So it’s been a week, and I haven’t written. I know, I miss you too. The thing is, I’m in my head this week. I’ve been mulling around so many thoughts and ideas and I guess I just can’t make sense of any one of them to actually sit down and write it out.

I finally took a little time to myself after having the kids for ten days while Brandon had to travel for work, and it was great. I went out dinner, alone,and it was actually kind of amazing. I’ve talked with some friends about this, and I finally pulled the trigger a year ago ish. I mean, like sit down and order restaurant. No panera, not a bar, not even at the airport since-hello most people at the tables are alone anyway! In my 20’s the idea of doing this was kinda sad and scary. Then I finally just did it for the first time last year, and I loved it. Maybe it was because my mom watched my daughter and so I got to eat a meal quietly, un-rushed, and without having to feed someone else. And this time was no different. Well, that’s not true. I think it was twice as lovely since I was leaving two little ones and enjoying a quiet meal. Of course, I would have preferred to have Brandon there with me, but seeing as how we no longer live by family, we are struggling to find someone to watch our children (good news on that front, I think we may have finally found a new great babysitter!)

So have you eaten alone alone? How did it go?

Something else I did was watch a movie. And again it used to be one of those things when I would see people at the movies alone I truly felt so bad for them. I might have even thought they were kinda sad or strange-I mean, who can’t find someone to go with them to the movies?! Only, I was wrong, and turns out it’s pretty fun to go to the movies alone too. Of course, I am still me-very aware of my surroundings,and I did have my mace out on top of my purse juuuuuuuuuuust in case. Geez, you never can be too careful. Thankfully, there were other people in the theater which does help the creepy factor!

I saw the movie War Room. Oh.My. Goodness.

Have you seen it?!? Trust me, I already know what you are going to say, so let me just stop you right there. Of course it has cheesy cheese-it’s a Christian movie. But the cheese was very very minimal and the impact/message was incredible. Like, I dare you to see it and not be moved or changed! I dare you.

God has been pressing on my heart the importance of prayer prior to this movie, so it really just sealed the deal. I’ve been so blown away by the Lord showing me his faithfulness in prayer, and as I struggle to get back into it, and it’s like He’s trying to show me/remind me how much is at stake.

I think it comes down to a lack of discipline. The Lord is showing me that I seem to have a lack of it in quite a few areas of my life. So Brandon and I have started meeting weekly, to write out goals and go over them and see how the other is doing. I must say, it’s been good so far. I wrote out categories, and different goals within them. I made my goals practical, attainable, but also challenging.

And one of my goals, being physical, is about working out each week. Specifically running…more details next time !!!

Football season is here. And what does that mean for a non-player, or a non-watcher of the sport? Well, I would like to think not a lot. But turns out you can’t live in Katy Texas and not be sucked into the vortex that is football. It’s all around me. Just recently I was at the grocery story and it felt like the apocalypse was about to happen…people were in a frenzy, pushing their way through the grocery store. Texans are usually so polite in the store, letting you go first, holding the door open, and such. Not last Sunday! I was at the register and the checker informed me it was halftime, and they all were trying to get back before the game was back on. Hmmmm

Yes, we have plenty of friends who are very into their college football (you know who you are!) and we would of course be invited over to watch games, eat yummy food and socialize. Only difference is, when we would attend, we would be those people who wouldn’t mind sitting with our backs to the TV, cause well, let’s be honest- we were just there for some great nacho cheese dip and time with friends. And since our friends absolutely cherish us, they loved us anyway!

But since we are new in town, and all our friends here are new, I think we might have to re-think this. I have a sneaking suspicion that many friends will go into hiding as we delve into football season, and the only way to keep these budding friendships going will be to attend some football parties. But, this is one of the reasons I have this funny feeling that we may just never quite fit in here. I mean, you kind of always feel that way when you live abroad. But that’s to be expected when you don’t live in your passport country. I wouldn’t have expected that here. After all, we are in the US of A. But let me tell you, Texas is very different than California! Especially our hometown of Oceanside-the little big town where you get that great combination of it having everything-hello the best beaches in the world, new and trendy places, and the best hole in the wall Mexican food on the planet- coupled with the many many bums that roam the streets, gang violence, and run down areas to keep it real.

So when I got the recent local magazine, Katy, it became clear to me that I am so not from Texas, and I so don’t understand Texas! I was into the show Friday Night Lights for a while, the sheer amazement at small town America being so into football and all that drama, sucked me in. And even though I heard there are towns that really are that into high school football, I didn’t believe it. Until I moved here.

The weather has been lovely. It’s actually been below 80. For three days in a row. I hardly know what to do with myself!  So, a group of girls got together and took our kids to the Zoo. It was so much fun. I would have thought a group that large, with that many kids would have just been sheer craziness, but turns out we kind of corralled them (yes, we were like real live cowboys!) and kept them hearded together, and it worked great!!

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Ummmm do you see the cute baby giraffe?!?!