Things I have Learned Livin In Dallas...

So I have learned quite a few things living here. Some that are even funny to me, and some things that are not...

* So not all cities have people that wear cowboy boots and big hair. I have only seen one person with them on here.

* The teenagers here are very sexually active. I now know where the "poppin your collar" fad came from. It is so they can cover up all the hickies they have on there necks. Also, a 15 or 16 year old boy asked me if I would like to wrestle and that he'd wrestle with me anytime...wow! Not to mention I also think they started the fad of the thongs haning out of your jeans/pants too! The teenagers here need some guidence, but after you see some of their parents you'd understand.

* So I need to find a hair stylist here, but after seeing the african amaerican womens hair down here I am afraid of what I might come out looking like. So they have this thing here called quick weave where you are supposed to blend it in with your regular hair, bit for some reason they feel itis neccessary to glu the track to there forhead instead of blending it in. Not to mention have 4 different colors of hair in your head is also the trend. Really? Let's just give thanks to our hair stylists back in GR, they are great!!!

* There are way to many men out here...15 men to every woman, but the sad part is they are a little to aggressive with taking you out. It's such a race to get the girl, lol!

* Every little bug or living creature that you have not seen before is here. Big, smal, fat, fast, they are everywhere.

* The syle of clothing here is one extreme or another. Either really urban with matching colors hair to toe, or super name brand and preppy.

* If you want to go to church out here you will attend a mega church! Almost all churches have 2000 plus people, no small community churches except for in the country.

* The musice stations are like nothing you have heard up north. They have R&B and rap stations here...with music we get a year or two later.

* The average car here, whether you have moeny or not, is an Acura, BMW, Jag, Escalade, or Sabb. My car is a piece of crap here and it's a newer one.

* They have a strong economy, and their is enough work here for everyone.

* No state taxes taken out of your paycheck, bu you make it up in daily tolls you have to pay to get to work. I pat $25 in tolls a week to get to work.

* I have an accent and everyone I talk to knows I am not from TX. The northerners talk really nasally from what I am told.

Their are so many differences that I could go on. But all in all it is great to experience new things, and new life. Getting use to it is key...But like I said before, you could not pay me to move back to GR!

*Oh The Frustrations of Moving!!!*

So I have finally started my job and love it! I am very happy that I am able to work, and be in a state that has a better economical status then MI. TX has a lot going for them and continues to develop more areas throughout the state. I will say that I am not use to working anymore, 5 1/2 month of job hunting was lazy work. My feet, and back, oh my whole body aches after a day of work, but I am just getting back in the swing of things and will be fine.


Since I have landed a job ad moved into my new place I have been excited to return home and get the rest of my life. More importantly my bed and furniture so I can relax sleep comfortably after a long day of work. So today was when the frustration started...well maybe after I started my job. I waas originally told I could come home to get my things the weekend of 8/23, then when I started they changed the weekend so I could help out with a project. Now this was frustrating do to plane tickets costing more, which is annoying with it being Labor Day weekend. The most frustrating part is I was going to bring my things back this weekend by renting a uhaul or budget truck, etc. However, after pricing them the cheapest I could find was $982 not including gas. Well since I have been out of work and do not own credit cards, this is making it a little more difficult. I was hoping to get my things, but it looks as if I will not have them for a while longer. I was really looking forward to making my apartment home and sleeping in my own bed. However this wont be happening for months :( So I am going to fly back home anyway and ship some boxes instead.

I guess when you make a transition as quick as I did there are going to be some ups and downs. One thing I need to remeber is that I have a job and health benefits and I just neet to be thankful for that. I guess the positive thing is I get to go back home and see family and friends...which I am so looking forward too!

God will take care of the rest, and believe in he is looking out for me...as he always has.

One of the Better Days!

Today was a great day. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to hangout with Courtney who went to my high school. She had noticed on my facebook that I was moving here, and offered to show me around the area. She has lived here for 4 years and knew enough to show me where I need to go. She also lives down the road and around the corner, which is nice to know someone is near with a familiar face. We went in Dallas to a cute little deli, drove around a bit, then chilled by the pool. We then reminiced on high school days and talked about where everyone was now in life. It felt like I was back home with one of the girls. We had a good time, and it is nice to know we will each have a new friend in the area.

However, TX doesn't feel like home yet, and won't start till I get my things here. Oh how I think about the things we take for granted. All I have is some clothes, an air mattress, 2 plates, 2 bowls, very little silverware, 1 pot and 1 pan...all thanks to IKEA! So I went to the store to get tuna and was all excited about making it, well I get home to make it and I dont have a can opener. No can opener, no microwave, what did we ever so with out these things...I know, didn't eat cans of TUNA! So It will sit in my cupboards for 3 weeks till I get home to get my things. Oh roughing it can sometimes be rough! I am learning new things I guess, or more new things I should say!

Things will get better and I know this is the right path that God has chosen for me...or I wouldn't have gotten this far.

.: A lot of "firsts" in my new Town :.

So in the last 2 days I have seen and done a lot of firsts. Well, I was beginning to think it was a myth that everyone wore cowboy boots and cowboy hats here since I hadn't seen any, anywhere. I finally saw my first person with both, and then right around the corner came his family and they all had them too! Now this is one fashion statement I refuse to make...NO COWGIRL ANYTHING.

