So Where Are You Guys From?

It's an easy enough question, usually, and a very popular conversation starter. But this weekend, it was too confusing for Sammie and me to answer. A year ago we moved from Va to Pa and a week ago, we moved to Austin, Tx for the summer. This weekend, we were in El Paso for a wedding of friends we had in Virginia. So, when anyone asked us where we were from, and how we knew the bride and groom, it was difficult to back track and get to a semi-coherent answer.
It was a beautiful wedding and one of the best days we've had in a long time. I like to tease Jesse and Echo (bride and groom) that they are Ken and Barbie. When I was a little girl, my sisters and I loved to play Barbie and especially loved to plan and execute Barbie and Ken's wedding. Well, Saturday I saw Barbie and Ken get married and it was more beautiful than anything I ever imagined as a little girl. Sammie would say that Barbie could have found a better Ken. (He and Jesse have that kind of relationship.) But I think I'm proof of the miracles that a fabulous woman can do with her husband. :)
Maybe Sammie (who was the wedding photographer) will let me post a picture of them on this blog. In the meantime, here's a video that Jennie (my baby sis) took of Sammie and Jesse playing in their band, Barefoot. We uploaded the clip to youtube.

I Have a Feeling We're Not in Pennsylvania Anymore, Phoebe

If Sammie's mileage countdown across the country ("52 more miles to Texas... 48 more miles to Texas...") had somehow failed to tip me off that I was in Texas, the following 2 clues would have surely given it away. At our hotel in Dallas, I made a Belgian Waffle for Breakfast (I think I blogged about this when we drove home for Christmas). Texas has special waffle irons, though. The waffles come out in, yes, the shape of the state of Texas. Then, yesterday morning, Phoebe and I went on an exploring walk. We found lots of cool places by our apartment and lots of fire ants found us. When I got home, shaking fire pants out of my pant legs and socks, Sammie said, "Welcome to Texas, Melba!"

We had a wonderful trip across the country and got to see lots of friends: The Choates and the Kidds in VA, the Andersons in NC (who showed us around the Duke campus), and the Markhams in Dallas (we got to see Ella's kindergarten graduation!). Highlights of the trip also included the monsoon we drove through in Mississippi, leaving my purse at Jonas and Rachel's in North Carolina, and the absolute jitters we both had as we drove into Austin.

We have a nice apartment, very close to Dell and lots of shopping. We miss State College, though. We knew we loved it there, but we didn't realize how much until leaving. We'll see all you Penn Staters in the Fall!

Feeling Lucky?

Melba and I took Phoebe on a walk today and as we were finishing I decided to look for 4-leaf clovers. Melba kinda mocked me -- so I reminded her of the time when I once found 3 three 4-leaf clovers in one day. She walked a little bit further ahead, and then in no-time I saw her pick a clover from the ground and start walking to me.

"Did you find one?" I asked.

"No, not really. Look."

Then she showed something that isn't a 4-leaf clover.



There are 5 leaves here. Four symmetrical ones, with a fifth leaf growing above them. Crazy. (The clover is a little bit mangled, and it wilted a little bit by the time we got home to take the picture, but I assure you -- it is for real.) I kept looking for a little bit longer until I found a 4-leafer. I decided that it would take too long to try and out-do Melba........

32 Down, at least 16 (but more like 24) more to go

I’m officially done with the first year of MBA School. Um, that’s it. And we’re leaving for Texas Monday. But that’s not why we blog – we blog to tell people the funny things we do. So here’s a part of the conversation Melba and I had about finishing up the first year of MBA School:

Melba: So, you’re done with the first year of MBA School.

Sammie: Yes, I’m done. So what does that mean?

(Pause)

Melba: I don’t know – what does it mean?

Sammie: I don’t know either. That’s kinda why I asked. They taught us a lot in the first year, but they didn’t teach us that. I hear it’s an elective for the 2^nd year.

OK, I admit that’s not really funny. In fact, it’s not even kinda funny. In fact, I wonder if I should even post this blog. Spending the past two weeks taking finals has made me pretty boring. I ought to be funny again by the time we make it to Austin.

As I write this stupid blog, Melba watches a stupid chic flick. I laugh at the cathartic scene where the bratty step-daughter finally has a heart-to-heart with her step mother (right then, the step-mom goes into labor – funny) and Melba wishes me away. Then she says, “I like Emma (the step-mom). Of course, she’s too good to be true, but everyone needs a character that’s too good to be true.”

So I say, “Melba, you have someone in your life who is too good to be true.”

Melba looks at me, smiles, and says, “Yes – my sister, Carrie.”

This blog sucks.

I’ll post something better sometime later.