Here's what we've been up to...

I realize that it has been quite a long time since my last post.  So, here is what we've been doing...

We drove straight toward Hurricane IKE (not Gustov) when we headed to Waco, Texas for the WSU versus Baylor football game (Go Cougs!) and to meet Kyle's girlfriend (who is super nice).  The plan was to drive on Friday and meet up with Adam's WSU buddies then to attend the game on Saturday.  But, with IKE, the football game was moved to Friday night.  So, we headed to Waco early on Friday morning, drove all day, and made it to the parking lot at Baylor's football stadium just in time to find our friends and make it for the start of the game. The weather was calm, a little sweaty, but pleasant.  

Saturday we drove to Austin, Texas to stay with Kyle, who's brother and sister-in-law were also in town, and hang out more with Burns and Adam's other buds.  It was going to be so cool...we were going to be intown for a Univ. of Texas football game- but, it was rescheduled due to the threat of Gustov.  The weather could not have been more perfect on Saturday- sunny, breezy, and pleasant.  We walked around downtown Austin and ate in sports bars and watched football.  That night, we watched college football projected on a huge outdoor, lounging on a bar's rooftop, surrounded by live music.  The weather was awesome, breezy and just perfect.  

Sunday, we woke up and the boys (Kyle, Burns, and Adam) were playing Wii and having too much fun.  From Austin, we drove to Jackson, Mississippi for the PGA Viking Classic.

A few of Adam's students worked the Viking Classic PGA golf tournament.  We were there Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  Came home on Wednesday; I subbed and Adam got organized and ready to head back out to Jackson.  Also, my Dad drove a huge moving truck with furniture from Grandmommy's house to Starkville.  So, Wednesday we unloaded the truck then returned it and spent the rest of the evening hanging out with Dad.  Thursday, Dad and I visited while Adam was working, then that afternoon, Adam and I hit the road back to Jackson for the remainder of the golf tournament.  We were there Thursday through Sunday.  

We were volunteers for the Tournament Office and Adam and I worked right along side of his students.  Adam set a great example of hard work and leadership for his students.  Alan, (Adam's coworker) and his wife were also there in Jackson, so we all worked hard doing random tasks anywhere from taking lunches out to the volunteers on the golf course, boxing the lunches, picking up trash, shop vaccing the flooded tent, and eating lots of food.  Nicole (Alan's wife) and I even attended a Viking food/chef cooking demonstration.  All of us were able to attend a golf demo for kids where this golfer hit a golfball through a watermelon, drove one 300 yards using a putter, and hit the middle ball out of a 12-pack of golfballs.  He was pretty fun to watch.  Fortunately, our hotel room and meals were comped!  

We made it back to Starkville and it's back to the grind.  Adam has been working hard with schol and I have been trying to get things back in order around the house (after being away for so many days.)  

Tonight we did something so fun!  We went swing dancing!  A friend/volleyball buddy of ours, Scott, is the swing dance instructor.  We had a fun evening of dancing and being together.  Now, Adam is hard at work on his computer getting ready for class in the early morning, and I am...well, you know what I'm doing, I'm writing a little somethingon this blog...finally.

When it rains it pours!

Wow!  I go from being, you know, somewhat busy, but able to take my time and do things around the house to FULL SPEED, leave the house at 6:45am and finally sit down for dinner after 8:00pm.  And, things are not slowing down for tomorrow, which is ok.

Friday: 

*Women's Club Meeting/Coffee at the President's House.  Super fun and I met so many nice and interesting women within the university community, (retired professors, accounts, coaches, boosters, faculty wives, etc.)  Everyone was so nice and friendly.  

*After the meeting, (by the way, I signed up for the knitting & cross stitching club, I know, unexpected, huh.)  Then, my neighbor/friend decided to have a porch party/tailgate before the football game on Saturday.  I typed up a flyer and we visited every house on our little street.  Then, the cleaning began...hosing, sweeping, and de-bugging the front porch, and other things to get the house looking good for first impressions with the neighbors.  

Saturday:

*Chili cooking, final cleaning, and getting ready for the party.  We had a great turn out and everyone had a fun time.  We grilled hot dogs and had kids everywhere!  It was so fun.

*The football game was great.   Tailgating here is different than at home.  There is one HUGE grassy area with a bazillion tents, and then there are about umpteen other big grassy areas with tailgate tent cities, too.  

*Post game we made it back to the house to eat the leftovers from the pre game party! Yum!

Sunday:

*Adam was working on transcribing an interview (for research) using his voice recognition/it types what you say program.  So, I listened to him quote word for word an interview with the following statement made more than once: "Like, you know, and stuff."  Helpful interviewee.  Just kidding.  I actually enjoyed listening to him work.  It helps me to understand his research. 

*We played indoor volleyball with our Sunday Volleyball group.  We are culturally diverse.  We have players (graduate students, faculty, and staff) from China, Tunisa, India, Brazil, and Alabama.  

*Sunday evening, I spent getting ready for Monday...my BIG DAY!

Monday:

*My first substitute teaching job!!!  I enjoyed being with the students.  I didn't realize how much I missed the teaching/kid scene.  Of course, there were moments where I questioned my desire to even be in the same room with someone under the age of 18.  But, mostly, I enjoyed my day as a sub.  

*Then, I worked out with a bunch of college studs and cute girls at the student rec center.  Mostly, I kept to my workout weaving throughout the many conversations and poorly executed work out techniques.  

*I rode my bike to and from the rec center, and it is AWESOME!! I love my bike!  I did almost fall off a curb, when I tried to sneak a peek to see if my shirt was caught awkardly, possibly exposing a bit of my belly,  as I was bent over and when I looked up my wheel was halfway off the drop.  But, I save it and looked totally cool doing it, (I'm sure. I'm just asuming).   

