Sweat, Blisters, & a Dustbowl

Jon, Chris and I headed South this weekend to attend the Austin City Limits Music Festival. There were reports of Hurricane Rita hitting and winds of 50-60 mph, so we were a little leary of going. Much to our mother's dismay, though, we decided to go and live on the "wild side". The weekend, however, certainly wasn't very "wild" (in the weather sense...boo ha ha). There was not a drop of rain the entire weekend. In fact, it was so dry that the 60,000+ people caused the park that, at some point had grass on the ground, to turn in to a massive dust bowl. After each concert, a cloud of dirt would rise above the crowd moving to the next venue and would hover for about 30 minutes afterward. It was definitely a sight to see.

Rita didn't do anything for the temperature either. It was in the upper 90s to low 100s all three days. I have not been that hot in a very, very long time. I also, stupidly, wore bad flip flops and in attempt to take care of one blister, I wore three other blisters into my poor feet. BUT in spite of the sweat, blisters and dust, the weekend was wonderful. (I know, after reading all of that, you probably don't believe me.) It was really kind of crazy how miserable you could be until a band started playing - then the dust, heat and pain kind of faded away.

Some memories of the weekend:
- the bulked up, bald man with a tank top on and gold chains jamming to piano-driven band, Keane
- the Prada clad mother who was shocked that the crowd around her and her two young children might be smoking
something other than cigarettes (watching her jaw hit the ground and then frantically grab the kids to whisk them away
was quite comical - we weren't really sure what she expected...)
- allergy attacks at the end of every show and the beginning of a new dust cloud
- our new British friend, football Ben, and his wife (Chris bonded with them while discussing CS Lewis' works)
- Leslie, the elderly man that wanders Austin in high heels and a thong (I kid you not)

Anyway, I could ramble on and on about the weekend, but will spare you. You should definitely take a look at my feet when you get a chance though. The blisters are healing quite well and I think I finally got them clean...

More S'Mores, Por Favor!

We're going a' campin' this weekend with some people from our Community Group. Although I don't have TONS of camping trimps under my belt, I still really enjoy the thought of bonding with people around the camp fire, eating s'mores (why do s'mores only taste good when they've been toated over an open fire?), sleeping under the stars with nature making all sorts of music, being completely okay with the fact that I (and everyone else in the near vicinity) have not taken a shower in days, and eating more s'mores. Beyond all of that, I am really excited to get to know the people we've been living in community with. There is really not one person alike in the group and I can't wait to see how all the personalities intermingle. Hopefully we'll all mesh as well as warm chocolate, marshmellow and graham crackers do...or something like that....

Good Times...Good Friends...and Babies

This past weekend for Labor Day, I met six of my college friends at a lake house on Grand Lake. It's a miracle in and of itself that we were able to get more than three members of the "gang" in one place at the same time. We generally feel pretty fortunate getting just four of us together. Anyway, seven of managed to free up our schedules to spend a weekend together.

When I have been asked what all we did at the lake (I think my co-workers were wanting to hear stories of pillow fights and hair braiding....guys) all I could really say was: "We talked. We ate. We laughed." Yep, that's it! Honestly, that is all we did for a little over 48 hours. As I sat back and watched everyone interact together it really amazed me that even after all that we'd been through together, we still actually liked each other and desired each other's company. Everyone genuinely cared about what was going on in everyone's lives. I felt incredibly blessed to have such amazing friends.

One strange/new/odd twist to our time together was the fact that motherhood and babies dominated the bulk of conversation. Can't ever say that was the case back in the Theta house (thankfully)... Two of the girls were/are entering into their third tri-mester, while another one brought her 4 month old along b/c, well, she's his walking milk machine and he kind of needs her around. It was so fun hearing about all of their bodies changing and preparing for the role of being a mom. I have to say that I, in no way shape or form, am ready for that next stage in life, I am really excited for them. I cannot imagine becoming a MOM. Actually, I cannot imagine being pregnant...really they weren't exactly selling the whole pregnancy idea. Hemorroids?!?!? Stretch marks? Rips and stitches?!?!? Yikes. (Don't worry mom, someday you may be a grandmother...) But even after all of the crazy things that they shared, it couldn't take way from the glow that they all had. Somehow they were all convinced that it was more than worth the wear and tear on the their bodies. I guess someday I will get to that point too. Until then...I will live vicariously through them.

I am still at 5% on the Baby Fever meter.