All I am going to say is pay your bills so I never have to see anyone I know come across my desk (I deal with debt collections and foreclosures) It’s sad. I’m very busy and I deal with these sharks of attorneys that just work for the big banks that want their money.

If you could do anything in the whole world (as a career) what would you do?

don’t really have a dream career right now. I guess being a mom might be in the cards for me at some point. I would love to be a stay home mom, but if that doesn’t happen, then I’ll deal with that then. I was never a reach for the stars, I can do anything I set my mind to do kind of kid.

How often, would you say, do you lose your keys?

The question is not how often I lose my keys, but how often I lock them in my car! Enough for it to be a hassle and a burden to call someone to come rescue me! But luckily it has been awhile since thats happened!

What other things you think the general public should know?

I’m a scaredy cat. I really am terrified of a LOT of things.

I LOVE my dog. I am the 100% example of NEVER say NEVER. Up until last July I would NEVER have a dog live inside my house, especially one that shed. I would NEVER let a dog sleep with me. Now, the little joy of life is my Dog named Taylor. He sheds like no one’s business. I am not a very good house keeper, and now its even worse with all the dog hair everywhere! And he takes up the whole bed at night! Brent is constantly getting shoved aside because of this precious pup stretching out over the entire bottom half of our queen sized bed. But I love how he has stolen the heart of myself and my husband. His cute face just makes us melt, even after he’s chewed up an enitre roll of toilet paper and I have to pick up the little scraps of pieces all over the floor!

CJ, I miss standing in the drive-thru (or in the back on a lucky day where we could have unlimited conversations) laughing and talking about everything from music to boys and food and family.  You always made my days at Chick Fil A so much more enjoyable!

Oh to be a kid again.

When I was in about the 3rd grade, I had a dream that I had learned how to ride my bike without anyone’s help.  The next day I woke up, and I rode my bike for the first time without falling, and without anyone’s help.

I miss thinking that all of my dreams could come true.

I had the hardest time deciding between D.Z. (Discovery Zone) and Skateland USA.  It was even harder trying to decide if boys should be invited (they never were).

I miss having birthday parties and getting gifts that I would lose the next week.

On the stairs to the third floor of the church right outside of the choir room, I told Rachel Barden and Amanda Harris, and Kimi Bagwell that I liked Jeffrey Laws.  It took me a long, long time to realize he was never going to fall madly in love with me. Dang.

I miss secret crushes and giggling every time they walk by, trying not to be obvious.  (OK so maybe this one isn’t quite ONLY a childhood memory :))

Every year, Matthew and I would be up at about 4 in the morning and we’d be so excited we thought we’d pee on ourselves.  Our gifts were always separated on the couches in the living room, and our stockings were always overflowing with the most exciting things in the world.  We’d sneak in our stockings and then go back to bed for about 2 hours before finally deciding we’d laid there long enough.

I miss being so excited about Christmas morning that I couldn’t sleep past 4 am. I miss thinking that nothing was better than getting Girls’ Life and American Girl magazines in the same day.

What do you miss from your childhood?

Think about it…

Potato soup on a chilly, rainy day.

Grey’s night with Ashley.

Weddings.

Yellow things and Purple things and bright blue things and red things and green things. I like colors.

Writing from right to left.

(beautiful art (music, painting, graphics, writing, people’s faces.

Jamal.

Those girls in the youth group.

Chacos.

Sleeping with the windows open.

These all have something in common.  What is it?  First person to guess correctly (word choice is important) gets a blog about them!

There is a clue somewhere in here.

Things that make my heart smile.

Things I shouldn’t have to say, but do.

Girls, close your legs. (4th graders)

I had no idea that Jesus would reveal how he was going to return in a movie called 2012! Thank you for letting me know what to expect! (a conversation with some 3rd graders)

You’re telling me that the plastic spider ring on your hand is putting a real curse on me?  Like you’re seriously not joking right now?  (after being cursed by a kindergarten boy)

Girls, you are not ever allowed to kiss each other again!  I know you were just playing, but that’s not appropriate!  (to 2nd graders)

Double dating is not allowed.  Dating, in general, is not allowed!! (to all of the children who like to swing)

You are a boy! You should be chasing people, not crying because the girls won’t let you play with my hair! (to a 4th grader)

Oh blessed children.  How I love you.

To: Me, From: Me

Sarah,

It’s me, you-in the future.  You know because you are reading this letter that you will live to be at least 24! But things don’t really start to look better (not that things really look bleak for you now.  Other than the fact that you don’t have a car, and you used to have lots of friends and now you don’t, and not a single boy even knows your name.)

(I’ve attached some pictures of now for you to take a glimpse at…this is what the future looks like…still no flying cars.  I know, I was looking forward to that)

Being so eager for a car must be wearing you out! I promise you’ll get one, and I promise waiting the extra few months for a much much much nicer car than you expect will be well worth it!  For now enjoy bumming free rides and not having to pay for gas, and insurance, and taxes, and oil changes, and new tires!

Please don’t for one minute take your friends at church for granted.  Your friends at school (all 4 of them) are great, and necessary for not hating your life for 8 hours every day, but your church friends will still be there when you are 24, the school friends- not so much.  You’re going to lose touch with them for short amounts of time because people live separate lives, but they will ALWAYS be there for you when you need them or want them.  And in the end, you’ll spend any free time you have with them because that’s what makes life good.

School is important, but I promise, you end up doing fine.  You’ll get accepted to every college you apply to.  College is a different story, but you won’t know how it ends until after you’re 24 :).  I know…sounds super promising.

Right now you’re probably thinking that you’ll go to Monaghan forever (and maybe you’re right), but when you get to college, visit other churches.  You’ll never know how blessed you are to be there until you’ve experienced other churches.  You won’t have to do interpretive movements forever. (Yes, please, go ahead and Praise the Lord for that!!)

As far as boys are concerned.  STOP BEING CONCERNED!!!  Seriously.  If for 10 minutes you’d think about something reasonable instead of thinking about boys, your life would be significantly more productive and probably a heck of a lot more meaningful!  But seriously, here’s a warning, because I know me, and I know that me now and me at 16 have the same brain, and I can’t talk you out of things.  You’re going to decide that you are madly in love with some pretty crappy people, and your heart…oh, your heart…It will be broken a few times by people you never even dated.  But there is hope.  I promise.  I won’t give you tons of details because what’s the fun in that, but you’ll meet the man you never would guess was the man of your dreams until you get to know him, and he’ll be so funny, and so cute, and so godly, and he’ll love you- and you’ll never question that.

You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, kid.  You make me proud to say I was you. But take the time to be 16.  Have fun with friends.  Say yes to dinner.  Don’t stress about a date to prom, because you won’t go! Don’t be afraid of telling people why you have hope and joy and peace.  Learn to love now, so that later it won’t be so hard for you.  Be proud that you’re 16 and never been kissed (I know that’s more embarrassing than your most embarrassing moment, right now).  You’ll be 24 and kissless, too. :)  It’s such a good life.  Don’t ever wish you could be that girl.

Sincerely,

You, but 8 years older.