A Story in Three Acts

1) I just returned to Oklahoma from a much-needed vacation to Oregon. I got to stay with my lovely roommate from college and her hubby. It was absolutely gorgeous! We hiked this waterfall, hung out in this quaint little wind surfing town, ate at a German restaurant, and visited the world's largest bookstore. Having my beau there made it all the more wonderful. I swear I am getting more crazy about him every day! For my mother's sake I will clarify that we did not "shack up" during this visit; rather, we stayed in a real parsonage with real pastors. You'll see pictures within the next couple of days of the whole visit.

Air travel was another adventure in itself. (You can read about my last trip to Portland here.) We were flying standby and didn't have a single problem the way there. On the four-hour flight to Dallas, JT gave me his seat but ended up on the flight anyway. He did not have the same luck on the Dallas to Tulsa flight. And so my heart broke as he gave up his seat for me and I left him in Dallas at eleven o-clock with a dead phone, a dead iPod, and a broken ankle. What a good man.

2) The story takes a different tangent now. I was upset because the one time I leave Oklahoma, my grandparents (the Mexicans who live 14 hours away) announced they were coming to visit with two hours' notice. We quickly tried to figure out a way for them to meet my boyfriend because it's rare that they come into town since my grandma had a stroke last year. Since he sacrificed his seat for me, that dashed all hope. As I picked up our baggage, still feeling horrible for leaving him, he calls me from a strange cell phone revealing he was renting a car with a fellow stranded passenger who was around his age. They would pick up their luggage at my house when they arrived in Tulsa four hours later. I must have been quite a sight dragging three heavy, heavy suitcases to the airport parking garage. It was almost one-thirty when I finally got home, put their suitcases on the doorstep and tried to get things in order for my first day at work the next morning.

It took about an hour to clean up a shattered root beer bottle (we brought back his favorite, which Oklahoma doesn't stock: so typical) and the strawberry jam we bought for my parents (which conveniently ruined my clothes). Around 3:30, my mom wakes up the entire household, including my grandparents. It was the first time I'd seen them this year, so hugs and kisses were in order, despite the hour. Then, when my mom finally turned off the lights at 4:00 in the morning, who should she see but JT and the passenger on the front door step. So at 4:00 in the morning, fate intervened and allowed an important meeting to occur!

3) My first day on the job is almost over. While I still don't have a good feel for my work yet, I am optimistic that things will work out as they always do. The people I work with are great! It's about a five-minute drive from my house and I don't have to be to work until 9 AND I still get an hour lunch break, so I am definitely a happy camper! It's a salary position so no more time sheets! Hooray! I have my own office with my own nameplate already. There's a free running track up here and workout center, as well. I'm VERY excited about that.

Be prepared for pictures so beautiful you won't know what to do with yourself.