"Well, sis, I've finally become a man"

This blog is in honor of my youngest sibling, James. James is 13 yrs old and going into 8th grade this year. Next Sunday, we celebrate "Gotcha Day", which is the day we adopted James, or, as he remembers, he adopted us. James is really an amazing character. He may not be book smart, but the kid's a genius when it comes to mechanics. At 13, he can fix the lawn mowers, rebuild trailers, and pretty much run anything on wheels. He can drive a standard. I can only manage an automatic. Genius. See, on the other hand, I can name you the American Presidents. Does this earn me a living? No. James will be able to not only make money, but he will save money by fixing his own car. James is one of my heroes. He rocks. At the same time, he's starting to hit those changes every guy must go through. His voice has finally changed, he's officially taller than me and Mom, and yesterday, he came to tell me the "good" news. He was giggling in the way 13 yr old boys do and he (annoyingly, because it makes me feel short) put his arm on my shoulders. "Hey, Chris, guess what!" I stare up at him, wondering what marvel he has ready for me. Did his mini chihuahua try to attack my grandma again? Did the transformers morph or transform into giant bunny rabbits? He doesn't keep me in suspense long. "I got my first armpit hair!" In true boy fashion, he raises his arm and basically tries to rub my face with it. Gagging, I pull away just in time to hear him say, "Yep, now I'm a man!" And as I run away, completely grossed out, I hear my parents dying in hysterics behind me.

So here's a Happy Gotcha Day to James. I'm very proud of the way you're growing up.

Close Encounters of the...Wrong Kind

So...my adventure tonight began innocently enough. Sasha had to go out for her pre-bed time potty break. She was half way down the ramp when suddenly she froze. Matt and I were standing on the porch encouraging her to hurry up and do her doggie business. Then she started growling. Ok. My first response is, it's a rabbit or cat. She's about to take off. By now, Sasha's started barking at the bushes. Matt's trying to figure out what she's growling and barking at and I'm trying to get Sasha back inside. Forty-two, Phillip's dog is trying to get outside now and Matt's still staring into the darkness. Suddenly, Matt stops me. "Listen, do you hear that?"

And I do. From the bushes that hedge our yard, I hear a massive sound of something big...very BIG moving in the bushes. I'm convinced it was our neighbors pit bulls. So I practically shove Sasha inside with my foot, all the while voicing my opinions to Matt, who has taken up Sasha's spot on the ramp. Now, for a little background, my aunt was attacked by a pitbull that belong to neighbors, so I'm very wary of being outside at night with those things. Whatever was out there sounded BIG...HUGE...ENORMOUS! Matt flung a hammer into the bushes and for a minute the noise stopped. Then it started again. I ran inside and watched from the screen door. Matt yelled for me to get the gun....Gun? What gun? We don't own a gun? See, where I was thinking big dog, Matt was convinced it was a person, and I had just blown his bluff of having a gun.. lol. oops.

Matt is still flinging things off the porch when I decide it's time to go get him inside. All we're equipped with is a BB Gun I stole from James that has no BBs. Then, from the bushes, three black shadows emerge. Matt's pointing and yelling, "Look! Oh my God! Panda, what is it? Is it a possum?" (yes, I know it's spelled wrong) I squint into the darkness...I must note that there is still a loud moving noise coming from the bushes. The figures approach...and I see what they are...

.....

....

...Armadillos. Yes, the Texas native Nine-banded Armadillo. Each one easily as big or bigger than Sasha. Three of them. Coming towards the porch. Matt yells at them and flings something else...maybe a broom...at them. Then, surprisingly, one of them veers off course and comes toward the ramp! Right at us! 2 seconds later, I'm inside with Matt close on my heels. The whole time, he's yelling things like, "Oh honey, those things are massive! Can they get in the house? Will they attack you?"

So, while I tried to reassure Matt that armadillos do not usually attack people (although that one that came at us was pretty agressive), we watch as these things literally take over our yard. They strategically spread out, some going under our porch, others heading for the garage and another prowling our flower beds. By now, I'm feeling like I should wrap tin foil around my head like the kid in Signs. I mean it was weird. I've never seen that many armadillos at one time. There was anywhere from 3 to 6 armadillos outside. An Armadillo Migration. A definite experience of a lifetime. Now, Matt is recovering from a major adrenaline rush. This was his first time seeing an armadillo. I have a feeling we won't get much sleep tonight.

For those of you who don't live in TX, here's a picture of a Nine-Banded Armadillo.

Refineries at Night

I realized somethings tonight on my way home. Matt and I have often discussed the area we live in. I don't know if everyone discusses their home town this much or if it's just us, but it comes up a lot when we talk. We can both agree and strongly disagree on this subject. For example, we both agree the 4 acres we live on is the most beautiful in the area. We constantly disagree as to whether or not southeast Texas is, indeed, the armpit of Texas. Keep in mind, that Matt has a job that constantly forces him to look at the bad side of Beaumont. So here's somethings I love about my home town area that others may not appreciate.

