a bike ride and big boy job.

Happy Thursday! I just spent far too long searching for ribs and potato salad recipes to make for the 4th of July this weekend...I think I could turn grocery list-making into a full time job, but then that wouldn't help much with paying for the groceries, so...bummer.

Now for more Houston fun:

The first half of last week was devoted completely to the car search. My beloved Sara the Solara was totaled in the infamous Knoxville hail storm of April 27th, and Ben and I had decided we would just wait until after the move to find her replacement. Still not sure if that was the best idea, but oh well, it's over now, thank goodness! It was kind of the most miserable experience ever...we were trying really hard to find a deal, meaning hours upon hours of studying Craigslist and Autotrader and the like was necessary (at Panera or Starbucks, mind you, since we had no internet). The said search took us as far north, south, east, and west of Houston as we could go, and that's what we did for 5 days straight. I'm pretty sure we drove enough miles in those 5 days to get us to Knoxville and back again. Anyway, enough complaining--we finally had success last Wednesday and could not have been happier. She's a 2007 Toyota Camry and drives just like the Solara, so I am thrilled! Still not quite used to driving on my own in this city though...you risk your car and your life every time you leave home.

Since the only Houston activities we had explored were car lot-related, I was soo ready to get out and do something new and fun. So Saturday morning, we woke up, dined on yummy cinnamon rolls, and took our bikes out for a spin! I've had my bike for a year and a half now and maybe rode it 3 times in Knox, so I was happy to get it out even in our first week here! It is soo much easier. Our apartment is within riding distance of Houston's massive Memorial Park, which has plenty of bike trails, meaning a) no more dealing with bike racks, and b) I have my own bike path and don't have to worry about swerving in front of a car on Cherokee Boulevard...because I'm quite capable, believe me.

 On the sidewalk by the interstate onramp...that was the only frightening part. Thankfully Ben is willing to ride one-handed while taking pictures...I would definitely crash.

 I got really excited every time we saw these signs along the way. I would yell, "BIKE ROUTE!" just to remind us both that we were where we needed to be. I like marked paths.

 Sometimes this kid wanted to venture off the bike route and I informed him that was not safe nor a good idea. So he made this face...

Drinking lots of water because we were riding our bikes in 95 degree weather...

I admit the heat was not that bad, though. You really don't sweat until you get off the bike and no longer have the breeze cooling you off, so the only uncomfortable parts were water breaks like that. I had a really, really great time though and am excited to go again! We might try to go out tomorrow evening after dinner and see if we can ward off the bugs.

This week has been a little different, as I had to send the hubs off to work Monday morning. I took a cute little first day of work picture:

All grown up with a big boy job! It's weird being here alone everyday, and some days have been better than others. I'm trying to take advantage of it and do a lot of reading, journaling, and very long quiet times, which have been sparse of late. I've been applying for jobs left and right and am just waiting to hopefully hear back from some more! Tomorrow I'll be doing an all-day observation at the preschool where I interviewed yesterday, and I'm betting I don't like working for 9 hours straight...but so is life and growing up.

Ben has the dream job, by the way. He went out for a really nice company-paid lunch on Monday, attended a two-hour retirement lunch at another nice restaurant yesterday, is spending more than half the day at a benefit bowling tournament today, and gets to leave at 1:00 tomorrow afternoon for the holiday weekend. Rough life, huh? Big oil companies are the way to go, folks...

I'll check back in tomorrow! Until then...

"...But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: He tells us that we are nothing, but that 'Christ is all, and is in all.' Remember, therefore, it is not your hold of Christ that saves you--it is Christ; it is not your joy in Christ that saves you--it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, although that is the instrument--it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, don't be fixing your eyes so much on your hand with which you are grasping Christ, as on Christ; don't be looking at your hope, but to Jesus, the source of your hope; don't be looking to your faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by 'fixing our eyes on Jesus.'" ~Charles Spurgeon

I read this the other morning and it changed my whole attitude for the day. May it do the same for you! :)

 

new city, new blog.

Greetings from Texas!

It seems like we've been here for a year already, but then again I would hope to know my way around a little better if that were the case. Time has flown, I guess because we've been quite the busy bees! My apologies for the two week delay on getting things going...turns out a bigger population means a bigger wait for cable and internet hook-up. We are up and running as of yesterday, though, and it feels great to be connected to the world again. I admit I do kind of miss our nightly Friends marathons and Mastermind games though...no tv or internet is good for a marriage.

Anyway, I'm going to start playing catch-up. Back to the beginning...

This was move-in madness...some of it looks better now, some of it still looks quite the same unfortunately. And honestly these pictures don't do justice to the chaos. It was an explosion of stuff...

 

As soon as we get a couple more things in place and get the guest bedroom looking all nice and pretty, I'll post an apartment tour of sorts.

I wish I had a picture of the kitchen when we were unpacking. Our kitchen is rather small, and having moved just after receiving a billion wedding gifts, many of which were kitchen gadgets, serving pieces, and the like, it was definitely an interesting task trying to get it all to fit. We had 4 or 5 pieces get broken during the move, too, so once we get our refund and replace those, I have to find even more room! Needless to say the roasting pan is in the guest bath closet, some wine glasses are in the front coat closet...you catch my drift. :) Here are some pics of our first home-cooked meal in the apartment! Quinoa with black beans and corn and sweet potato fries from our new toaster oven...

 

Look at my handsome husband eating my food. :) This was the first time I had cooked in over a month I think...we were still so full from eating out on the honeymoon and during our crazy few days back in Knoxville, we could not wait to just eat things from the fridge! We didn't eat a dinner out for real until last night...over two weeks since we got here! That's amazing for me, hah, and I was so glad to finally eat at one of Houston's many many new restaurants.

I also made cookies that night...

They were delicious and soo easy. We put them in our new cookie jar and munched on them for over a week too!

Well there's a peek into our first few days in our new city! I'll continue with the catch-up tomorrow. On the list for today: iron, Target run, work on the guest room, and then I have my first interview at a preschool this afternoon! Nervous, excited, and very in need of a job...wish me luck!