From a small town....To Dallas.

I grew up in a small town in Mississippi, so it is no surprise that the plethora of shopping, fast paced life, and even cars in Dallas were quite a shock to me.  Where I was raised, the nearest store was the Walmart and a few years ago, when we heard that Dillard's was going to open in Southaven, we all counted down the days and would go there just to walk around.  It may seem strange, I know, but it was a place where people were never defined by the clothes they wore or what kind of car they drove.  There wasn't much to do on the weekends at all, so we usually drove by the movie theater to see who was there, went riding four-wheelers on the farm, or stopped by the Sonic to see which boy's truck was the muddiest and grab a sweet tea.  Going to Church and High school football games were priorities in our lives, and we would all laugh at anyone who told us that things would ever be any different.  

When I came to Dallas in August, my world was, to say the least, turned completely around. Range Rovers, BMWs, Porches, Tory Burch, Louis Vuitton, Long Champ, Mustang Laundry? I remember my first day of class, seeing bag after bag with this funny cross on them... I can honestly say I had never heard of Tory Burch in my life. College kids driving Range Rovers and Porches? My first thought was, what kind of car will they have to look forward to when they get older?

Don't get me wrong, luxuries can be fun and I realize that we should be grateful for the blessings God gives us, but I had never actually seen first hand the lifestyles that many people live here.  I feel like I'm in an episode of the Hills sometimes, and it's fun to be in such a busy city with something to do every minute, but I must say, It's nice to know I can go home and have nothing to do but sit on a truck bed with my best friends, actually be able to see the stars, and be around people who know how to do their OWN laundry. 

 

Thanksgiving.

On Thanksgiving morning, I usually wake up around 9:30 a.m. and sluggishly walk to my den just in time to watch a good portion of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I can hear dishes and pans clinking downstairs, and the heat from the busy kitchen begins to creep slowly up the stairs around 10.  After watching the floats, singers, and dancers make their way down the congested streets of Manhattan, I usually take a shower and start to get ready for our family to arrive.  

When I finally make my way down the stairs, I see the welcoming fireplace and quickly rush to sit by it, joining my dog Lucy.  Out the window, I see my dad stacking more firewood with, of course, a huge cigar in his mouth.  The smell of sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, and fresh turkey continues to fill the air.  Sadly, I must wait another two hours before our family arrives and we dig-in to the mouth-watering food.  

Oh how I love turkey day.