Way fun weekend

Things that were fantastic about this weekend~

- hanging out with Ashley and Stephanie.. just like the old times :)
- The Chocolate Bar
- $5 skirts from the Loft
- Music and Lyrics (particularly watching it with the above mentioned girls :)
- Spending time with my parents
- Roy Oswalt Bulldozer Bobblehead
- Seeing the 'Stros pull off another one against the Padres in what I think is the shortest game I've ever been to (2 hours flat)
- Watching "Spellbound" with the rents
- Leslie coming home!!
- Sitting back in the Lighthouse section at church and seeing so many people that I love
- FINALLY getting our bedroom organized and clean (on to the guest bedroom!)

Blah

Ladies and Gentlemen, the forecast for the next 9 days. I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to Aug 2nd when the chance of rain dips crazy low to 30% :P I was watching the news though and I thought I'd give you all a silver lining (sorta) to look for in all the rain. We are getting drenched because the jet stream is hanging extremely low and it is trapping rain directly over us. Once the jet stream moves, the way all of the pressure systems will be will essentially paint a bulls eye on the Gulf of Mexico for hurricanes. They are saying now that the likelihood of an East coast hurricane is dramatically lower than usual and almost non-existent, while weather patterns have been perfected for a line of Gulf-loving hurricanes. Sooooo, as long as the rain stays, the hurricanes stay away. I am personally praying for a very rainy August and September to compliment our June and July although I have to say that this might be the worst summer ever for getting married in Texas... The wedding I went to last week in Dallas involved getting rained on and I can count on one hand the number of times it rained in Dallas in July the whole time I was growing up there.

Caffiene Tales

Every now and then I am really thankful that I don't drink coffee.... like when people realize that they donate $50-$200 a month to Starbucks or when they have one of those days when they drink 7 cups just to keep them conscious. This would be one of those times.

Two days ago, our office coffee machine broke and you would think there had been a death in the family the way people reacted. Well, a guy came out and fixed it yesterday afternoon to many cheers and sighs of relief. I sat down this morning and 3 minutes later it started beeping..... it's not so much fixed. I'm interested to see what kind of mood my coworkers are in when they show up and find out there is still no coffee. I believe I see a mass run to Starbucks in their future :)

Like Riding a Bike...

So it is with living alone :P You know how they say you never forget how to ride a bike? It's true, but only mostly. When you haven't ridden a bike in a long time, you tend to be shaky and uncertain and maybe just a little bit fearful.... and that finds us back at my life :)

Nate is in Russia for the next week and a half (he left Monday and gets back next Thursday) and I really don't like not having him around. I am ok, besides being a little lonely, chilling on my own when I get home from work but when I start my bedtime routine everything goes to you-know-where. It freaks me out to take a shower at night without him in the condo cause, let's face it, when are you the most vulnerable? Hmmm, let's see... no clothes, wet, and can't see anything coming at you from further than 4 ft away (2 ft for me... our shower section of our bathroom is really small :) that's right my friends...the shower. I mean, did Psycho teach us nothing? I've never actually seen the movie because then I would never be able to take another shower regardless of whether Nate is in town. No showers would, I fear, have an adverse reaction on my social life not to mention my self esteem and I also do not desire to start smelling like the guy in the cube across from mine.... (ewww)

Anyhoo, I am improving at getting over the fear that grips me at night (not only in the shower) already with God's help. I am praying for peace and rest and God has been graciously granting it to me. I figure I should have mastered the art of living alone again just in time for Nate's return....when I won't need it anymore :)

Go figure

I Finished Reading Harry Potter Last Night.....

WOW

This is my home

I went back to Dallas for a wedding this weekend (Congrats, Ben and Lynn!!) and as Jen and I drove in, I was struck by how much less it felt like my home than it used to. Jen is still VERY attached to Dallas and while she will go wherever God has her after graduating law school, her strong preference is Dallas. It's understandable with her family there and the fact that she, like myself, grew up there.

As she spoke about the all the things she missed, there were aspects that I agreed with her on, but for the most part I'm just happy to live in Houston. In some strange twist, my loyalties have transferred and I have found my new home in Houston. Dallas will always hold so many memories for me and so many people that I love and cherish still live there, but I now longer mourn it's absence in my life.

Sometimes I wish Houston was prettier, but for the most part I have learned to accept it and appreciate it for the things it does have. The friendships I have made at First are invaluable, I love having my parents close by and the restaurant choices are fantastic. Beyond that there are so many other stupid little reasons why I am glad to call this place home. I know it has always been in fashion for people, particularly young singles/young marrieds, that live here to bash it, complain about it, and constantly talk about moving away as though there could be no place worse you could possibly dwell. Well, I've left that train. God wanted me here, and now I know why and I love the city for it.

