Authentic

I officially feel like a metropolitan West-coaster. Last night, while I was pulling out of the Safeway parking lot near our house, a biker hit the rear driver-side door of my car. After he screamed a profanity at me, he took off without even talking to me at all. I had pulled over to walk back across the street to make sure he was ok and find out what happened, but he rode away like a bat out of hell, no thought to if I was ok or anything. So, I am having a "biker hater" phase. ::WARNING:: Soapbox ahead:

Being on the road is not a right, it's a privilege. You need to earn it. So, all the people who yell at the bikers to get the #$%# off the road need to shut their mouths, and be more cautious and caring towards bikers. We don't want anyone to get hurt. Bikers who have big egos and shoot off their mouths, defining anyone who drives a car as "evil", need to shut up, slow down, and be courteous to cars, pedestrians, skaters, and anyone else who is using a sidewalk or road. If you're booking it down a sidewalk and someone is pulling out of their driveway, odds are they can't see you. They're not doing it on purpose. So, slow down or stop, and WAIT for them. A few seconds or even a minute won't kill you, unless you choose to be an impatient jerk. No matter who you are or what you do, you aren't more important than anyone else on the road, and you don't have a right to get up in someone's face and accuse them of "running you down", accident or not. Stop being so self-obsessed and show a little love and compassion. Seriously, grow up...

A Day @ The Beach

The past weekend has been a lot of fun for us. I had been planning a surprise date for Steve for the last three weeks. I decided to surprise him on Friday. I decorated the living room as a forest with our tent in the middle. It was so much fun!

He was completely shocked and excited when he finally saw it. It took me from 10am to 5pm to finish the decorating.

Then we went to a movie with some friends of ours. Steve hadn't been home all day. After the movie, we came home and roasted marshmallows over the stove for smores.

I thought Steve really liked smores so I bought all of the ingredients. After only one, he told me he wasn't too fond of them, which we laughed over a lot after I told him I didn't like them either!

Steve and I spent all of Saturday in Newport, Oregon. I had been there once before, but the Oregon Coast Aquarium had been closed by the time we got there. This time one of Steve's co-workers gave us free tickets to the aquarium, and it turned out to be a gorgeous day, despite the storm clouds that were hovering over the H.B. Van Duzer corridor we always drive through to get to the coast.

We had a lot of fun watching the birds, seals, sea lions, and otters play around in the water.

This Puffin was being quite the show off. I'm sure the lady puffins were just as impressed with his breeding plumage as the crowd was. :)

There was an exhibit called "Odd Water". The animals, most of which we had seen before, were such an amazing illustration of God's creativity and wisdom. I was so impressed.

I love the way the sea horse's little wings flutter so quickly!! They're so cute!

Correction to "No More School" Post

I thought I was almost done with school, but it turns out it doesn't end until August 14th. So, yes, I'm still slaving away at the homework. I think I only have one or two assignments left. Woo hoo! Thank you to those who have been praying for me! You're awesome! It has helped so much!

Crazy Day - As Usual

I've been meeting some of our Hispanic population in Oregon. I went blackberry picking by our church. There is a house with a fenced backyard next to the church parking lot, and the berries are pouring over the fence. So, I decided I would pick some of them.

Little did I know there was a giant dog on the other side and his tiny sidekick dog too. The big dog jumped on top of his dog house and was barking ferociously at me. He only had to jump about 3-4 feet to clear that fence, and I was starting to get a little nervous.

However, I really wanted those blackberries! :) So, I walked away toward the car and the dogs started barking a "nice" bark. Then the big one jumped off the dog house and ambled toward the house. I crept back to the bushes and started picking again. Well, they heard me a minute or two later and started barking and growling again. So, I decided to give up.

I was almost to the car when a skinny teenage Mexican boy came around the corner of the church. He kind of startled me, but I said, "Oh, hi!" He said hi then realized, "Ohh, you're picking the berries.... I was wondering who the heck was out there or what was going on..." I nodded and he continued, "I'm a neighbor. I live next door." I said, "Oh, do you mind if I pick those blackberries?" He didn't care. He told me his name is Luzaro, and also asked if I had a boyfriend, which I laughed at, then remembered I wasn't wearing my wedding ring because I sent it to the jeweler's to be sized! I had already told him I was 23, so it was still pretty funny.

We kept talking and I told him that my father-in-law is the pastor of the church. He asked what kind of church it is, Christian or Catholic. I told him it was Christian, and he said he went to the Catholic church a mile or so away. I know which one he's talking about because we drive past there on our way home from church, and they have potluck every Sunday.... Yum!!! I have to wait for lunch until we get home!! *stomach growling* He lives with his parents Maurialo (?) and Maria. He has an older brother who graduated from the same school as Steve, only one or two years later.

I also found out that huge dog is named "Chico" meaning boy. He should be called "Chico grande que quiere comerme" - Big boy who wants to eat me. Yikes! At least I have his name, so I can make a futile attempt to yell him into submission the next time we have an encounter. :P I do have a lovely bunch of blackberries for my trouble. So, I'm happy. I'm hoping Steve and I can see him again so we can hang out - with Luzaro, not the dog!! He seemed like a sweet kid.