1. IF YOU COULD BUILD A SECOND HOUSE ANYWHERE, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

Somewhere in the south. Ether Georgia, North Carolina, or Tennessee.

2. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ARTICLE OF CLOTHING?

The grey t-shirt that Polly gave me. Its comfortable, soft and I wear it at least once a week, love it.

3. WHAT’S THE LAST CD YOU BOUGHT?

East Mountain South, great cd, I absolutely love it. Now, if only Sandra’s cd would hurry up and here. Along with Tara Leigh Cobble’s.

4. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING?

5:15am. Hey, that’s nothing, I get to get up at 3:15 next Saturday for my 4:30am shift! Cant ya just hear my shouts of joy?

5. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE KITCHEN APPLIANCE?

Coffee maker or espresso machine (Chandler!)

6. IF YOU COULD PLAY AN INSTRUMENT, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Guitar would be nice since I own one.

7. FAVORITE COLOR?

Lavender, light blue

8. WHICH DO YOU PREFER, SPORTS CAR OR BMW?

I don’t really like ether for me to drive. Too fancy, I’m not fancy when it comes to cars. I prefer a VW Golf. Silver too.

9. DO YOU BELIEVE IN AFTERLIFE?

Yup I do. Heaven sounds like a very cool place from what I can tell and its pretty amazing I get to go there.

10. FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOK?

When I was younger I loved the Disney books on tape and it chimed when you were to turned the page.

11. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SEASON?

In Cali we really don’t have seasons. Last year I LOVED winter cause I love to wear scarves.

12. IF YOU COULD HAVE ONE SUPER POWER, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

I like to fly, that sounds like it would be pretty fun.

13. IF YOU HAVE A TATTOO, WHAT IS IT?

I don’t have a tattoo. Could my birthmark count? I mean… that’s the only thing that very looks like something that could be a tattoo. It would be a painful one. OH then that would mean I’m a strong women if it is a tattoo wouldn’t it? Then yes, I do have a tattoo, on my face… of a big pile of red… stuff. Hmmm.

14. CAN YOU JUGGLE?

Two things, yes. More than two, no. If you mean multi-tasking then YES! I am a women, therefore, I multi-task. Unless on the phone, I get horribly distracted.

15. NAME ONE PERSON FROM YOUR PAST YOU WISH YOU COULD GO BACK AND TALK TO?

Christy. Well she isn’t exactly in the “past” but she is since her and I don’t really have a friendship right now.

16. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE DAY

Probably ether Sunday or Saturday. I go to church both nights and I really love my church. Saturday I hang out with Jr. High kids and Sunday I go to our most laid-back service (my pastor preaches in shorts) and neat worship with different bands all the time.

17. WHAT’S IN THE TRUNK OF YOUR CAR?

Bank papers from when I opened my account here, my back California tag (I still have my Alabama one… I have to change that now that I got a job, ek! I hate the DMV) and jumper cables.

18. WHICH DO YOU PREFER SUSHI OR HAMBURGER?

I live in the land of In-N-Out , of COURSE hamburgers. And even if I was back in Alabama Id say hamburgers. South = good BBQ

19. FROM THE PEOPLE YOU WILL EMAIL THIS TO, WHO’S MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND FIRST?

I’m not emailing it, so no one. But first person to maybe comment… Id guess Jordan or Jason.

20. WHO’S LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND.

Sarah, she doesn’t believe in commenting on blogs… its not “her thing” and plus shes moving. (Watch just to prove me wrong, she will.)

21. WHO DID YOU RECEIVE THIS FROM?

Jordan

22. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?

Gerber Daisy and Hydrangea

28. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE MEAL?

String beef, mash potatos, steamed carrots and pop overs. My mom makes it for me for my birthday every year, I love it and missed it last year.