1. Refineries at Night - I am very aware of the pollution these things cause, and during the day, they're just giant hunks of metal. I am aware that I live on what is called the cancer coast of America. But refineries are really pretty at night. When I was little, I used to see them as little cities. I would imagine that they looked like the New York skyline in the distance.

2. Flat Land - Hills are pretty, but plains are practical. You can grow things on them and your calf muscles aren't killing you after you push your groceries up hill to your parking space. I like being able to look in all directions for miles. And if you squint, a tree line can look like a mountain range.

3. The Rain - I like it when it rains. I DON'T like it when I have to drive in the rain. Rain, to me, is very calming, and the bigger the storm (excepting hurricanes) the better. I slept through Humberto, which was a Category 1 turn tropical storm that blew through a few years ago. If the electricity hadn't gone out, I would have done the same with Ike. The wind, rain, and thunder help me sleep.

4. The Heat - Don't get me wrong, I like snow and cold weather too (maybe occassionally is a better word). But I like basking in the sun. It gets rid of headaches and beats never being able to warm up.

5. The Greenery - We live in a sub-tropic zone, I think....from what I remember of geography. This makes everything really green. And I like it. Some people may like the brown/gray view of the mountains. I like a nice green lawn that nobody had to water. The Big Thicket rocks.

So, I will keep you updated on whether Matt and I decide to permanently reside in Texas or pick a different area. But I will always be able to see a few positives to living here.

Surprises in Life

It's funny how life NEVER works the way you plan. I think it's God's way of reminding me who's in charge. It's not the mechanics who "fixed" your car (which broke again after they said it was fixed finally). It's not the teachers who often and sometimes repeatedly get things wrong. And it's most certainly not the government. Life throws surprises at you. This week, it threw a massive flaming comet at me. It was one of those things that didn't hurt too bad, but definitely makes you think. So here I am again, (this happens a couple of times a year) everything I thought I knew has once again been ripped away and replaced by a new concept. For the privacy of some of my family, I cannot put what has happened on here. But I can say that right now I'm thinking people are really selfish sometimes. And sometimes your one selfish moment can effect everyone you have ever known. Even if only for a brief time. It leaves them asking the same questions your spouse and children are asking. People watch you from afar. They watch your actions and put faith in those actions. So when you act contrary to those images you have created, you break people's trust in you. It may not be fair, but it happens. People need to learn they don't live for themselves. Wouldn't things become fair then?

"She prayed too hard"

Admire my dream car, the Dodge Charger.

So, after my car once again stopped starting, my mom decided it was time to take it back to the dealership. Because it wouldn't start, she called my cousin, Frankie, who said he would take it up to Sour Lake for us. Mom and Katie (my 7 yr old cousin) said they prayed for it but, alas, nothing was happening. Then, around ten, my grandma came and prayed for the car...she turned the key...and the thing started. My mom, beyond elated, jumped in the car and drove off to Sour Lake while calling Frankie to cancel the tow. After talking with the mechanics who needed it to repeat it's lousy starting habit, we agreed to leave the car there until they can see it happen.

Now, as a reminder. My car has not consistently started for over a month. It starts about 1/3 of the time. We brought the car in on Friday last week. Today is Tuesday. It has started EVERY time they try it. Every. Stinking. Time. I asked Mom about this and her response: "I guess Mawmaw prayed too hard." lol. This is just a small picture of what my life is like on a daily basis.

In other news, I'm recovering from a nasty sunburn. It's in the peeling phase and driving me crazy. I'm also still searching for a job. The other day the phone rang and I eagerly picked it up. Here's what followed:

Me: Hello?

Caller: Hi Christy?

Me: (Thinking: O my gosh, it's a school! Job offer! Woohoo) Yes, this is Christy

Caller: Christy, this is Linda.

Me: (Thinking: Linda? Mom's friend? Or a job offer? Sounds nothing like Linda...) Oh, hi, how are you?

Caller: I'm good. I've been trying to get ahold of Matt all day, is he home?

Me: (Thinking: Oh that Linda! My mother-in-law) Yeah, he's here....

See? Every caller could be a potential employer, and yet everytime, it's my mom, or matt's mom, or my grandma. It's driving me CRAZY! All of you college students griping about going back to school...THANK GOD you're still in school. This is the worse economic time to graduate. lol. Other than that, though...I'm good. I'm going to shower and scrape off dead skin.

Fanatical Frasier Fans

One of the first things Matt revealed about himself is that he is a Fraiser fan. At first, I didn't think much about it. Ok, Fraiser, I can live with that. But I didn't realize that he was serious. He has seen every episode of Fraiser multiple times and can pretty much quote the lines along with the actors. I didn't know this before the wedding. But I found out almost instantly after the vows. At our cabin in Utah, we could watch Fraiser when we woke up and when we went to bed. And we did. Every day. Now that we've gotten back, we continue the tradition of watching Fraiser before we go to sleep.

In other news, Phillip and I played badminton with Mom and James today. I had a hard reminder of why I hated badminton class but this was loads of fun. We didn't keep score but we got a kick out of pretending to know what we were doing. Phillip and I found a soccer ball and decided to start playing soccer. It'd be fun to get some friends together and play every once in a while.

