Perfection

I am currently reading a book by Marti Olsen Laney, Psy.D. called The Introvert Advantage- which obviously isn't about religion, but I found one page particularly interesting.  God made us so perfectly.

Let's say you are walking around the block at about nine P.M. and suddenly, out of the blue, a large coyote circles you, his head low, his eyes sizing you up for a tasty evening snack.  Your body accelerates into the Full-Throttle System.  Your pupils dilate to let in more light.  Your heart pumps faster against your chest, and your blood pressure elevates to give your organs and muscles extra oxygen.  Your blood vessels constrict to reduce bleeding in case you are wounded.  Your brain is signaled to go on hyperfocused alert.  Your blood sugar and free fatty acids are elevated to give you more energy.  Your digestion, saliva, and elimination processes slow down.  This fight, fright, or flight system is activated for emergencies, real or imagined.  It is our active external coping system.  It prepares us to make snap decisions to fight if needed or to head for the hills.  Thinking is reduced, and the focus is on activity... Our bodies run primarily on this system until we are almost two years old.  This gives us the energy and the enthusiasm to explore the world...

It's so interesting to me how intricately God created us and the world.  He didn't just make us a blob with a brain, but a well-designed being made to thrive in his creation.  He also didn't just make a tree pretty to look at- but he made it even more interesting- made of atoms (and whatever protons, neutrons, mitochondria and stuff in each atom), with a complex purpose of taking carbon dioxide and creating oxygen and producing fruit for us to eat, a habitat for animals to live, shade, wood to build... Only God could create the world so perfectly.

Tell Them You Love Them!

Please keep my whole family in your prayers just for strength and encouragement and more good days than bad days for Gram and Pap.  Papaw especially is not doing well now- not sure what is going on (hopefully just meds?) but he's recently undergone Chemo and had a mild heart attack, but he is so frail and mentally not with it (when he is with it, he isn't making it easy on the people taking care of him).  Gram is about the same- but Alzheimer's isn't easy to deal with, at least she has a pleasant disposition though.  They may have many years ahead, but it's tough right now.

It has gotten to the point where one 24-hour care-giver isn't enough (thanks Aunt Laura for your willingness and heart to spend literally all of your time taking care of them, and Mom and Aunt B for doing it when you can).  I'm thankful to God for having family that takes care of each other.  I'm also thankful that I have a job, wherein I have the flexibility to work from anywhere, and that I don't have ties to anyone/place so I can now be here to do whatever I can to help out (not that I've done anything yet, but I'm here when I need to be).  Although I was already considering moving back to Midland, this trip is making the decision even easier.

Due to only having 1 cat carrier and having 2 cats that will not ride in the same carrier, Hashi got to roam free the whole trip- she chose this spot though...

Give your family a hug and tell them you love them! Treasure your time with your loved ones!

Past Due Post

Here are a few pics from the last few months- in no particular order. 

In January, I went to Seattle.  Ally and Ross got me the best gift ever- tickets to see Itzhak Perlman.  It was amazing (for those of you who don't know, he is one of, if not THE best violinist alive today).  Thanks y'all!

Pike's Place Market

 New games in a coffe shop.

 I have no idea where this it, but the water and mountains were beautiful!

And finally, the last week with BR.  I definitely miss the fun friends there, like this night in the suite at the Spurs game- very fun times.  But so glad to not work there anymore.

Throw Snowballs at Santa

Today:
I found two very important thing that have been missing.  Amazingly, they were right under my nose the whole time;
I'm hoping my new assistants get everything done and done right- I'm excited to have the help and they are learning quickly- it's not as easy as I told them it would be though, sorry!;
I still hate Dallas, I tried to like it and I'm over trying- when is my lease up?  Why did I move here on a whim?  Oh, because I like to change it up every year or so;
I'm learning some North Dakota law as I will soon be working North Dakota title.  So, I will have worked in 4 plays- Eagle Ford, Haynesville, Barnett and now the Bakken- here's to broadening my horizons;
Is a beautiful day;
I realized that I prefer the OKC Thunder to the Mavs.  But the Spurs still hold my heart with the top spot;
I heard the phrase "You're throwing snowballs at Santa"  I love it;
My favorite song is "From the Inside Out".. it will soon change though, I'm sure; and
I wish I could hurry and get this project done so I can celebrate Cinco de Mayo appropriately (being a full day of anything besides work).

Is it summer yet?

I spent the last week back in San Antonio- Ally came to visit, so we spent time floating the river, enjoying the warm sunny weather, and time with Audra/Andre and the kids and Paden and Liam.  It was fun!  Of course I didn't take pictures, but Ally took 1, and its a beauty... 