I really haven’t had much to say lately. I did start my first day at Starbucks yesterday, when all I thought I was going in for was paper work. Let me tell you, Starbucks does have a lot of paper work to fill out. And even more so, this eight thousand page training book to go through. I knew they had lots of training, but goodness, that’s a monster. I got through a little past page 50 yesterday, which included me making mocha syrup. While doing this, a customer came up to me (it was WAY too early to stick me in an apron) and started asking me all these questions. I was smiling and listening carefully, but had no idea what she was talking about. Sad when a customer knows more about the company your working for than you, the employee. The folks that I worked with yesterday were very sweet. They all seem like very nice and fun people to work with… but Ive only met about half the crew, so time will tell. My mother this morning made me feel like a grade schooler on her first day of school in her new outfit, not once but TWICE. She wanted a picture of me in my Starbucks “outfit” when I came home yesterday. I told her no. Knowing her, shed bug me to no end till I gave her what she wanted. So I let her take a picture, that’s bad enough when my Grandma comes over my mom says “Come show Grandma your outfit!” That’s the last thing in the world I wanted to at that moment in time. But of course, I walk out into the hall so they both will leave me alone. I know that my Grandma is a blunt women, but never in the million years would I guess her saying “That outfit makes you look sexy!” I believe she was kidding because my green apron kinda swims on me and I look bad in hats. But it the comment made me laugh, along with my mom calling me the “Starbucks-pixie”

Also yesterday I went to a leaders meeting for Jr. High summer camp. I love the staff I work in this ministry. Even if my buddy Mark picks on me to no end. Jenna and Bobby (the youth leaders) have some really neat ideas for camp to make it even greater than it has in the past. Us girl leaders are meeting up next week to plan special things just for our girls which I’m excited about. Something else that excites me is the camp we are going to ( Forest Home ) is where I grew up going to camp when I was in Jr. High. I loved it, the camp program and how much I remember growing closer to the Lord. Being that I haven’t been around these kids in a year and there are a lot of new 7th graders, I’m excited to use this time to get plugged in with them. If all goes as planned with getting the time off at Starbucks, I will be gone the 2nd week of August. Yall are welcome to send me mail if you really want! Just let me know and I’ll email you the address. Its always fun to get mail at camp, that’s not from your mom.

For those who are wondering about my Starbucks interview and how it went, well… they called me today and something about going in on Monday morning to fill out paper work. I think that’s a good thing.

I’m kinda frustrated with people asking “So what will you be doing?” Its like I have to have this big plan set out before me. I did just spend a year away from all that I know getting used to the south, just because. What do you this past year? Nothing new? Oh I see, but for some reason I have to have some sort of exciting thing going on. Or people somehow make what they’ve been doing for years sound more interesting. I’m not going back to school, I never had plans to, this isn’t why I moved back, so why do people assume that? If I had stuck with college I would of graduated this past June with the rest of my class. I don’t know one of my friends who did graduated this June who has a job from their degree. What makes me so different from them? They have a college experience and fancy piece of paper? Well, I have many experiences I never could call my own if I hadn’t stopped going to school. I have at times regretted not sticking with it, but not enough to make me sad that I didn’t. My class, are ether going back for more school or are working somewhere that has nothing to do with what they went to school for. But hey, they have a degree. I’m proud of them, don’t get me wrong, it just bothers me when people’s sense of worth is found in their education, or more so, how they got their education. My plans as of right now is to work at hopefully, Starbucks full time, work with Jr High ministry as much as possible and save money by living at home. Now, I’m pretty happy with that idea, but people tend to smash it for me, which I hate. I know its my fault for allowing their opinion to effect me so much, but it does. I’m not asking anyone to be “proud” of me or think great things of me. I have lots of support from people, but I just get frustrated that in a place I thought was to be encouraging (church) is the place I seem to fear from. Why isn’t the question “Whats God doing in your life?” That would challenge me a lot more than feeling like I haven’t done anything with my life. I don’t think badly of these people who have asked me what I’m going to do. I don’t let them know how much their question (not loaded as I’m making it out to be) effects me. Its just frustrating cause its been going on for years. In high school, its where are you going to college? In college, whats your major? After that, when are you going to get married? When your married, when are you going to have kids? It never stops! You reach one stage and the questions are the same just change in wording. It means, what are you going to do next. Well, I don’t know what I’m going to do next. I’m taking it a day at a time. I’m being smart about it, but allowing the Lord to lead me. I don’t know where He has me 20 years from now, but I trust that He is good and will provide for me if I’m in His will. Which, I feel I am, thank you very much. Just seems sometimes that Christians can be some of the worst encouragers. Starbucks huh? When are you going to find a real job? Well a real job probably wouldn’t let me get time off enough to work with Jr High kids, which I love. That to me is the real job. Using the gift God has given me and working with kids. I don’t mean to seem unloving at all in my rant, which I’m sure it seems like. Its a challenged to myself as much people I’m ranting about. I know its just the thing to say, but who is making it that? Why are we as Christians so concerned with things that the world finds important? I wish I knew the answers, but I don’t.

