My family and I are all fine.  There's a little damage around the complex (some small trees fell over & some of the roofs had shingles blown off), but there isn't any damage to our individual apartment.  Though, one of the fallen trees did almost hit our cars.  We're also part of the lucky few who have their electricity back on now.  I think they said on the news last night that about 70% of the population in Houston and its surrounding areas are still without power.  I haven't talked to my dad about his apartment, but he himself is fine.

The biggest problem in our area right now is the roads.  A lot of the stop lights still aren't working yet, so people have to treat intersections like 4-way stops.  It usually works out alright during the day, but at night people have trouble seeing where the intersections are (resulting in accidents), so there are curfews to keep people off the roads at night.

I'm hoping the Starbucks I work at will get power back soon, so I can go back to work.  I haven't been working there long enough yet to get vacation time, so if I want to make any money right now I have to pick up shifts at other stores until ours opens back up.  My manager told me that there's only about 6 stores currently open in the Houston area though.  Luckily, it's not like I'm desperate for money right now.  It's really more that I just want things to get back to normal.

You know what's great though, it could have been a lot worse.  It just goes to show how much God really does love us and carries us through these sort of things.  Millions of people are left without power (and AC) during a hot Texas summer, so what does He do?  He sends a cool front.  Seriously, the weather has been so nice we've been leaving our windows open even though we've got power back now.  And then driving around town the other day, I saw so many trees and branches down that would have landed smack on a house if they had fallen any other way then what they had.  Not to mention all the people who made it through the storm safely DESPITE a tree falling on their house or their roof being messed up.  It's pretty amazing when you think about it.

Life is good.  I don't really have any complaints.  I'm taking the GRE on the 1st of July, so I've been studying for that.  Oh, and I'm loving my job at Starbucks.  I was a little worried about how the early mornings were going to go, but they really haven't been that bad.  Free espresso doesn't hurt either.

So much has happened since my last post: Kayla's wedding, Christmas, a trip to Boston, New Years, Chi Alpha's SALT conference, my cousin Serena's wedding in Louisiana.  I don't really feel like talking about all of them though, and things have pretty much quieted back down for the time being.

I can't remember if I've already mentioned on here that I'm taking a semester off from school.  The plan is to get a temporary job and save up money while studying for the GRE, then hopefully return to school this summer to start earning my masters.  I would prefer a job somehow involving psychology or counseling, but the places I've called so far aren't hiring or don't seem to be interested in someone with just a B.S.  I really need to start earning some cash though, so I think I'll just apply at some place I know I'll be hired (like Target) and work there while continuing to look for the kind of job I really want.

After SALT I was really worried about getting spiritually lazy this semester.  It's easy for me to stay focused on God at Sam, what with the weekly Chi Alpha and small group meetings.  Not to mention all of my Christian friends that I got to hang out with pretty much every day.  Things have been going better than I thought they would though.  Last month my friend Leslie told me about a small group for Chi Alpha alumni that I hadn't known about, and I've been going to that.  The girls there are wonderful and have been providing the accountability and fellowship that I know I need.  I've also found a church near by that I like, but I'm not entirely sure if I should stay there.  I want a church where I can really be involved and contribute in some way, and I'm not sure if I can do that there.  Surprisingly my devotional life has actually gotten better.  I try to spend some alone time, or "quiet time" as a lot of my friends call it, with God every single day.  It's something I've never been too good at before.  It's probably due to all the free time I have right now, but I'm going keep making it a priority when I get a job.  It really makes all the difference.

1. Do you still talk to the person you lost your virginity to?
Well when I DO lose my virginity it will be to my future husband, and I should hope I would still talk to him.

2. Is it harder to be rejected or to reject someone else?
Being rejected can be hard, but I personally have a harder time rejecting someone.

3. What kind of music did you listen to in elementary school?
Whatever my parents were listening to, so lots of old country music, Christian, stuff from the 70's, and anything guitar driven (thanks to my dad since that's what he played).

4. What is the best thing about your current job?
That I don't have/need one at the moment.

5. Do you wish cell phone etiquette was a required class?
Yes!!

6. What's the last thing you drank?
Water

7. Have you been on a date in the past week?
Haha, no.

8. Where are you going on your next vacation?
Probably Boston.

9. Have you ever thrown up from working out?
Nope.

10. Are most of the friends in your life new or old?
My close friends are old friends, but I have lots of new friends too.

11. Have you ever gotten so wasted you didn’t know what was going on?
No.

12. Do you like pulpy orange juice?
No, I hate pulp.

14. Did you cry at your high school graduation?
Not full on crying, but at one point I think I did get a little teary eyed.

15.Do you prefer the tanning bed or the sun?
I don't tan, which everyone can probably tell by how pale I am.

16. What are two of your favorite places to eat?
Home and The Cheesecake Factory.

17. What could you tolerate...someone who snores or a sleep walker?
Probably both, depends on how loud the snorer is.

19. What's something your friends make fun of you for?
Probably being loud, or something like that.

20. What's your worst personality flaw?
I'm too proud.

21. Have you ever gone to therapy?
Yes.

22. Would you ever parachute out of a plane?
No way!

23. Have you ever ridden an elephant?
Nope, but I've ridden a camel.

24. Are you Irish in any way?
My dad is Scotch Irish.

25. Have you ever ridden in a U-Haul?
Yep.

26. Do you like to play Scrabble?
I have to be in the mood for it.

27. Have you ever been to a nude beach?
A clothing optional one, but we avoided the section of the beach were people were taking advantage of that option.

28. Have you ever drank Jack Daniels?
Nope.

29. Have you ever had sex on the beach?
Gross.  No.

30. What are you saving your money up for right now?
A rainy day.

31. What was the last gift card you received?
Starbucks I think.

33. Have you ever gone to a party where you were the only sober person?
No.

34. What do you do when you spot a bug in your house?
Kill it, or get someone to kill it for me.