Adventures in Designated Driving

I have been meaning to write this blog for a week now. Last Friday night I was the "DD" (designated driver) for my brother and his friend. My brother's other friends are in a band and were playing in Dallas at Trees. Oh what a night....

When we got to the club I was behind my brother in line...he went in and I stepped up to the bouncer guy...he said, "I'm gonna need to see your ID." I started laughing and said, "I am his older sister" as I pointed to my brother ahead of me. The guy looked at me, laughed, and said, "Yeah...sure." Anyway...that was pretty funny.

Once we were in I realized quite quickly that I did not fit in. First...I had no random body parts sticking out of my clothing. Second...I wasn't pierced or tattooed. Last...I wasn't drinking or smoking. Anyway...it was quite loud and the 2 or 3 bands previous to the one we were there to see were completely horrible.

As the night went on the beer was flowing and my brother was buying for everyone. When we were finally leaving and he tabbed out I knew he must have payed a fortune. Needless to say my brother definetly needed a DD. It is hard to guide an extremely drunk person to a car many blocks away. He is a happy drunk...a loud happy drunk. He also has coordination problems...he dropped lots of ciggarets as we made our way to the car.

When I finally got home at 3:00am I immediately stripped and took a shower...when I got out I still smelled like an ashtray. LOL...the night was fun...haven't been to a club in years and years. Of course...I now understand why my brother doesn't let me party with him too often... :)

Basketball

I went to a highschool girl's basketball playoff game last night. Lancaster was playing Segalville. They were playing at South Garland High School so Nathan asked if I would come sit with him in the stands for the game. I jumped at the chance to see him on a night that I normally wounldn't see him.

I am not normally a very big basketball fan...in fact I can count the number of basketball games I have been to on one hand. But last night was sssooooo much fun. Of course...it was probably made more fun by the fact that Nathan was there and he loves sports so much. It is fun watching him get all excited. And he doesn't mind explaining and answering my million questions.

I have learned more about basketball in the last month than I have known in my entire life. I finally understand why sometimes a player gets one free throw and other times gets two free throws. Last night I learned about "one and one" free throws. After the game we went to eat dinner at Chili's and sat in the bar so he could watch more basketball on T.V. I told him that I wished I could watch a game through his head. I know that what he sees is completely different from what I am seeing in a basketball game. Then he said that when he watched a game he wasn't watching the ball...but the players on the court. I think that was the biggest revelation....so I looked up at the college game on tv and focused on not watching the ball but watching the players...it was a completely different game!!!!

So....I think I am learning to like basketball...of course it helps that I really like the guy I am watching basketball with. :)

The Best Valentine's Day Ever!

I had the most wonderful Valentine's Day that I have ever had. I have been dating Nathan for about a month now. I started the day with a surprise for him...around 11:30 the Sunday night I drove over to his house and put his valentine card on the window of his truck so he would find it on his way to school. He emailed me not long after he got to school to tell me he was so surprised and happy to see his card. As the day went on we exchanged emails discussing the night's events. On one of the last emails he said he didn't care where we went as long as he was with me. Those have to be the sweetest words anyone has ever said to me. I was literally on cloud nine for the rest of the day.

Later in the day he called me but I was at the gym...then he called again just after I got home. He had received his second surprise which was roses and chocolates delivered to the school. He was surprised once again! It made me feel so happy to give him happy surprises. At 7:00pm he called to say he was leaving the school and would call me when he got home. I was glad that he ended up leaving the school late because I was working on his last surprise for the day...I call them "Happy Coupons". Just little things that he can redeem for things like a back rub or an all expense paid night out or getting his truck washed.

He got to the house around 8pm. We went out to his truck and he opened the door for me...like always...(so so cute). On my seat was my valentine card. :) As we left the house he told me that I had two choices...get home late or get home early. I chose to get home late! He wouldn't tell me where we were going but only said that he was sure that I had probably been where we were going. (Turns out I hadn't and was completely surprised!) As we got on the turnpike he said that it was a place where he had always gone when he lived in Irving...so I had a clue...we were heading to Irving. In my mind I thought that we might be going to this cute little park near where I used to live...but I wasn't sure because I didn't have many additional clues. When we got to Irving we picked up Wendy's and kept on driving. He finally pulled up in this little parking lot overlook the DFW airport. I was so surprised! What a wonderfully romantic thing to do. We ate Wendy's, listened to the radio, and watched the planes come and go. It was a completely perfect surprise. So simple...yet so meaningful...just us...enjoying the night...and he was sharing a place that was important to him.