Ive had the very bad habit lately of saying things that sound “dirty” that I don’t mean at all to sound “dirty”. And most of the time, its when I’m talking to Jason that this happens (of course). Like tonight, I was telling him the horrifying story of me finding a spider on my bed under some clothes this morning. Instead of saying something along those lines I say:

“I lifted up my skirt and there was a HUGE spider.”

*Jason chuckles*

Another time was about a week after we started dating. I called him on my drive home from church and it was very warm out. I had worn a long sleeve shirt to church that morning and I was getting frustrated with a button on my sleeve as I was trying to roll them up. But what came out of my mouth was:

“I’m unbuttoning my shirt”

And I mean, I was unbuttoning it, but the sleeve! Just the sleeve! But of course when a girl says that, the mind does not go to thinking she’s trying to roll up her sleeve, its she’s getting undressed. Is it I don’t think before I speak? Sometimes, sure, but I mean, both of those things I said, clean in my mind. And not to say Jason is dirty minded at all. If a girlfriend, I would of laughed too. I’m sure I’m not the only out there that does this though, right?

I was in 7-11 this afternoon getting a Slurpee that I have been craving for months. A slushy just don’t cut it and that’s all they had in Alabama. There was a family with a little girl, who was probably 6 years old. She started screaming her head off. My friend and I looked at each other as a silent prayer that our children never act like that. Then a clerk behind the counter says “There’s a birth control commercial if I ever heard one.” I couldn’t help it. I started laughing, so did my friend and then the girl who was checking us out. There always another way to look at things isn’t there?

In other news, I got the Eastmountainsouth album today. This album is just amazing, I love every second of it. There’s such a pure sound to their music, that’s how I describe their sound as, pure. It makes me want to sit back to back with Jason just being there and at the same time wanting to just soak in Jesus. Thing is, I don’t even know if they are Christians, but their music to me could be worship music. And not in the contemporary worship music sense your thinking, just simply worship. I hope that makes some sense. Id rather under explain myself with this than over explain it. I’m also not trying to give high expectations on this album ether, I just trying to caption its sound without giving it away. That’s what its like, a good movie experience that you really cant explain, you just have to see it (or in this case listen to it) for yourself. I will though, leave you with the song that I just love right now. I’m sure that will change more and more I listen to this album, but right now its a song called “Show Me the River” which I shall close this entry with…

I’ve been a traveler of far away lands
I’ve got love on my mind, but death on these hands
come homeward angel, show me the way
or will fate leave me dead in the tracks where I lay

show me the river that leads to my home
back to the one that I love
show me the wind that constantly blows
and I will fly away, fly away home

since we were parted I know I have changed
you’ll see the blood that was shed in the lines on my face
but now that I’ve turned my back on the fight
I’m gonna steal back my life like a thief in the night

show me the river that leads to my home
back to the one that I love
show me the wind that constantly blows
and I will fly away, fly away home

I come to you through fire and snow
over high rolling hills and the valleys below
with all that I’ve suffered I’m still on this road
and if I hold you again will never let go.

show me the river that leads to my home
back to the one that I love
show me the wind that constantly blows
and I will fly away, fly away home

I had the best interview on Monday. I don’t know if I got the job at all, I never know that. But, I mean where else could I drink coffee while answering questions about my work experience? Answer: Starbucks. This up coming Monday I have a second interview at 9:30am. So if ya think about it, please send up a prayer for me, I really need a job. Ive been told I’m applying at the perfect place for me. Id have to agree for this season of my life. Its not a 9-5 that would be harder to get time off from. Its got early hours that let me have the rest of my day to do whatever I need to do. Though, the idea of waking up at 4am is not a pleasant thought at all. I get free coffee, I mean come on, that’s the real reason I’m applying there. I figured out my addiction to Starbucks: outta sight, outta mind. In Tuscaloosa, I could probably could count on two hands how many times I actually got coffee there. I didn’t see it unless I went to Target (the Starbucks was inside Target. The only other one was on the side of U of A that I barely went to). If I don’t see a Starbucks, I’m not tempted to go out and get coffee there. Its just something about those green letters that beacons my name and I’m drawn inside and without knowing it handing them 4 bucks for a latte. Oh but I am so happy when I put my lips around that green straw. Worth every penny of that 4 dollars suddenly. This theory of mine was proven at lunch today. My friend Jenna and I were meeting up for lunch at Rubio’s (yay for fish tacos!) and its right next door to a Starbucks. Now, knowing this, I prepared myself, texted message Jason telling him this and I know I shouldn’t get anything but I probably will. He calls, the moment I walk out of Starbucks with my Iced Grande Toffee Nut Latte

“Did you go to Starbucks yet?”

“I’m drinking it as we speak.”

“Dang it, I didn’t make it in time, I’m too late.”

The door is shut. I haven’t made a peep. Maybe that’s it. I haven’t made a nose in a while and my mom is worried about me. I hear her saying, actually more so, yelling my name through the whole house, but I don’t answer. I’m sorry, but for goodness sakes, Ive been behind a closed door for a total of maybe 2 minutes. I just want some peace and quite for 2 minutes while I do what I gotta do. But no, my name being announced through the whole house continues. Its kinda like when my mom used to get them to call my name over the loud speaker at Target when I was younger. If she didn’t want me wondering off to go look at whatever I wanted, she shouldn’t of let me. Instead, she let me, then didn’t want to bother looking for me. Its not like I have a common name ether. When she first started this ritual we lived in a small town, I was probably the only Alisa within a 100 mile ratios. So, I turned red that I apparently was “lost” and walked up to “met my party” in shame.But, I wasn’t doing anything wrong. I had permission even to go look at something else, but I felt like I was in trouble. The older I got, the more annoyed my name being called over speakers in a public setting became. In Jr High I remember hearing my name over the loud speaker and not coming. Alisa Smith? Whos that? I don’t know of anyone by that name. I kept looking at whatever I was looking at, as if I heard nothing. Amazingly enough, my mom comes up to my side not 5 minutes after the page. Had she searched all over the store? No. She knew where I was, I told her what department I was going to, she just didn’t want to walk over there and get me. I had a big cheesy smile on my face when she gave me a dirty look that she had to come get me. So as I flush the toilet, still not answering my mom’s call as if she’s in desperate need of my attention at that moment in time, wash my hands and exit the bathroom. I go find my mom and ask what she needed. She asked why I didn’t answer her. I tell her I was in the bathroom and wasn’t going to answer. Now, I think my request is a small one. I don’t talk when I’m in the bathroom. I did this to my room mates to, so its not a respect issue. Whatever I’m doing in there, if the door is shut, I don’t talk, end of story. If I’m in there curling my hair or putting on make up, not a problem! I usually have the door open, as in, I’m more than free to listen to whatever earth shattering thing you have to tell me. But if the door is shut, please leave me alone. I wont be long I promise, give me those 2 minutes for the love!

I spent a wonderful afternoon at my grandparents today. At first, I was not really looking forward to the trip up to see them. I love my grandparents, don’t get me wrong, but sometimes, they can be boring. There’s only so much you can talk about on the subject of the weather. What got me wanting to stay for hours today is my dad pulled out his computer and told my grandpa he wanted to record events in his life year by year. I sat there in awe of the things my Grandpa was sharing. He’s turning 90 this August, in celebration, my Grandma is throwing, what she likes to call “the ice cream social event of the century.” She’s so cute. In the stories my Grandpa shared he talked about girls he was “seeing” and working a different restaurants with his brother Jack. He bought his first car, a Ford model T for $15 bucks. He was drafted in the war and studied school in France. Even dated some French girls. When asking how he met my Grandma, he said a mutual friend wanted to introduce them. They both at the time of said date where busy. Later they met on a blind date, but neither of them knew it was a date. “If I had know it would of scared me and I wouldn’t of come.” After a year of seeing each other, they got married. They first home cost them a total of $14,000, with a house payment of $87 a month (with insurance). What is so neat to me is that neither of my grandparents are from California. My Grandma just moved out here for the heck of it and stayed. After the war my Grandfather ended up here. My Grandma was quite cute when Grandpa couldn’t remember some details of their dating life and she jumped right in to help him. I tired to record my Grandpa telling stories on the digital camera. I hope they work out and maybe I’ll be able to post them sometime. It was just a very sweet afternoon, more than I ever could of hoped for. Maybe this is why I when I see old couple holding hands walking down the beach makes me all happy inside. They have this life long love story that they share, hard and good times, but yet they still hold hands like newly couple would.