Since Ally and B are both pregnant, I've been having fun looking at baby stuff.  I'm excited for them both and me who gets to be Aunt Lani to more children.  I even thought I could be a foster parent (since I'm working at home all day, I figured it would work), and then I remembered I don't like responsibility, staying up all night, cleaning up poo, being thrown up on or being kept up all night (among 50398 other things)- so I think I'll just volunteer my time to another cause.

AAA insurance is awesome.  I had this happen while I was in a parking lot... $2000.  This would really annoy me if I had my old crap Farmer's Insurance, but AAA took care of things so fast and easily, that my car was fixed 3 days later, and I didn't have to do a thing except answer the door to get the keys to the rental car (and of course pay the $200 deductible).  But no, I am not a paid sponsor, I have just been the victim of a hit and run 4 times, with different insurance companies each time.  By the way, thanks to all the people  who are so kind as to not leave a note at least. 

I purchased my tickets for Cabo today- for our 4th of July vaca (and I must mention that I'm getting them for free- thanks to thousands of dollars to American Airlines and prior trips, I have 60K miles- and by "free" I mean I still have to pay $75 in taxes).  Also, I'm hoping to visit my Alabaman friends in the next few months.  But most of all, I'm excited for spring and summer.  I bought Jeff Hobbs' new album today- and it reminds me of such fun times going to outdoor and/or small venue concerts  this time of year.  So here's to dive bars, Bud Lights, good friends, and fun music on warm summer nights!

And I can't forget my latest artwork.  It goes vertically, not laying down as the picture depicts- but I've been wanting to make this for a few years and I finally did and I love it. 

Tomorrow begins pedicure season, so if anyone knows of good places in North Dallas/ Plano area- let me know! 

Prison and Polygamy

So, I've been in Dallas a week... yay.  Love the new job- my boss is a great guy (what a change), but working from home whatever hours you want is hard for a procrastinating, bad time manager.  So, I'm going to have to fix that stat.  The is great when I actually get with it, but you don't get paid for not working- obviously.
I just spent more time looking for a used washer/ dryer than I did negotiating for, picking out, shopping for and getting my truck last year.  The piles of laundry all over the floor can now begin to disappear so my new place will actually feel like home- instead of being covered by evidences of moving. 
Ally and Ross will be here in a few days for a wedding- yay!  While Ross hasn't scheduled in time to see me,  Ally and I are going on a road trip to my favorite city, San Antonio, for some sister/ cousin fun.  Hopefully I'll be pseudo-unpacked / settled by the time she gets here and someone will take pictures- probably Audra.  I'm definitely missing Audra, Andre, and their kids, Paden and Liam, as well as San Antonio friends- looking forward to meeting people here.  What am I going to do all summer now that I can't float the river 5 times every weekend? 
I realized this weekend, as I watched a Lock Up marathon while anxiously awaited Sister Wives, that all my favorite shows/ movies are about polygamy or are prison-related (Prison Break, Lock Up, Sister Wives, Big Love, Shawshank, Count of Monte Cristo...).  I'm not sure what thay says about me... lets be clear that I have no desire to be a polygamist or go to prison.

I never take pictures and I have exactly 3 pictures on this computer (it's a year old but I still haven't transferred everything from my old computer), but here are some random San Antonio times.

Halloween

Me and Liam

I forgot how to fix my blog design

Know why I haven't blogged in months?  I do nothing but work... super fun...

Problem: I'm tired of having my life revolve around work- tired of only talking about work- tired of working 11 hour days plus weekends, tired of a boss that doesn't respect us (that's putting it as nicely as I can)... I'm also tired of San Antonio.  I haven't gotten involved with a congregation here or found any singles' groups (or groups around my age that don't revolve around raising godly children or strengthening your marriage- ugh). 

Solution: Move and find a new job.  I was considering moving to Alaska (which I still hope to do one day- but hopefully after I've practiced law long enough that I don't have to take the bar there- 5 years) and taking a huge pay cut just to get away from working all the time and start something new.  But then a job in Dallas presented itself on a silver platter in front of me.  I know there are plenty of congregations to choose from there, friends, and now a great job.  Here's to working from home in my pajamas and getting up whenever I want and setting my own hours and not working 11 hour days and not working on weekends and not getting yelled at for asking for soap in the bathrooms... doesn't that sound wonderful?  I agree.

So here's to having a life!  And, if anyone is interested in a really nice place in NW San Antonio... I have one you can rent until September...