Little Pleasures

Confession - I was going to my dentist yesterday (who is out west) and I left a little early from work knowing that there is no ramp btwn the Beltway south and I-10 West and that I would need to take Briarforest to get to her office. I was driving along the Beltway, minding my own business, adjusting my windshield wipers from high to off and everywhere in between with the ever changing Houston rain, and what should I see before me as I approach I-10? People driving, WAAAAAAAY up in the air. Hmmm, but all the ramps are closed, I said to myself. I got a little closer and, yup... definitely coming from my direction and going to the right... could it be? Could I be so lucky? I WAS!!! Not only did this save me time, it made me inexplicably happy! They finished the ramp way ahead of schedule and I got to drive a shiny, new direct connector adorned from side to side with virgin, un-oil-stained, concrete. Woo Hoo!! I grinned like an idiot and laughed the whole time I was on it... I kid you not :) Life must be difficult for people who aren't easily amused :P

Happy Day

Guess what? The new Yellowcard CD came out yesterday!! I loaded it onto my ipod last night and put the cd in my player this morning. Basically I'll be listening to that for the next 1.5-3 months in my car and loving every minute of it :) I thinks that's all she wrote today. I feel as though I need to provide you with some sort of amusing little story as it has been awhile since I have done such a thing. Hmmmmmmmm.....

Um, yeah... I've got nothing. But I am going to Dallas this weekend with Jen and I am thinking that could provide some interesting material :)

I'm Standing Right Here....

I just LOVE it when people talk about me like I'm not there when I am a part of the conversation, it's so fun :P Yesterday my manager and a different department manager were bartering over my time.

"Well, I can lend you Abby for awhile, but I will need her for all of the work we have coming. Oh, and if she gets moved up then she's gonna cost you more...."

I felt like a rental car or something. If I get "upgraded" then I will be out of your price range.... things like that.... Apparently Jeff can't afford the leather, GPS, can park itself version of Abby but the Toyota Camry version is to his liking. Anyways, just one of those feeling-invisible-even-though-you-are-talking-directly-to-me-as-well moments.

p.s.- my blog has refused to publish this post twice now... maybe it knows how lame it is :P

Book Snob?

I went to go see the 5th Harry Potter movie yesterday and I was sooooooo excited! It's always interesting to see how someone else's imagination pictures what they have read in a book. Well, by the end of it when the credits flashed "Based on the novel by JK Rowling", I turned to Nate and muttered, "yeah, loosely based...." Let's count the similarities, shall we? The title is the same, most of the characters are the same, ummmm... well, that's about it.

I have vowed when going to see these movies that I will not be one of those annoying little book snobs (like I was in Runaway Jury). I realize that you can't fit that large of a book into a 2 hour movie and do it justice. In the other Harry Potters, however, the movie seems to give you the general story very accurately and just leaves out a lot of details that there is no time for. In this one I felt the movie failed to capture the true personalities of the characters, the ways they had changed since book 4, the reasons they did the things they did. The movie as a stand alone item is pretty good, although I would argue not as good as some of the previous ones.

As it is, I am now looking forward to book 7 arriving at the end of this week. I have never been disappointed by the books, although JK has admitted that she kills off 2 main characters in this book and I am anxious to find out who (especially if one is Harry). Anyways, on to the next!

Who can be against me?

Just some old school lyrics for your enjoyment :)

"Who can be against me" ~ By the Supertones

It seems like everything I touch just falls to pieces
It seems like everyone I help just falls
And how I need someone to make me feel assured
I don't need anyone if You're on my side, Lord

And I say, hey, who can be against me?,
I say, hey, who can be against me?... NO ONE!

No matter how hard I try I always fail
I'll never be like Christ
I know I'll struggle until the day, the very day I die
And how I need someone to make me feel assured
I don't need anyone if You're on my side, Lord

And I say, hey, who can be against me?
I say, hey, who can be against me?... NO ONE!

God look at me, I'm just a man
But You tell me I'm not just a man
You're so hard to understand, after all I'm just a man
God you tell me not to doubt
But I'm always plagued by doubt
And You always help me out
I'm so ashamed(of my doubt)

Houston Project

For those of you not familiar with Houston Project, it is a VBS program that our church runs in the evening one week out of every July. We go to churches that are in the rougher areas of our city and we put on the VBS for the kids. I think there are 9 or so sites, but don't quote me on that :) We feed them and sing with them, and teach them about the love of Christ. This year has been amazing! Nate and I are the directors for the 9 yr old VBS class and we have two other couples who are in there teaching with us as well. Our class is primarily made up of perfect little angels (seriously) with one or two exceptions every night.

Part of this whole experience is the feltboard. Using a feltboard with felt pieces, we tell the kids the story of creation, the fall, Jesus' death and our salvation every night. Well, we've gotten some interesting questions (and answers) in this process and here are a few of my favorites.

"Miss Cat, where do babies come from?"

Wes- "After God created the light, what did he make next?"
Kid 1- "Michael Jackson!"
Wes- "No, not Michael Jackson."
Kid 2- "LEMONS!!!"

Wes- "After God created all that, what day was it?"
Kid 3- "APRIL!"
Nate- "Uh, no...."
Kid 3- "May?"

