:::In the Mirror, Cows, and Peaches. Still Single.:::

I should blog more often, but sometimes I reread my posts and I really don't like the me that comes through. I think, 'Ooh, I haaaaaaaaaate you. You negative, complaining, weird, person.'

I should write about the things that I love about Texas. I love the little area that I live in, this little pocket that I've tucked myself into. I love the wide open spaces just a short drive down the road, the cows and horses everywhere, the fields that stretch on and on, and the big, big skies.

I love my ward. The people have been so open and friendly. My bishop is great and has been so nice to me. I have a calling now that I enjoy. Just as my annual late-winter malaise was setting in and I was thinking about becoming a sacrament only church attender (I go through this each year), I was called to team-teach the 9-10 year old class in Primary. I like teaching, but my favorite part is when we all come together for sharing time, and even for singing time, which I despised with a passion as a child.

The week that I interviewed for my new job I got my hair cut. The dude took at least 4 inches off. I still haven't recovered from it.

I love how it is light in the morning when I wake up, and light so late in the evening. While I prefer the cold of winter, you can't beat the mood-lifting effect of summer sunshine.

I go to the temple once a week now that I have a car. The Dallas temple has grown on me with it's gray stone and awesome 70s architecture. I wish it weren't in such a busy area, but not all temples can be gloriously set against a beautiful mountain range.

I miss Utah daily, but wonder if I will ever, ever get back. I think I'm going to be here in Dallas for longer than I originally supposed. Or maybe not. Who can say. But I have a feeling this isn't going to be the quick stop-over that I imagined.

I no longer want to live in London. I know. Apparently this is earth shattering news only to myself. My friend Michelle said I'm too free-spirited for London. True. I've always had a secret, secret desire to visit Australia, so that's my sometime-in-the-future-when-I-have-3k-for-airfare dream.

Someone told me about an orchard in East Texas that has amazing peaches, so that's where I'm going this weekend. Ok, they have amazing peaches and peach ice cream. That's really why I'm going. Fruit is for nerdz*. Ice cream forever.

Speaking of food, I made a copycat Chick-Fil-A Nugget recipe today. It wasn't as good as Chick-Fil-A, so there's something to be said for paying for the original. Also, now I have multiple servings of fried chicken bits calling out to me each time I go into the refrigerator. I know cooking at home is more cost effective, but going through the drive-thru and buying one single serving is more health effective. Done in one. No lingering temptations.

Speaking of single servings, my greatest yearning for family is so that I can bake cakes and not be responsible for eating them all on my own. Sigh. I just want to bake cakes! But I know myself too well. Even though I'm not a sugar person, who can resist the call of caaaaaake? I pray for children with highly-tuned metabolisms to enter my life. Amen.

Speaking of being single, I just accepted another calling to be our ward's single adult rep. Oi. The extension of this calling precipitated a late night panicked email to my Bishop, plus a special sit-down with him before church one Sunday. Oi. I really, really didn't want to turn down a calling, so after talking to the Bishop about it I said (through tears), 'Ok, ok...ok, I'll do it. Ok. It should be ok.' Apparently it's for the 30+ group, which we called mid-singles back East. For someone who voluntarily removed herself from the singles scene at 26 and started going to a family ward, being asked to serve in this calling caused a minor crisis. As I told the Bishop, I don't hate being single, I hate having to identify as a single person. What does it matter at this point, you know? I just feel like it's such a young person's issue, which may not make any sense, but I have always looked forward to being old enough to be out of range for the single thing. Just so I could move on, you know? And just be a regular person, regardless of being single or married.

Sigh, bed time.

bloggingtexaschurchhairsunshinetemplesdreamsicecreamremorsecakespinsters.



Sometimes I reread old posts and think, 'Ha, ha. You're funny. I like you.'



*JK, I'm an unrepentant fruit addict. I'm eating a giant bowl of watermelon as I write this. But homemade peach ice cream? Come on! Forget the fruit!