I’ve considered blogging many times recently. There were/are so many things I could write about. My decision to move and all that that entailed such as: my emotional but very special last day at work, joyfully getting to be a part of the first service at Spring Creek but then having an unexpected crying session with Shelby in the parking lot, my wonderful good-bye party and spending time with over-the-top awesome people who are a part of my life (who I must add seem to have over inflated opinions of me. But their encouragement makes me ever more want to grow closer to Christ). And then there was the wedding. I could write about Shelby picking me up at the airport, eating at a cute little restaurant and then taking a walk around the lake discussing her upcoming marriage. Or I could try to describe the camaraderie and giggles shared between Annie, Hannah, and I as we helped decorate for the wedding and went on subsequent errands and coffee runs together. Or picking up Shelby from putting last touches on her apartment the night before her wedding, and not fully being able to grasp that of the hundreds of car rides we’ve shared over the years, this was our last one. The last one as single young ladies. And then there was the sweetness of the new Mrs. Segar as right before they made their getaway, she sought me out to give me one last, big, hug. Or there was Vanessa telling me goodbye as we both choked back tears and her tender words of “If I could give you all the comfort in the world…”

But then, I think I would start crying if I continued on (and no one should cry on their birthday, I say!). And I would fail to have time to share about the blessings I’m experiencing over here. The way the Lord is working in my heart (painful as conviction can sometimes be), the hugs and giggles from my sweet niece, the love and companionship of my sister, and the blessing of meeting new people at the small (but growing!) church we attend. I’m realizing right now that my posts tend to be emotional and such, so instead of continuing on the brink of tears, I will share a few everyday insights I learned since being “down south”

• Before you take a trip to the zoo, check the forecast. It may be fall and Starbucks may be serving pumpkin spice latte’s but that does not stop the temperature from reaching 105 (and with the combined humidity, it does not make for a pleasant stroll around the zoo!)
• You do not, I repeat do NOT have to call ahead to the Christian bookstore to check if they have a certain Beth Moore book in stock. The lady lives in this city for crying out loud, and one glance at the book shelves proves that she is not lacking any followers.
• The best way to get plugged in to a new church is to…*drumroll*…get plugged in! Do stuff you wouldn’t normally do like join a midweek community group filled with complete strangers. Or do a “Beth Moore” study at that! (I know that not everyone back home is a fan of hers, but while I don’t completely agree with everything she says, she does love the Lord intensely and I have benefited from the group discussions that are prompted by her study)
• You may wear a sundress to church and feel perfectly comfortable during the walk there, but bring a sweater with you or else you will be shivering during the sermon!
• Metro trains are awesome!
• Riding the Metro with a creepy guy that tells you you look like “Hannah Montana” is not very awesome.
• Being a nanny makes you appreciate small conveniences (or more accurately notice when they are not there!) like a smooth edge to the sidewalk as it transitions to the crosswalk. And the absence of booster seats in the kids cafeteria at the museum really doesn’t make sense to you.
• “Y’all” often refers to two people. Although hearing a girl ask “when did y’all get married?” makes me think of a whole group of people getting married to each other.
• Texas accents are awesome!
• It feels so right to don a light sweater for the walk outside when going out to town in the late evening with your sister. But. You honestly don’t need it. For the AC theater you will want one though (maybe even two!)
• A “concrete jungle” can still look beautiful given the right conditions. Such as playing in the sand at dusk with Ari outside the University, while young people from church play volleyball…all the while enjoying the warm breeze and freedom of being outside—even if the recreation field was surrounded by tall buildings and structures.

Well that’s all for now folks. Ari is waiting ever so patiently (ha!) for me to open my birthday gifts. She is calling me right now “Kassi!” is what she calls me =) I love you all and miss you very much! But I’m also thankful for the special time and season of my life that the Lord has given to me here. But I do miss you all very much at the same time!