Judge Not

I have to confess: I used to condemn people as complete idiots when I'd see them trudging through rain or snow in sandals. I'd think, aren't you competent enough to plan ahead? Are you seriously trading warm, dry feet for ease of slipping on your ratty flip flops? Is tying shoelaces just too much to ask?

But, yet again, Annie has been taught to stop judging.

It is raining today. Not the exciting dark, loud, thundercloud rain that stays just long enough to be interesting then moves on--this is the dreary, grey, drizzly rain that sticks around like a head cold. A hunched-shouldered, manic depressive rain-fog, who shuffles around in slippers and a bathrobe and never leaves the house. And guess what I'm wearing? Flip flops. Why? Aren't I competent enough to plan ahead?

The answer is simply this: my feet are too fat for my rain boots. That's right--too fat. I would probably put myself into labor should I attempt to push my tree-trunk ankles into those boots.

So as I went trudging through the wet grass this morning with my fully-exposed fat feet to get to the car, I thought I would refrain now on from juding the clothing choices of the people I see. Who knows, they may just have too-fat feet, too.

Night Changes Many Thoughts (by: Roo)

Last night at 1:25 AM I was staring at the ceiling wondering if I was ever going to fall asleep. At 1:26 AM Annie rolled and we had an exchange...

Annie: Ew ew ew gross gross. That's terrible! Ew!

Roo: What is it?

Annie: It's a pig....statue....that's alive.....that....you.....shoot at! It's not...........well....it is. It's dead. Gross!

Roo:
Roo:
Roo:

That ended our exchange, and gave me something to make note of on my phone to help pass my sleepless night. I think Tolkien was on to something when he penned the phrase, "Night changes many thoughts."

7 Months

We have reached the point where my socks now leave great indentations in my swollen ankles and legs by the end of the day. My finger has swollen up and around my wedding ring. I basically bring a picnic lunch to eat during church each Sunday. And I weigh as much as Roo did during his mission. But at least I have a darn good excuse.

Day 12 - Something Interesting

Interesting Fact #1: After applying for every single job in Southern California, Roo finally was offered one...in Texas!

Starting at the end of August, Roo will be working for an oil company in Houston, and as is customary, the dogs, the cat, the infant, and I will be moving with him there. Initially, the prospect of moving to Texas scared me. Why? Well, when I googled "Texas" these are some interesting images I came up with:

However, the looming menace of unemployment plus student loans has made me sincerely grateful that we have been offered this job. I've heard both good and bad about Houston (apparently the cost of living is nice and low and they have good ice cream), but it is so far from home and from most of our family. I can't pretend like that doesn't worry me. Plus, we are entirely unfamiliar with it. I've managed to feel good, even excited about the upcoming change, though. So if anyone has anything interesting to share about Houston or Texas, please feel free (this excludes any facts about hurricanes, tornadoes, or humidity...or snakes...or chainsaw massacres.)

Interesting Fact #2: Roo will undergo about 9-10 weeks of training for his new job. Six weeks of this training will take place here:

Abu Dhabi - United Arab Emirates

While the dogs, the cat, the infant, and I will remain here in the USA.

Interesting Fact #3: Sometimes cats reject their own teeth, and to keep them from becoming a painful infected mess, you have get them all removed. The vet told us that our cat will most likely have to get all her teeth taken out. Poor Leia!

So, Annie left in charge of one toothless cat, two wild dogs, and a newborn baby while Roo is in the Middle East, after which we'll move with the toothless cat, the wild dogs, and the newborn 2000 miles away from home: that will be really interesting...

Day 11 - Ten Things That Make me MAD

I don't necessarily think it's a good idea for people to talk about all the things that make them mad. It makes them feel aggressive and negative. In fact, it really makes me mad when people keep dwelling on all the things that make them mad!!

...So here we go!

1. Cruelty to animals. Any animal. Any form of cruelty--I'll be the judge. In fact, even moderate impoliteness to our animal friends twists my knickers. If you are around while I'm watching "Animal Cops Houston" you'll want to stay out of my way. I am fearsome to behold if I hear about a brutalized raccoon or a starved pony. WATCH OUT!

2:

What the h-e-l-l!? Gross! Child beauty pageants are what is wrong with America. Clear those out and it's pretty much smooth sailing for our country, I say.

3. Michael Bay movies (see: Armageddon, Transformers 1 AND 2, Pearl Harbor, Bad Boys, and the music video for Meat Loaf's "Picture Show" from the Bat Out of Hell album.)

As a rule, everyone is sweaty, fluorescent-colored, constantly spewing shallow innuendos, and surrounded by superfluous showers of sparks for no apparent reason. Seriously, the appearance of flying sparks in Michael Bay movies could be the basis for some kind of drinking game. It's like he's got to have some kind of industrial welding going on in every single shot! Plus there's that part in Transformers where the giant transformer "lubricates" (robot-pees) on John Turturro. Spark showers and sweaty people aside, that scene in and of itself was enough for me to blacklist all things Bay.

4. Working in customer service. Why? Because the customer is NOT always right. I should be able to tell them so. I hate living the lie that is "customer service."

5. Insincerity

6. Not knowing what people are REALLY thinking. See: Insincerity.

7. Getting pushed off a building by someone would probably make me really mad.

8. LOST Season 6. I wish I could push it off a building. Then at least something would happen!

9. When the dog pees on my newly laundered clothes. Also, antisemitism.

10. The Arab-Israeli conflict. No one's a winner there.

A Glimpse of the Future

Here is our girl today:

And our friend, Lizzie, has found a glimpse of what we can expect from her in a few years: