My Surrogate Nephew

Much Needed Rest

I sprained my ankle running to third during softball last night. Now I'm on crutches for the weekend. It's probably a sign that I've been over-working and over-exercising when I'm relieved at the thought of being off my feet for a few days, although I'm bummed this may interfere with small group putt-putt and Memorial Day BBQ activities.

The Beginnings of Goodbyes

Goodbyes for 2007 have officially begun. 2 of my friends are moving this weekend. One of them has become a dear friend over the last year. I met Katie through M and we immediately clicked. I probably laugh more with her than anyone else. She's moving to Berkeley for her PhD and I wonder if we'll keep in touch. Neither of us are good at it, and both have tendencies to embrace new lives and forget old friends.

So tonight we're going out for sushi and drinks then I start saying goodbye to friends for the next 2 1/2 months. =(

Me and K at Frankenmuth:

Neither pop nor soda

In the Midwest it's called pop. The East Coast christened it soda. I've taken to using pop and soda interchangeably in case I ever move out of the Midwest.

This weekend in Austin I decided to treat myself to a Diet Pepsi (I gave up caffeine). I asked for a pop. Blank stare. I asked for a soda. Blank stare again. I hesitantly ordered a coke. "What kind?" was the answer I received.

On another note, my car Vinnie who I've started calling "Old Faithful," was not this morning. Apparently after being faithful for the last 4 years, the battery and alternator chose to die overnight. Half a missed day of work later, I rued the fact that I had to plunk down a few Franklin's for a car I'll only be driving for 2 1/2 more months.

Jackpot

I absolutely love Austin.

It was a little rough getting in with storms and delays, but today was sunny and the temperature was in the 80s. I rented a little white Hyundai Accent and blasted country music as I drove around town.

It's been a productive day. I'm pretty sure I found a place to live. I also met with my advisor and have some ideas for the fall. I chatted with some grad students that I met during my interview here and found out that basically all the apartments I was looking at were in very dangerous areas of Austin (think guns and prostitutes) - hence the cheap prices. So I think I'll stick with the 2 roommates in the condominum where mommies stroll around their babies at night. I'll drive by this evening just to make sure the area is safe on a Friday night.

So since that eliminated most of the apartments I was going to look at today (I'm still looking at 3 tomorrow - just in case), I drove around and got to know the roads better - to the point where I can get to some places without a map. Oh, did I mention I learned to read a map for this trip? I did a drop-in class at a Yoga studio I found online and absolutely LOVED it. It is so much better than the studio I attend in Ann Arbor. Definitely thinking about joining in the fall.

I also spent some time looking up churches online. I found Austin Stone Church off the UT Intervarsity website, and liked what I saw. It's a mobile church with solid values and doctrine and a plethora of community groups focused on post-undergrad young adults both single and married. There's also a strong focus on theological training as well as missions and church-planting. I learned all this before I found out that the worship leader was CHRIS TOMLIN. Of course I still have to check the church out, and having someone so well-known could have its drawbacks, but I feel like I just hit jackpot.

Austin Weekend

I've been at my job for 2 full years as of today. Time flies.

Going to Austin this weekend to look for housing. The trip is slowly coming together. I get into town on Thursday night. Friday I'm looking at possibly 5 places and having lunch with my advisor. That evening, I may catch a yoga class at a local studio, watch the rerun of Grey's Anatomy, and then I'll relax like I'm on vacation. Saturday I've got appointments set up with 3 apartments (and may add more if I don't like any I see on Friday), then I'm catching my flight back to Ann Arbor that afternoon.

I'm very thankful for my AAA membership as they threw me a bunch of maps and a tourguide yesterday free of charge.

Weather there is supposed to be 80 degrees with isolated t-storms. I was hoping for a little more sun.

Last night...

those of us in small group were coming from different places. Some of us were grieving over a loss of a friend/acquaintance. Some of us were happy and hyper. Some of us were stressed over school. And some of us were just having a bad day. But from our different places, we were able to come together to worship. It was beautiful.

*****

In light of recent events, I've been thinking about how important it is to be vulnerable and open up to my friends. When I get frustrated, I have a tendency toward self-pity and think the world doesn't understand me. But I'm finding as I open up more that although my friends don't always understand exactly where I'm coming from, they love me enough to try to understand and they accept me with no strings attached. I love my friends.