.: 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