Train Travel

One of the things I love about bigger cities like New York, Washington D.C., Sevilla, Spain, Mainz, Germany is the public transportation systems. I love them. I love staring out the window at the world zooming by outsize. I love knowing that there is so much outside of that car I should be dealing with, but I can't, because I am being taken away to someplace and there is nothing I can do but sit and wait.

Today, I rode Dallas' great public transportation system back to Ft. Worth. I took the DART from by my house to downtown Dallas, then got on the Trinity Railway Express to go the rest of the way to Ft. Worth. Now the DART is just a little metro, but the TRE is a real live train.

My great-grandfather was a train conductor 70 years ago. My grandmother always talks about how she would ride the train with "Mother" to visit my grandfather. I would have loved to have been with her on some of her trips.

My father is a pilot. I have always loved flying, especially flying on his flights overseas...first class.

Traveling is something that has been instilled in me, and I am grateful for that because it brings me much joy and anticipation.

Now, enjoy these pictures from my journey.

My view as I pulled away from Union Station in Dallas.

The view in front of me...please don't make fun of my feet.


Me, peacefully reading, listening to James Mark, and enjoying the world rushing by...and the cute/could-be-annoying-if-I-didn't-have-my-iPod-in kids next to me.

PaDebi

Well, it happened. I left Waco. I moved to Ft. Worth a week and a half ago for an internship. I now "work" at Gladney Center for Adoption. But I'm not talking about Gladney now, I'm talking about PaDebbie.

Translated that is Paul and Debi in 2 year old language. I met Paul and Debi about a year and a half ago at my mom and stepdad's rehersal dinner, and then again at the wedding. That was it. After the wedding Paul and Debi left my mind.

Then this past fall I decided to do my internship in Ft. Worth...meaning I would have to find somewhere to live. In Waco world, or maybe just Antioch world, poor students living with families for very little is fairley common, hello my life for the past 5 years. So, my mind immediatley went to looking for a family to let me live with them. Surley someone has family in Ft. Worth that doesn't mind having me live with them for 3 months. I mean I'm quiet, I don't eat much, I stay out of the way, I have the ability to clean up after myself (much to my roommates skepticism), I really wounldn't be much trouble...I sound like Mr. Jones.

Anyways, someone mentions Paul and Debi, and immediatley I knew that I was going to live with them and it would be wonderful. I never once had a doubt in my mind that this was not exactly what was supposed to happen. To this day, I still believe that.

Paul and Debi have been such an incredible blessing these past two weeks. Already I have learned to keep a room clean for a week and a half, that you can buy shrimp deveined (but I also learned how to devein a shrimp, if needbe), and that it is possible to go to bed before 10:00. But really so much more. I have learned how selflessly these two people are laying their lives down for other people, be it me, their son, their friends, or whoever they are with. They love extravagantly and have taken me in as one of their own.

In a time where I am so far from any of my homes, it is nice to still feel at home (and have someone cook dinner for me every night!) Thank you Jesus for PaDebi!

Mr. Jones and Me

Well, here he is. The Beloved Mr. Jones. I first met Mr. Jones outside of my old house. I was walking someone out to their car at night and when they turned on their lights, there he was just sitting by the curb...the cuttest little thing you have ever seen. I couldn't resist. He was such a little thing, so poor and defenseless, I couldn't help but pick him up and bring him up to the porch. (I will pause here to let you all know, incase you didn't already, that I have NOT always been a cat lover. I used to call all 7 of Whitney Shanhouse's (friend from high school) cats "Tito" because I didn't care enough about them to learn their real names...even now I can't tell you what they were.)

I couldn't just let the poor little thing go off wandering into the night, digging through trash cans for food! So, much to Tiffany's dismay, I gave the little kitten some milk...from her ceramic heart bowl. Yeah, that didn't last very long. The next day I caved and bought some cat food from the store. And from then on, he was my little Mr. Jones (well, he was Maia at first, but we had to change the name after he, um, matured a bit.)

Well, Mr. Jones has moved to a new home. It was time. As I have moved to Ft. Worth for this semester (more on this to come in later posts) I could not be responsible, or have others be responsible, for him anymore the way he deserved. He is in a good home, the best one he could posibly have. He has much more land to wander, pounce, and prance around in. He will like it there.

So, Godspeed, Mr. Jones. Be good for Lane and Amy. Don't be afraid of Kingsley (their great dane) and Ruby. Be a good hunter and take out those pesky squirrels for them. And most importantly, don't run away, you won't get fed that way! Love you Jonesy.

I'm not dreaming!

It happened. Every December 24th, for the past 25 years of my life, I have gone to bed dreaming I would wake up the next morning to snow covering the ground outside. And finally, this morning, as I arose and looked out the window I almost cried at the sight of it...it was beautiful, my first White Christmas.

So, what did I do? Well, obviously, I went outside and made a snowman.


Yes I, and I alone, made a snowman, I guess attempted to make a snowman would be better. The snow was very powdery, making it hard to pack it down. But that 2 and a half foot tall snowman, with a leaf for his nose and berries for his mouth and eyes, was one of my most proud creations.

Of course my grandparents and mom thought I was so cute, I think for my stepdad, aunt, uncle, and cousins, it just affirmed their thoughts of my strange ways...but I don't care, I LOVED making that snowman this morning. It was the hightly of my day. The pure joy of being a child again - not caring what people were thinking, that my hands were freezing, or that I had no carrot for his nose, only that my heart was overwhelmed with joy that God had allowed this to happen to delight my heart for a moment, and I like to think only for that reason...I think he is living for those moments every day, I am just to blind to see them, Lord open my eyes...

MERRY CHRISTMAS Y'ALL! :)

Beaches and Books

It always seems that my mom ends up going on some luxious vacation around this time of the year...finals time of the year. New York, Caramel, and this year: a cruise.

It really just isn't fair. I sit at the library for 6 hours by a window, where outside it is freezing, and she is lounging on the deck of a cruise ship basking in the sun. I guess that's what comes with retirement.

But I guess it's ok, because she did send me this card full of awesomeness...

Inside:

Love you mom! And, yes, I will probably do that to my kids one day too...send a Godzilla card to them that is.

Blustery Day

Cold, cold cold. Today was just that, but I absolutley loved it. I hear the Dallasonians(?) had snow this morning...I am highly anticipating the same for Waco on Friday. We'll see how that turns out.

So, on this frigid evening, this is where I am spending it...


...all while sipping tea, listening to Josh Groban and creating a paper, or two.


And just for fun, here is my favorite ornament on the Murray's tree:


Put on a scarf before you go out! :)

Peanuts

I'm glad we have ours inside of our house. It's warmer inside...it is Brrr outside! And I love it! :)