An Ode to the Silber Tunnel.

I used to be stranded, one way to get out.

When you opened up, you removed all my doubt.

You said, "Drive on me and I'll take you to places,

I promise you to lessen your paces."

So I hopped aboard and hoped for the best,

and I have to say that you withstood the test.

~

In case you are unfamiliar with the Silber tunnel, let me enlighten you. The lovely Texas Department of Transportation saw fit to add a ramp / tunnel from the service road east of Silber that connects to I-10 East. WELL, they put the entrance in just the right spot so that I could get right on it from the condo even with our proximity to Post Oak and am I ever grateful. As much as I adored the 4 extra long stoplights I used to have to go through to get to 610, I am more than willing to dump them in lieu of an I-10 to 45 route that is, get this, FREE OF STOPLIGHTS!! That's right folks, my drive to work now has exactly zero, that's a big 0, stoplights. Thank you Silber tunnel, thank you :)

Picture Corner

Ok guys, here are some shots from the recent trip to San Francisco as promised :)


A little dewy flower in Golden Gate Park

Alcatraz :)

A lighthouse that we spotted on our drive down the PCH.

A sailboat hanging out just off the coast of Sausalito.

A lovely little, ahem... big, heart shaped crab on Pier 39.

Another PCH shot.

Lombard Street.

The Alcatraz lighthouse. It was super foggy when we went, so I was lucky to get any sort of usable shot.

Le Bridge.

Check out the rest of my pics at http://abbyjoy.shutterfly.com/action/ . To Mom and Dad and Ben.. I took several shots especially for you so see if you can find them! To give you a hint, Ben there are two for you, one of which is also for dad. Mom and Dad, there are quite a few for you so have fun searching!

I left my body clock in San Francisco...

Nate and I got back from SF yesterday morning at 6 (red eye = I'm really the only one on the plane not able to sleep :P) and we had a great time! I highly recommend this location to anyone.... we had a blast, so much to do, great weather... perhaps the most diverse city in the US as the personality changes based on what block you are on. I will be posting pics later (maybe after Houston Project...it's gonna be a busy week!) but I just wanted to let ya'll know that I'm back, tired...although not as tired as I could be, and ready to keep the blog train going :)

SF highlight ~ Walking the Golden Gate bridge, even if I couldn't get any good pics of the whole thing due to the constant light fog while we were there

SF lowlight ~ Having water thrown on us by teenage boys in a passing car as we were waiting to cross the street. We took it better than some of the other people on the corner with us... there is a lot of anger out there :P

So much going on....

First and Foremost... HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! Not only is my dad cooler than yours, he is also likely younger :) This is his 51st birthday and for someone who had 3 kids, the youngest of which is now 24 (that's me!) and now has a granddaughter at 17 months old and a grandson due in October, he's pretty darn young. I could write an extremely long post about all of the great things that my dad has going on, but let's just say this... I have never been in doubt of the fact that my dad loves me absolutely and he has never allowed me to be in doubt of the fact that my heavenly father loves me absolutely. With all of the other great things he has going on, I think these two say more than the rest about how great he is. I love you, Dad!

Secondly, I am SOOOOOOOOO pumped about San Francisco! Nate and I leave at 6 pm today and I am praying for the speedy passage of this work day :)

Thirdly, I neglected to mention another great aspect of July... Courtney's birthday is on the 18th (great day, right?) Happy Early B-day, my old friend! If my dad runs Boston this year then Nate and I will probably come up with my rents...you are SO on the agenda :)

Lastly, I have posted the video of a song which makes me smile every single time I hear it. The video is, shall we say, sub-par but hey, it was made in 1992.. what do you expect? Just kick back and take a listen... it just might make you smile :)

Why this July is the best month ever!

This July has some negative things about it (like Nate leaving for Russia for two weeks), but the positives are sure to keep me distracted while he is gone. In case you didn't get the memo, here is why this July rocks my socks off, and maybe yours too~

~ My dad's birthday is tomorrow! (Many teenagers in Katy will be setting off assorted fireworks all night in honor of the occasion :)

~Nate and I leave for San Francisco tomorrow! And guess what it's not doing there folks? RAINING! Not only is it not raining, it is forecasted to be sunny with highs in the high 60's.. mmmmm, delicious

~ Houston Project kicks off the day we get back from SF. Nate and I are directing the 9-yr-old VBS class at the Mission Training Center and we are super pumped!

~The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie comes out July 11th!

~ The new Yellowcard CD comes out July 17th... if you don't listen to YC that's ok, just don't tell me cause I don't wanna know/ feel the need to convert you. This one has been HIGHLY anticipated for me :)

~ Harry Potter book 7 is released at midnight on July 20th! And, yes, I AM debating going to buy it at midnight. Then again, I'm not planning on starting to read it at 12:01 so maybe I should just chill :P

As you can see, this July is among the best if not the absolute best month EVER. The entertainment factor is through the roof!