My other first was going to an actual soul food restaurant. I ordered ribs, green beans, mace n cheese, and cornbread...sounds like alot, but it came with the meal. Lets just say I must not be a true girl of my culture because I was not liking it. First off the green been had pieces of ham in them and a funky seasoning, not for me. Then I love cornbread, so I thought, and this piece had pieces of whole corn in it. Not what I called cornbread in my book. The ribs and mac n cheese were great. Now for some reason when I told my friends Troy and Courtney they cracked up, and could not believe what I was saying. Now, here is another story that goes along with it. I am adopted, and so when I met my biological grandma on my dad's side for the first time I went to her house for dinner. Grand said to me,"Oh hunny, I bet you like BBQ don't you?" I said,"No not really, not a big fan of it" Grandma said,"Well if you don't like BBQ then you can't be from our family!" I said,"I just don't really like sloppy joe on a bun." My aunt and grandma started laughing. So I asked,"Do you like sloppy joe's?" Grandma said,"You think were grillin sloppy joe's? Hunny we are makin ribs, chicken, and fish...you have never had a real BBQ before, if not we have alot to teach you!" I was 17 years old, and I had my first real ribs. I didn't try the greens and have yet to have them. Needless to say when I told Troy the story of my first soul food run and what I didn't like about it, and you know the sloppy joe story came back up.

My last firsts have to due with the great outdoors. So I saw my first salamander just "chillin" in the parking lot today when I was bringing in my things to the apartment. I watched it for a minute and the thing didn't budge, then I moved and so did it. Then I just decided to walk towards it and I scared it away. Just an awkward things to see "chillin" in the parking lot. So then I start unpacking my things I brought along and as I get to the bottom of the bag there is a large roach in the bottom under my bible. I screamed and then stood in one spot for about 20 minutes trying to figure out how I was going to get rid of it. So common sense would tell you to shut up the bag it is in and get rid of it! I was so numb and scared of this bug. Then I called a friend to see what they looked like just to be sure, and what he described was in my bag...A ROACH! I then called my mom in MI to tell her, like she was going to drive here and help or something, lol! So then I decided to go to a neighbors and see if she had Raid. I picked up the bag quickly and got it outside of my apartment. So I met my neighbor Cindy, who was soooo nice, and had raid...even better. She then started asking me what kind of roach it was, as if I knew there were different kinds, I had never even seen one before. Then she asked if she could look in the bag and see what kind it was. She then asked me if I wanted her to kill it for me and I said YES! I must have looked terrified or something, lol! She then introduced herself and made me feel more comfortable by saying we did not have a bug issues here and she has lived here for 2 years. She also said if I needed anything that I can just knock on her door. I was so grateful she killed that roach!!!

Overall, I have had some awkward firsts here in good ole Dallas, but I will say they are all worth it in the end. This is definitely one of the bet moves I have made for my life so far, and with the help of the one and only...GOD!

"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

It's Finally Happened...

Ok, so I took a break from posting for a while for the simple fact that I could not have anything positive to post. However, things have changed over the last week and now I have good news. Well for starter, I HAVE A JOB!!!! Yes, I finally have a job. The only thing is the job is out of state in Dallas, Texas. I had to finally take the step and look out of state for work to get what I needed and to be able to work quickly. I had applied for a few jobs, and in the first day of interviews I scored 2 offers. I accepted one and they already wanted me to start the next Monday. I still had 3 interviews left, and decided to interview for 2 more of them just to see what they had to offer. Now the sad part about starting the job Monday is, I did not get the chance to say good bye to family and friends, and my trip home at the end of the month is going to be in and out just to get my things. My next trip home will be sometime after Christmas when the retail holiday season is over. So, until then I will be looking forward to new friends and new adventures in a new state.

Now since I have been in TX I have done some exploring on my own. I went to several different malls and did lots of apartment searching. Also, just a Little myth I want to clear up...I have not seen 1 cowboy hat or 1 pair of cowboy boots. I am sure they're out there some where, but not everyone wears this stuff, lol. Also, the men here have a much nicer approach to woman the the Grand Rapids men. No offense to my male friends that got it together, but I don't get so called "Hollered" at here. They simply say hello and make simple, polite comments. Other them that, I did not realize how much people in MI are rude, it is such a more friendly atmosphere out here. One thing that I am going to have to get use to is the storms here. Good lord, each thunderstorm has been like a tornado, but I guess it's just normal here. I on the other hand was a little unsure with the 60mph wind, hail, and power outages. New state new weather, I'll still take it over the harsh MI winter weather. However, I'm lovein it :)

Now I am getting ready to move to my new apartment in 2 day and I am excited. However, I will be living on a floor with an air mattress, and my suitcases for 3 weeks till I can go back home. I am excited to get settled and live normal, but I am willing to sacrifice for the right changes in my life. I will still have my phone, scrapbooking, and laptop to hold me over till then.

I am excited for all the new changes in life and looking forward to what life in Texas has to offer. I am so glad that I had to go through what I did to get here, because it only made me stronger, and believe harder. The verse I lived by through my rough period, "For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:10-12. God is good and has a plan for you, but to remember he does not go by you timeline, and he knows what you need and when you need it.

That's all I have for now, and will continue to keep you posted on my transitions in life :)