Well, I need to get to work!  Because... the school wants me back for tomorrow to sub again!  Yay! 

Adventures to the Mailbox...this time with some words.

On campus, everyone has a PO Box.  The Post Office will not deliver any mail to a particular address, other than that listed as a PO Box at the Campus Post Office in the old YMCA Building next to the Student Union.  Yes, this is a bit annoying, but as you look down our street, mailboxes are nowhere to be seen.  And, adding a stopping and slowly moving mail truck to the campus traffic with the cell phone talking and easily distracted pedestrians, fearless (and sometimes cell phone talking) bike riders, and generally crazy colleg drivers, it would be a bit too much.

I enjoy going to our PO box because I can get out and walk around campus for a minute or two.  Before the semester began, Adam and I would jog down to the Drill Field then to the Post Office and pick up the mail.  Now that classes are in session, Adam no longer gets to go to the mailbox with me.  It is a bit of a bummer we don't go together, just because I enjoy doing any little thing I can when it's with Adam; but, now that I go without him, it saves him the time.

Believe it or not, I have had a few funny things happen to me on the way to the mailbox...

Once I was walking on the sidewalk of the Drill Field, (enclosed grassy field, surrounded by gorgeous brick "Southern" style buildings).  this man on a bicycle peddled by me with a huge smile on his face.  Then, a few seconds later, I heard bicycle breaks squeal and shriek, then someone yelling, "INDIANA! INDIANA! INDIANA!"  Um, I know, weird and silly, right.  So, I turned around to see what was giong on and the guy on the bike, struggling to stay on the bike was turning it around and peddling frantically back to me, yelling Indiana and looking right at me.  So, he pulls up to me, and says excitedly, "You're from Indiana, right? We met yesterday, remember?"  Honestly, i was a little relieved that I really did NOT know this crazy person.  But, I introduced myself, so I guess now I do know him.  So, he thought I was someone else, and I wasn't; no big deal, just an average day on the way to the mailbox.  

Our friends/neighbors have two elementary school age boys.  Naturally, for them, going to the Post Office is nothing short of AWESOME.  I was lucky enough one day to accompany the kids and their mom on such an adventure.  We rode our bikes along the "secret" walkways under the trees, dodging students and faculty, weaving with the sidewalk as it ziged and zaged, going under stairs, even thought their mom specifically said for them not to, and about two seconds after which they did in deed go under the stairs.  And, on our way through the Drill Field, we saw IT!  And by "IT" I mean the big one!  WE SAW AN INFLATABLE BOUNCY HOUSE!!  So, after the fastest trip to the mailbox and back to the Bouncy House, leaving their bikes in the middle of the sidewalk and a trail of helmets and shoes, they were bouncing in no time.  The bounce castle was supervised by college students who were preparing to host a family type get together for the Business Department or something.  Those students were waiting for an excuse to get in there and jump, so when the boys got in, and their mom and I asked if we could jump, the college kids jumped in on the fun, too.  So, we jumped and jumped until the kids involved with the family event and who the bouncy house was actually for, arrived.  I left that little bounce house with a busted ponytail holder (from my major bouncing, I guess), a sweat soaked shirt, and exhausted muscles.  And, my little neighbor guys were able to bounce with the other kids for another ten minutes or so.  It was an awesome trip to the mailbox, for sure!

Adventures to the Mailbox

Let the misspelled, seemingly unimportant, overly detailed updates begin!

Now for the updates...(well, my "update" may be a little off, Adam is programming his voice recognizing dictation computer program and he is reading some obscure script about electricity and the song, "Wooly Bully."  As you may have guessed, I am a bit distracted.  he does have a great voice, though).

Adam has been hard at work since we made it to campus in late July.  He is  a hard worker in general, but starting a new career often requires extra office time, both at work and at home; and he is definitely putting in his time.  As for me, I have taken on a new role in our relationship and for me personally.  I am a proud "Home Supporter."  Initally, being at home during the day unpacking boxes, organizing our stuff, doing laundry, washing newly unpacked dishes, scrubing floor boards, vacumming ceiling corners, and other Cinderella-esque chores had me out and about on the job search hard core.  But, as time progressed and the job offers did not flood in, I realized (after talking with my leading ladies, Mom, Mary Ann, Grandmommy, and Nonee), that I would be good at whatever I put my whole heart into.  And, it just so happend to be that I wanted to put my whole heart into being a good home support system for Adam.  

He was getting up and heading to his office only to come home late and head into our home office.  Just because I am now a doctor's wife, doesn't mean I can sit around and expect to be a deep south diva.  So, I started waking up with Adam and getting to work myself.  Now, I get up and do laundry, wash dishes, vacuum the house, garden, get the mail, take out the trash, go to the bank, work out, cross-stitch (yes, you read that correctly), read (yes, you also read that correctly) and take care of other matters, EVEN COOK!  I feel so proud when Adam comes home in his suit and tennis shoes (he walks to work) and I have worked hard to provide him with a clean house and a warm meal and a happy wifey for him to come home to.  

I know what you may be thinking...and, YES, it is still me, just a different, newly repurposed me.  And, I like it.

It's Cyber-Time in Tennessee! (um...er...Mississippi!)

So, here goes...my first blog!

I hope to use this blog to share happenings and pictures of our new life and experiences, deep down South.  I have found that reading other blogs helps me to feel closer to my far away friends.  Now, hopefully, you will feel closer to us (only without the sweating, because there is a lot of sweating that goes on down here in Mississippi, by the way).

I hope you enjoy, and at least feel a little bit closer, reading my/our blog.  Please know that we often think about you, and now you can read about us!

love and hugs, la and adam