Friends

8/7
Today I feel like I can get through this year.  Today I  met a friend. And life looks a little sweeter when you have a friend.  Let me introduce you.  George has a co-fellow named Tyler. Tyler has a wife and a 10 month old baby boy.  Tyler's wife is named Lauren.  Lauren is my friend.
George and Tyler are extremely similar. They met months ago as they trudged through California's crazy laws and licensing, as they made countless trips to CA to do a training here or have a badge made there. They joke about loosing count of the TB tests they have had done. They are both tall, slender, comb their hair to the side, and usually tuck in their shirts. They wear chacos when chillin' and look absolutely dapper when as they try to impress the boss.  They are both Southern; Tyler was born and raised in Memphis.  Both have sons named after them. Each has a purebred dog. Pretty similar huh? God is good because he put these two together. I am not sure either of them would have made it through the red tape and hoops of the California health care system without one another.  Well, if you think they are similar...let me introduce you to my friend Lauren.  She's about 5'5" dark hair, dark complexion, loves to exercise, loves cookies and ice cream just about as much and loves her son a million times more than either of these things.  This girl does not eat red meat but will eat fish.  She's funny and honest, organized and is the engine for their family through the crazy, tiresome resident/fellowship lifestyle. She likes a good cocktail but also knows the Johnny Appleseed blessing. She doesn't mind if Tac (her little one) eats a little dirt but swoops in like a momma hawk if he's in danger or his little feelings are hurt.  She's also southern, and a daddy's girl.  Hmmmm, sound familiar? Well, yes I would argue that George and Tyler are not even as similar as Lauren and I are.  Oh and the name, well thats just a coincidence but its a sweet reminder of the best sister in the world. Lauren also has sisters but she's the youngest (I guess there are a few differences). She's  an artist too. Obviously thats a difference, but I tend get along well with artists, don't you think LDH?
I could not be more thankful for her. I think we will be so good for each other this year.  We have already planned several outings that include beach trips and hiking/camping trips, the zoo, museums and concerts.  We also plan to babysit for each other for a little one-on-one time with our husbands.  Tuesday nights we plan to get together for dinner since George and Tyler will always be at "conference"- a meeting over dinner where they talk about hand surgery.

Never, ever take your friends for granted. They are a gift from God.  We need friends in this life and as much as an introvert as I am- I realize that more fully now. When we decided to come here I knew I would miss my friends back home. What I did not know, was just how much.  After just one week without someone's physical face to talk to I felt like I was about to go crazy.
Ps. 118 :1 Give thanks to the Lord for he is good, His love endures forever
I am thankful, Lord. Very very thankful.

Time and Temperature

Time- It has not been that difficult to adjust ourselves to the time difference. I thought since we are three hours behind George would want to go to bed at 5 but be up by 3am, but our routine has become quite the opposite. He stays up later and sleeps later. Go figure!

Temp- So everyone is talking about how humid it is this week.  To me it feels like the mountains in early summer.  My hair behaves, I can step out of the house without the desire to immediately change clothes, my nose is kinda dry and my skin is a little itchy. I'm sorry California but- you. have. no. idea. what. humid. even. is....sorry. as. i. can. be.........

 Some funny tidbits and first week impressions:
7/27
On my morning run I saw a car stopped at a stop sign. Then I realized it had completely died and just sat there. No noise what so ever. I began to feel so bad for this person whose car had just pooped out on them and wondered what I could do to help when it just pulled away. "Whaaat?" I thought.....Then it hit me. Electric car...no engine sounds....we are not in Kansas anymore, Toto.

There are parrots everywhere.  Yes, green and red repeat-after-me parrots. They are wild and there is a rumor that 50 years ago a pet store burned down and they survived. My husband, the bird lover, realized what they were immediately and I was skeptical. Parrots? No, cant be. But after wikipedia proved him right, we now know the deal with the parrots.  They are only in the South Pasadena area and are a little bit of a nuisance to be honest. They are so loud and wake us up at 6am on the dot. I can't even talk on the phone on our patio sometimes because of their squawking.

7/28
Pedestrians RULE around here. Twice today I have witnessed runners/walkers yelling at cars... "HEY" angry-clap-clap "Pay attention!!!!" clap-clap.  "Hello-this is a crosswalk"clap-clap

7/29
Today I think I broke my nose trying to get George's room right.  I had the thought that I need to move that humidifier before it falls on.....OUCH... that dang thing hit me smack dab in the bridge of the nose. yowza. broke the skin and bruised the heck out of myself. Glad I moved it before it hit little George though.


As I wrote an email to George's preschool director I tried to convey that we were so excited and anxious for school to start.  In my southern tongue I wrote that we are "chomping at the bit". Is that too southern? I erased it this time but next time I think I will use it.

Also today as Lynn and I walked with George down our street we met four strangers. One lady stopped me and pointed to my Durham running shirt and said, "Bull City, thats where we are from". I thought surely,  there must be another "bull city" in America but no, she and her husband had come to visit their friends who live on our street from Hillsborough, NC. Then, if that was not enough of a coincidence, the other couple told us about some "young" friends of theirs who live a few houses down from us. The husband works as a fellow at USC and did his residency at UNC.  They have a three year old boy. Whoa! This is literally our first walk in the neighborhood.

Biggest first impression: Everyone here is happy and nice.  The mailman, the trashman, the yardworker, the stay at home mom, the elderly...I've not met one rude person yet!