I had noticed that all night he kept reaching behind my seat and finally my curiosity got the best of me and I asked him what he was doing. He said that he was just keeping something from rolling around in the back. I figured it was something he used for work and didn't give it a second thought. When we got back to the house I got out of the truck and he stopped me before I closed the door. He asked me to hit the lever that leans the seat forward because he needed to get something out. I did it and there were 3 dark peach roses just waiting for me. He was so cute...he said something like, "Well...would you look at that." I was blown away...I couldn't stop smiling!

We ended our night by listening to some music and enjoying some cuddling and kissing. I gave him his "Happy Coupons" and he didn't even think I was a dork!

In all 27 years I have never had such a wonderfully simple and romantic Valentine's Day. It will be a night that I always remember!

Wisdom Teeth???

My worst fear came true this week...my wisdom teeth are coming in. First off...why are they called Wisdom Teeth???? Do they make me more wise? I don't really think so...right now all they do is make me cranky and not very happy. The worst is my lower right side...the gum split open revealing the new tooth...oh joy.

Let me begin by saying that the dentist prescribes me valume just to get me in the chair for a cleaning and a check-up. Any major dental work would more than likely require some kind of sedation. If it is left to me to call the dentist and get myself there all my teeth would fall out before I did it. My mom has to call...make the appointment...and then drive me there. Sure...I could drive myself there...but I would never go in. So as you can tell...a trip to the dentist causes me SEVERE anxiety.

The last time I went I received my valume the day before. I took it that morning and then got in the car. As far as I was concerned it was not working. My breathing was rapid...my hands were sweaty and shaking...and I figured I would end up vomiting all over my poor dentist. We walked in the door and were almost immediately ushered back. Mom had told them to schedule extra time in case I needed any cavities filled...since I was already there and drugged they figured it would be best to get everything over with in one trip. They cleaned and examined my teeth in record time...I was back in the car 20 minutes after I had walked into the office. As I was leaving he said he would see me in another 4 years....I had planned on taking him at his word.

But now...my nightmare as arrived. I was hoping that since I had made it this long my wisdom teeth would never come in. But here they are...

I guess I shouldn't be too surprised...I didn't get any teeth until I was well over a year old. Mom thought I might never get teeth. I didn't loose my last baby tooth until I was a junior in high school...so for whatever reason I seem to be slow at developing my teeth.

So now I sit...growing wiser because my wisdom have decided to make their entrance. So naturally I will have to have oral surgery and get them removed. Unfortunately my mouth is not big enough for them to fit nicely...some people may find this surprising...LOL

I told my mom and dad to find me an oral surgon who will put me in an induced coma for 3 or 4 days...that way...when I wake up I will have no memory of any procedure or pain. It doesn't look like that will happen...

So...pray with me friends....that somehow my wisdom teeth will fall out of my mouth or disolve into nothingness in the next week! :)

Besides not understanding their name my other big question is this: Why in the world would God create us to have more teeth than our mouths can hold? Is this some crazy evolutionary thing...like with our appendix? Maybe it is to torture poor people like me who have severe anxiety when it comes to anything concerning the mouth!

When I am old...

Yesterday I spent the majority of my day with my great grandmother and her sister. My great grandmother will be 96 this month and my great great aunt (her sister) will be 91 in March. As you can see...both are beyond what most of us consider old. When I was taking my growth and development class in graduate school I think the section on old age ended in the 80's....so that makes them ancient.

Anyway...my aunt fell and broke her hip a few days before Christmas. She is in a rehab place here in town. Yesterday was her checkup with the doctor. He was pleased with what he saw and she is now allowed to start putting weight on her hip. It wasn't so bad taking her to the doctor because this doctor is a very very very handsome man...who I might add has no ring on his finger...LOL.

So after the doctor appointment we headed back to the rehab place. We ended up being there FOREVER as we waited on various individuals that we needed to talk with. Bob and I were sitting and watching the people. At one point a nurse was walking this older woman out to the sitting area that we were in. The older woman asked why she was going to sit here facing the door. The nurse informed her that she could watch the people coming and going. Then in a very happy voice she assured this older woman that this would be VERY EXCITING. Very exciting??!?!?! To sit and watch people come and go from a rehab/nursing facitily? I don't know who this nurse is kidding but I don't think that would be even a little interesting to anyone. I quietly told my brother that if he was ever in charge of me when I was old that he should never do that to me. He laughed and said he would take me to the bus station to watch the people. We had a good laugh over that one. But seriously...this poor old woman was sitting there...she looked so sad and bored. She kept trying to talk to people...calling the Nick...however Nick was nowhere to be found. Maybe she did find it interesting...but I find that very very very hard to believe.

So...one day...when I am old. I will remember that day and if someone ever tells me to sit and watch the people...that it will be very interesting...I will have to tell them that they are insane and to point me to the arts and crafts activities!