Chinese Buffet: All You Kan Eat

We are back in the Burg, and loving it! As usual, much has happened since I last posted on the blog. I could make excuses...but my parents taught me better.

So moving on to...moving! What a weird experience to have 4 strange men that we've never met show up at our apartment in Texas with tape and boxes, with the intention of having the place empty and in a moving truck (bigger than our apartment I might add) in only a few hours. It was a huge blessing not to have to pack things up ourselves, but still strange, nonetheless. Only to then fly half way across the country, pick an apartment, and have them show back up to unload it all!

Needless to say, we are still unpacking a few things...but mostly settled in and loving it! In the mean time, we have had three weeks of vacation time before Andy had to start work (which, might I add, is just going awesome). We also had the wonderful privilege of celebrating our 1 year anniversary. How fun to reflect on the places we've been, people we've met, memories we've shared--all since getting married last year!

I must admit that, just like many of my hours, the obsession of this blog posting will have to be about the wonderful anniversary gift Andy got for me--a five month old lovebird with beautiful colors, a huge ego, enough energy to put any coffee addict to shame, a "cute" shriek that sounds like a screaming banshee, a body that likes to get groovy, a 6:15 a.m. wake-up call, an adoration for Norah Jones music, and the ability to pretty much make everyone who meets him fall in love. Did I mention by the way, that we absolutely spoil him to death? I'm sure he's gained weight in the week since we got him, just with attention and treats. I'm sure you would like to know that after much laboring, we decided to name him Petrie, after the cute dinosaur-bird (don't ask me the technical name...it's something-saurus) in "The Land Before Time." If you come to our place to see him, you will notice the chairs in the room have somehow all rearranged themselves to face and encircle this cage, Holding One of the Seven Wonders of the world, Petrie, the Amazing and Entertaining Parrot! (At least, I'm pretty sure that's what he's thinking whenever anyone enters the room) But I have to give him credit...he is a cutie.

His absolute favorite thing in the world is eating millet spray (pretty much chocolate for birds). He will take freely from all. He also lets me get pretty close to him, although petting is not one of his favorite things yet. He's still learning to trust us giants.

(Okay, just one more paragraph about him) Today I let him out of the cage for the first time. After a few minutes of counting the cost of leaving his safety, he began exploring. Ten minutes later, he got ambitious, and took off, running into a mirror, and then the far wall, and landing on a window sill, scared to death. I couldn't decide whether to find it funny or sad. I felt bad of course because I didn't want him to be hurt. But I found out, after Googling it, that most birds do that the first few times. They're just getting used to what a large expanse of white means. Anyways, after that failed endeavor, he was content with me picking him up and putting him back in his cage. I guess he trusts me for some things after all...

Quick moral from that story? I shouldn't trust God after I've hit rock bottom and my head is spinning (I can't imagine the migraine that poor little guy must have had). I should trust him before I even take off!

Signing off.