I had planned on going to the library to get some books and read over coffee. Well, I guess I planned a little too late becasue apparently librarys close at stinken 5pm on Fridays. You know, Ive had no concept of what day its been all week. I need a job. Another reason I need a job (and why I blamed what I just spent way too much time doing on Jason) is that I spent my Friday evening playing this. Acutcally, since Im blame shifting tonight, its Katey’s fault. High score: 37. Apparenetly, thats not “high” but Im SO done.

I remember why I love the south so much, the pace of life. I have been on the go ever since landing in Cali. Things to do, people to see. I’m not used to people being everywhere and they drive too close here. Back off, and get in your own lane, this is mine. Oh, and I apparently have a southern accent. If I have a southern accent, well, they better not dip their toes in the south cause, they’d fall face in southern drawl.

Ive been in San Diego for almost 3 full days and I have only had Mexican food once. ONCE! This is not okay. Did I get used to being without it? Maybe its because I haven’t hung out with Pols yet, her and I always get massive amounts of Mexican food and eat like we never ate before. But only her and I, not when I’m with anyone else. And I love the fact I see Mexicans and hear Spanish all the time now. There’s such a mix culture in San Diego, making San Diego so great. Nothing against Alabama, but there really was just black and white folks there. While in the south I bought the stereo-type that people in Cali are “rude”. I mean, there’s something about southern hospitality. Being out and about, San Diego is really the big city with a small town feel. We have friendly people, I don’t know what out-siders are talking about. I miss sweet tea desperately though, I’m gonna go make a pitcher.

Somethings that stick out in my mind from my last day in Alabama to landing in California:

My friend Justin, God love him, he came over Saturday morning when I was leaving to help me find a home for my pretty new desk. Low and behold it now lives at his house (after my parents both thought I should give it to Justin. No reason, just that they know his name). He called me Friday, but I missed the call, to go see Spider Man 2. Right, the night before I start my 3 day road trip, I’m gonna go watch a movie. Actually, if I had gotten the call, I probably would have (and if my dad wasn’t there to tell me staying up till 1:30am when there’s stuff to be done isn’t the wisest idea). Now, I think I’m pretty reasonable person most of the time. I don’t tend to be foolish, but when I know myself enough to know Id be tempted to go out to a movie, it makes me question it.

I described Texas as southerners who are rude. The two exceptions that I have the pleasure of knowing are Chrissy and Brandon. As much as I could of crashed the moment I got there, I wanted to stay up till the wee hours catching up with them. I had just seen Brandon a few weeks prior in North Carolina, but it was still wonderful to see him again. Chrissy was just as sweet as I left her last August when I saw her last. Over yummy PF Chang’s the conversation flowed between Chrissy and my dad and Brandon and me. Dallas was the last place I was able to experience the humidity of the south in summertime. Az and NM were hot hot hot, but dry hot. I could never live in the desert, gah (nothing personal Megan). Weather in Ca is so nice. Yes, I’m gonna rub it in that I have 70 degree with maybe 30% humidity and an ocean breeze. I drove 3 days straight, I’m so allowed.

