How long has it been since you went to the mall??

I lived in Rexburg, Idaho for approximately, a long time. It is 30 minutes to the nearest mall! And its a tiny mall at that. So I almost never really felt a need to go there. Ever since I moved, I've been poor. Well, I live in San Antonio now where there are apparently several of them. I went tonight to help a friend shop for a summer dress she could wear to church. Well goodness gracious great balls of fire! I had this horrible flash forward to someday having a teenage daughter who wants to go shopping at the mall. How can I tell her no way! Well the answer came as I was talking to my friend. Her and her boyfriend were somewhere, I can't remember where or when and I'm sure the details are unimportant, but a few paces behind them was a little family walking. The conversation went something like this:

Little girl: "but Mom, why can't I have 5 inch plastic platform heels? 'So and so' has them!"
Mom: "Because you're not a hooker!"

Ha! how can you argue with that right? Not that 5 inch plastic platform heels necessarily make you a hooker of course. I know plenty of girls that can pull that off in a classy way, but that will be my answer to my little dears if any of my girls ever get the idea in their heads of wanting to dress like...well, like that. Holy cow when did "fashion" get so trashy? So I haven't been to the mall in a while, but I also don't think I've been living in a hole this whole time. Have you seen the movie 13 Going On 30? The part where the 2 girls both have to present their big ideas for the new direction of the magazine? I know they were trying to show the 2 extremes, but I like the first, slightly scary, supposed best friend's presentation is exactly what I saw in one of the stores I went in to. Frightening indeed.

Anyway, I freaked out for a moment, terrified about one day having to try and help my girls understand why that is not cool, and I know it's only going to get worse. I applaud all of the mothers who have taught my generation of daughters well, the mothers now who face teaching their little ones, and the little ones that will someday become the future mothers and will have to teach their daughters amidst the scarriness that will only continue to get worse.

Thank goodness for a living prophet and the truthfulness of the gospel restored right? It makes the job of motherhood seem almost do-able.

"Do you need a man in your life?"

So I stopped at the gas station on my way home to fill up. The guy at the pump next to mine smiles at me from across the way, asks how I'm doing tonight and then asks " So, do you need a man in your life?" Ha. Do I ever! I figure it is either painfully obvious that I'm lacking in that department, or he thought I was hot stuff. Obviously the latter is the truer of the two. Did I respond in the affirmative you ask? Well he was of the older and slightly creepy variety so I respectfully declined. But it definitely made my night.

As for other fantastic happenings in the life that is mine, I am house sitting for only one more week. Then I can fully move in to my apartment! I'm working on a list of goals, one of which is to make a real home cooked meal for my roommates once a week. I feel like I need to be more domestic, that and if I want to eventually have meals as a family, I should start learning how to prepare them. Thing is, its super hard to cook for one. So I'll start with 4. We'll see how it goes. Another lofty goal I have is to use the available fitness room. I'm going for 3 times a week. And there, since I wrote it down, I will be held accountable.

One last thought before I head to the land of dreams (or in my case deep sleep where I may or may not be dreaming, but definitely don't remember any by the time I am jerked into half consciousness by the dog who needs to pee at 3:30 or by my alarm at 5:30, both of which are disgusting hours to be awake), wow how's this for a long sentence? Anyway, I work with a bunch of dudes... Henry, Roy, Ram, Robert, and Art or Kook, and my supervisor Shawn. I have a great appreciation for these guys. They keep me laughing all day and every day. We mostly joke around, but in the joking we talk about life a little, and we've had some good serious conversations. I love being "a peculiar people". I know that we are supposed to stand out, to be different, and not be afraid of that. I am so grateful for what the gospel teaches, that none of us are perfect now, but we are all working at it, therefore we can't judge, rather we've got to love, see the potential in others, treat 'em like the Sons and Daughters of God that they are. It feels so good to be a part of that. Hmmm not sure if any of that made sense, but I'm grateful to be where I am.

Well, as you can see, its official. I'm a Texan! Ok that's not totally true, the day I went to get these beauties, a guy came into work and asked who had Oregon plates. That would be me. So together we gushed for about 10 minutes about how much we love Oregon. Its true Oregon will always hold a special place in my heart and I want to have a home there someday, but oh how I have come to love Texas in 6 short months.

I can't believe it has already been 6 months! This week I registered my car here, and signed a year lease with an apartment, so I guess Texas really is my home for now. When it reaches 86 degrees the first week of March, I know I made a good decision. I have never in my entire life signed a lease for a whole year. I think this is a good step for me. Moving forward, growing up, and all that jazz. I'll be living with 3 other rather lovely girls. A year is a long time, and while I wonder what changes will come, I know they'll be great ones and I look forward to every minute.

A good friend inspired me to again begin blogging, so this will be the first of many I'm sure. I have all kinds of adventures, like locking my keys in my car, housitting a ginormous dog, playing with my little adorable niece, working an interestingly fun job, attending a small branch of about 25, road trips, dates, dancing, and the list goes on. So stay tuned. (PS Dafni I love how I'm writing this like its addressed to lots of people, when I'm fairly certain you will be the only one to read it. A fact I'm very ok with. )