So tonight, I hung out with Phillip, as Matt is working late, and we watched old NCIS episodes and made fun of 42 (his dog). The poor thing has sonar radar receivers for ears and constantly looks depressed. But Phillip loves him, so who am I to judge? All in all, it was a good day. Rating: two and a half thumbs up.

42 looks down-trodded for the camera!

Why I currently hate my car

Above: Me standing beside my "car" (the little blue thing in the corner)

Let me explain my newest adventure. I was presented with my '03 PT Cruiser my sophomore year in highschool. I thought the Cruisers were sweet when they first came out. Since mom did too, my parents decided I could get my car early. I was totally psyched. This meant that I didn't have to drive mom's Crown Vic. To be fair, this car has taken me everywhere since then. To school, work, and other fun places. But now, my car has decided to play dead. It all started when occassionally my car wouldn't start. I'd have to turn the key once or twice before it starter. Keep in mind I'm completely motor-retarded. So my auto terms are limited. Then one night at work, it took 5 minutes for it to start. Alarmed, I talked to Matt and Dad and decided to bring it in. We assumed it was the starter. So, three weeks ago, we had the starter replaced. Should be no problems right? WRONG! The next week, it started "not-starting" again. So we take it in again. This time it's some pipe-thingy and the belt. Ok. Fine. I'm completely out of money but it should be okay now. It's not. Today, I start out for school. I lug my stuff out of the house and into the car. And...it refuses to start. By now I'm pretty tired of my car. To make matters worse, I now have to drive mom's truck to school. Mom's truck is this giant red monster with brakes that don't like me and Palin stickers adorning the back of the cabin. To say the least, no college student wants to drive this thing. So, my car emergency crew (dad) makes some calls. Apparently we may have a problem with the fuel pump. We know this because the ONLY way my car will start is if I turn the ignition while my dad crawls under the car to whack my fuel tank with a 2x4. I kid you not. So, now, for the 3rd week in a row, I have to scrounge up money for my miserable excuse of a motor vehicle. Yipee. I cannot contain the excitement.

Books I've recently read or re-read

So, inspired by April's blog on regency romances, I decided to share some books I've been reading. (mainly to save april from herself). So here goes:

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - I'm a huge Austen fan. I'm re-reading this one because I haven't read it all the way through since highschool. This book is great not only because of the great sappy ending, but because Austen does something no one else had done before: introspective character. Her characters think. And the reader knows what they're thinking. Austen was awesome. End of story.


2. The Unlikely Disciple by Kevin Roose - A look at evangelical Christianity by a non-evangelical. There's no great conversion at the end, but it's an interesting look at this brand of Christianity. It really paints the picture of Christians who are just people with shortcomings and failures. I like that. Christians aren't perfect, though many Christians and non-Christians think they are or should be.

3. My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay - About a group of teenagers on a mission trip who end up being attacked by local people. Again, faces the issue of Christians with doubt or anger. Too many churches don't admit that Christians can have these feelings. It's not right but it happens. More people need to discuss it.


4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo - Just to see how accurate Disney's portrayal was, I picked up The Hunchback a few years ago, right after graduating from highschool. This book is amazing. Want a good story with a great twist at the end? Try this. And it's fairly easy to read as far as the classics go.

5. Sophie Scholl and the White Rose by Jud Newborn - my favorite history book. Well written and informative. I really love this book. The movie isn't bad either. For those of you looking to make the leap to non-fiction, I really suggest this book. It's how history should be written. It helps too, if you like history.

There you go. Five books I strongly recommend. Even if you don't like it, you will definitely learn a few things. They all make you think. Thinking is healthy. And have I mention how much I LOVE Journey?

Being Sick

I am rarely sick. I don't remember ever getting the flu or pneumonia or anything related to the crazy weather around here. Allergies cause my eyes to dry out occassionally but overall, I am a healthy person. So yesterday when I woke up feeling light-headed and a little nauseous, I didn't think anything of it. I told Matt I felt kind of funny but honestly, thought it would go away in an hour or so. Mom and I took the car to Sour Lake because it's not working again and on the way back I got steadily worse. Anyone who knows me understands that cars in motion do not agree with my stomach, so I'm still thinking it's the heat and mom's driving. Little do I know that it's not hot. My body has decided to boil my own blood as I sit fighting off nausea anytime I move my head too fast. Matt calls and asks how I'm doing, (apparently he had a premonition of how bad this was going to get) and informs me that he'll be home in an hour to take care of me. By the time I get home, I can barely change into some cotton cut-off pjs and crawl into bed. Sasha, my loyal puppy climbs into bed next to me and I pretty much passed out. When Matt gets home, I'm sure he loved getting to see me too scared to move and griping about how hot it was when the temperature was 70 degrees at the highest. So, needless to say, yesterday was a long day. I pretty much lay in bed all day, waiting for my head or stomach to explode. Today, luckily I was able to move without wanting to puke even though I'm still exhausted and having some bad stomach cramps. It's official - I hate being sick. But a big thanks go to Sasha and Matt for putting up with me.

Sasha, my brave guardian, who decided nap time with me was better than treats.

My caretakers!