4th of July, I didn’t expect to see any fireworks. Especially in the ghetto of a town my dad and I stayed in (Demming, NM) but I was wrong. Now, looking back, I can only really remember one really memorable 4th of July. It was with a guy whom I had a crush on and he had a crush on me. We got a pint of Starbucks ice cream, drove to the top of a hill to watch the fireworks that Four Seasons sends into the air while sitting on top of my car. It’s a cute memory. But, its been replaced with the most memorable this year. Like I said, I didn’t expect to see fireworks, my dad and I didn’t have plans to go find any. I went outside and stood in the parking lot to talk to Jason and along the highway were about 5 shows of fireworks going on in the distance. Fireworks never get old, why is that? It’s the same ones every year, but I still love them. In the middle of the grace talk Jason was giving me (and in that disparate hour I needed it) a show maybe a block away from the hotel began. With my cell phone pressed to my ear and my tear filled eyes watched the sky light up before me, giving a whole new meaning to “Close of the Day” by Sandra McCracken (and Derek Webb).

Close of the day
Fireworks and rain
Feels like a holiday
Unburdens my frame
And this is not what I deserve

From where we fell
The voice of rapture tells
A story of weight and wonder
To carry us down
And this is not what we deserve

He rolls out a blanket
To hymns of the ages
Tales of the sages coming alive
And this is not what I deserve

Peace like no other
Kiss of a lover
The marks of my name torn into your hands
And this is not what you deserve….

I made it back to the land of In-N-Out burger and 72 degree year round weather. Thanks to many of you who have been praying for my trip out here. I have many thoughts and feelings all that I have been going through. And also, some things from the road too. More than likely I wont blog about most of them, just the surface stuff, which is what I ususally use this for. Sometimes I let yall in a little deeper, but I just worn thin, thats how Im feeling. My dad told me that the three biggest stresses in life is 1) a death in the family 2) changing jobs 3) moving. Well Im going through 2 out of the 3 and feelin it. More of an update in the next day or so but I will just leave you with a thought Im chewing on tonight. I feel like somehow friends and family here who I havnt seen can some how “make up” for the friends Im missing so deeply in Alabama. They cant, as much as Im so happy to see them and to grow in a new season of friendship. As Jason says “Friends are like snowflakes.” Night yall.

“I really think its a God-thing.”

“A ‘God-thing’? What is that?”

“Its when something happens in your life, and you look at it and cant explain how or why it happened, but you know there’s a reason for it. You know that God is doing something in your life, and it changes you. There’s no other way to explain it except to see it as a God-things.”

Yesterday evening I was hanging out with Ashley at Crimson Cafe. After hours of coffee and board games I thought it would be fun to go to Books-a-Million. I needed to find a fluffy book to read on my drive out to California. I had not seen anything in the Christian fiction section of Gospel Supply earlier that day in my search for a book, so I was still antsy for one. I’m picky about Christian fiction, its usually easier for me to find a non-Christian fiction book. I ended up getting “Confessions of a Shoppaholic” (thank you Carla). While in the mist of the search I was on the phone to Jason when I hear Ashley say “Hey Kerry!” I turn to see who “Kerry” was. It was Kerry from work whom I haven’t seen since he left . In the mist of my shock and excitement I hung up with Jason and gave Kerry a huge hug.

We talked to Kerry for a little bit and then his wife and beautiful daughter came up. I loved seeing them again as well. We talked about me moving mostly, but you could feel the elephant in the room. I smiled to hide what I wanted to say. Don’t get me wrong, I have forgiven any hurt feelings I had back in March. I’m still confused about all that went down and probably always will. Its the unanswered questions are what will always weights on my mind when I’m reminded of Kerry. But I was beyond happy to see him. I had the thought of wanting to see him before I moved but didn’t know how I would go about it. We exchanged a few emails right after he left, but that is as far as our communication had gone. So, to run into him and his family last night, when I could of been doing who knows what is just amazing. I walked out of Books-a-Million so thankful for God to answer an unprayed prayer.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of growing up with the Christy Miller Series by Robin Jones Gunn, you may not understand fully the meaning behind the phrase “God-things”. But I know they happen in all of our lives everyday, its just time to time when we open our eyes and become very aware of the presence of the Lord in our lives. That He showers us in His grace when we did nothing to deserve it. Id love it if yall would use those comments to share about “God-things” or make fun of me as yall usually do.

And to end on a completely unserious thought, I’m listen to “If I Only Had a Brain” Popular Genius style and I’m SO dancing in my seat like Chandler. I am a geek.