Rednecks, Dirty Boots & Fried Okra

Four summers ago, my favorite red head introduced me to her home away from home. A wonderful little town called Tishomingo. That spot in Oklahoma immediately had my heart. The people, the land, the pick-up truck rides, and Anna's cooking had me hooked. I knew why that place was so near and dear to Courtney. And I knew I would have to return. It took four years before I met Courtney there again. But I know it will not be that long until our next visit. Those cherry limeades and incredible people will bring us back right quick. I was so blessed by this mini adventure. I left with a full heart (and a few tears).

Here is my first attempt at videography. My GoPro and I built quite a relationship on this trip. Here you have the adventure to see for yourself. Feel free to watch in full screen!

***Having technical difficulties. Until I figure it out, here is the link to the video on YouTube:

Courtney and Erin go to Tish

"I'm booking myself a one way flight, gotta see the color in your eyes. Im telling myself Im gonna be alright; without you baby is a waste of time...."

The Big Move!

Yes, this is quite delayed....

I am moving to the rural countryside of Southern Indiana at the end of June.  Bring on the heat, humidity, and rural roads through corn fields!  I am so excited, and a bit nervous, but mostly stoked out of my mind.

I am excited to get to live within driving distance of the bf.  I am excited to slow things down and live in a more rural setting for a season.  I am excited for all that God has in store for me on this new adventure.  I am excited to get to know bf's family and be with him in his home setting.

Note: This move is so far from being anything normal for me to do.  I don't take risks. I don't step out of my comfort zone.  I do not go anywhere where I know hardly anyone.  I never go far from home for more than a quick trip.  And I certainly never do things without having a detailed thought-out plan written down and kept in my pocket.

All these are perfect reasons why God would have this temporary move to Indiana in his plan for me.  IT requires me to learn how to better trust him in everything I do.  I am a planner and a details-oriented person.  So of course God is taking control of all that and not allowing me to have everything planned out.  Yet, strangely counter to my normal self, I am excited for the unknown of this adventure!

I am literally leaving on a jet plane and don't know when I'll be back again in California.  I will be back (according to my plan).  And I think that is in God's plan too.  But who can say what the next few years have in store for me.

More to come as the move day gets closer and I then settle in to being a Hoosier.

Who Am I??

Today started off very uncharacteristically.  I woke up sometime between 6 and 6:20am, without an alarm!  (Oh, and its Saturday!) And I was quite awake.  I knew I was picking up Jessica from the airport shortly after 7, so waking up early was expected.  But not THAT early!  And the amount of energy I had was strange.  I actually made my bed, throw pillows and all.  Then I swept the downstairs (our black lab Sadie slept in the kitchen and seems to shed enough fur to create another dog) and vacuumed.  Then I started to clean the bathroom, my regular Saturday chore, which I usually do at the last minute before bed!  I checked and it was not even 7 o'clock yet!  I texted my mom to tell her of my productivity, and I also asked her to tell me who I was.  Because the real Erin would never have done all that before 7am on a Saturday.  Weird.  But I felt good and was wide awake and smiling to pick up Jessica at the airport at 7:15.

She wanted to go back and take a nap.  But soon discovered some other person had taken over the body of her friend and created a chipper morning person.  So instead we made egg scrambles, more French Breakfast Puffs (to replace the ones that flew away a few days ago), and started a blog for Jessica.  Then I let her take a nap while I showered.  How nice of me.  We have much more planned for our sunny weekend.  But here are some more Oklahoma pictures.  I need something to do because she is still sleeping!

Its  76 degrees.  Yes, thank you, I would love to be getting some sun on a quad in Oklahoma.

The sun is shining with a light breeze. A relaxing fishing session by the pond would be fabulous.  (Do not be deceived into thinking Courtney is holding this fish.  She is simply holding Mike's thumb to give the allusion she is touching something so wet and slimy)

Ah, how I loved having to open and close gates each time we entered or exited a pasture.  It would probably be a tedious and boring job to a real farmer.  But I loved it!

I wish that my shadow could be seen on this grassy pasture again instead of on the tile of my kitchen floor.  And I haven's seen a hay bale in far too long.

Another wonderful summer activity: Hay bale jumping!  But in all honesty, I jarred my back pretty good when I landed.  I had not anticipated the ground to be so far away.

This.  Oh this picture.  It is by far my most favorite.  This is Mr. LaBash.  An Oklahoma neighbor.  And a cranky, cantankerous, skeleton of a man at that!  Mike's cows had escaped into Mr. LaBash's yard on accident.  So I got the pure joy of getting to experience rounding up cows for the first time in my life.  I did not do much, there weren't many cows and I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.  So i stood back and took it all in.  While taking pictures of Mr. LaBash unbeknownst to him.  He surely would never have allowed me to do that.  I miss the smell of the cows and the hay, and even Mr. LaBash barking orders and complaining.

A Beautiful Day

Today I wore holey jeans with a T-shirt and drove with the windows rolled down and my blonde hair blowing in a tangled mess.  It kept getting in my mouth while I was singing along to Bruno Mars' CD.  Today was just gorgeous.  Its days like this that make me miss this:

Driving the quad along the dirt roads behind the little white house.

And this:

Fishing with Courtney (who by the way won't even touch fish if she catches one) 

And definitely this:

Sitting in the back of the pickup with Mike & Anna driving along the highway at dusk to look for deer

This too:

'Tuckadawg' (Tucker the dog) sitting in my lap while we drive through the pastures at sunset.

Did I mention I have this obsession with Oklahoma?  I have been there once with Courtney, for a week, two years ago in August.  I have never been to a place that has made more of a lasting impression in my mind.  It was where I was first introduced to Sonic Cherry Limeades, tooth rot, and bugs the size of a baseball.  Gosh I loved it, despite the fact Courtney about killed me by jumping out of the driver's seat of our moving pickup anytime a bug flew in the window.  

Don't worry, I will most likely speak of my Oklahoma obsession on many more occasions.  You will get sick of hearing about it.