Hinton Happenings

If you haven't already heard the great news, I BOUGHT A PUPPY! I'd been talking about getting a dog since about March, but the timing just wasn't right then. I'm not 100% sure the timing is right right now either, but oh well. She was just too good of a deal to pass up! Here's mine and Brooklyn's (the puppy) story:

Late Sunday night I was randomly looking for puppies on Craigslist. Usually all that I find dog-wise on Craigslist are chiuahuas, pitbulls, or lab mixes of some kind, so I wasn't super hopeful. However, on that night I saw a posting for a female maltipoo. I'd been wanting a mini-poodle mix of some kind for a while, but they are really expensive to get straight from a breeder. For those of you who don't know, a maltipoo is a cross between a miniature poodle and a maltese, which was perfect for what I was looking for. So, I replied to the posting, hoping for the best. You never know with Corpus Christi Craigslist...

I heard back from the owner early the next morning. The puppy was still available and she wanted to show her to me that night. So after work, my girlfriends, Aubrey and Sarah, and I all went to the island to go check out this puppy. My friends and I felt super comfortable because the house we went to was in a very nice area and once we met the sweet woman that was selling this puppy, I knew we were good to go. Disclaimer: If you EVER go meet someone about a Craigslist deal, you take a buddy with you. Personal rule:)


Once I saw this little fuzzball, I was sold! She ran out of the laundry room she'd been sleeping in, just sliding around and tripping over herself in excitement to meet new people. She only weighs 1.7lbs (please Luke, don't step on her!) and is about 2 months old. She's a panda maltipoo because of her black and white coloring. The owner sold her to me for what she had originally paid (which is significantly less that what she's really worth), plus she gave me everything she'd bought for the puppy: a coller, leash, puppy food, heartworm medicine, a travel crate, and food and water dishes. I have papers on her and she's already had her first shots too! See? Good deal:) The only reason they had to get rid of this puppy was because the woman works all day and her 10-year-old daughter just wouldn't take the responsibility of training the puppy. It really worked out well for both parties.

Needless to say, I'm in love! Look at this face...

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" -Romans 8:28-31

I start out with these verses to remind myself as I write this post.

I've just been feeling very defeated lately. In my defeat, I try to be sarcastic and funny. But I'm just so tired of trying to keep up these days. There's nothing really in particular that I can pinpoint that is making me feel this way. It's like a million little things; too many to list. It's kind of like one of those terrible-horrible-no good-very bad-days where one thing after another just seems to knock you down. Except for multiple days now. Uggh!

When you feel like this, what do you do? I need help. I'll take any suggestions you've got.

Last night when I was at dinner with Luke and his best friend, Jay, something profound was said. Jay works at the Corpus Christi Athletic Club as a swim coach. He coaches a team, but also teaches swimming lessons. Jay made the comment that all parents think their kid is the next Michael Phelps or Michael Jordan. Parents will put their 3 year olds in a week long swim lesson and expect them to be swimming laps like a champ 7 days later. Some children are talented yes, but not all of them are meant to swim like Michael Phelps. And to take it a step further, not all of them will succeed in exactly what their parents think they should. Hmm...take a second and chew on that one parents.

I have been very blessed in my life that I have a mother and a father who love me and have taught me to always give any endeavor 100%. As a child, I wasn't ever allowed to give any piece of homework, or a test, or a basketball game any less than my all. Study hard, practice hard, work hard = being the best. As I went off to college, I still had this mentality built in to me, but things began to change. As one of 14,000 students, I didn't necessarily have to be "the best" in school, because I wasn't chasing after a valedictorian status. Rather yet, I was just trying to do the best that I could for me. In Tri Delta, I guess I could have pushed myself harder to be a more influential leader, but I had a great time serving on smaller committees, being the VP of PR for one year, and building relationships with amazing girls. I loved college, but it was very different from junior high or high school where I joined every organization and made a 4.0. And I must say, it was more enjoyable.

Now, I'm an adult. A grown-up. P.S. What does this mean anyway?? I'm old? Well, bite me person that came up with this lame title for college graduates. What if I don't want to be called a grown-up? Anyway...I have a job. I'm getting involved in my new community. I'm searching for a new church. I'm decorating a new apartment. And I'm no longer a 16 year old in high school. I know this may sound a little soap-box-ish, but I need for the adults in my life to back off. I feel like every time I am with a new group of adult family members, I get questioned about my life. For example:

Family Member: What are you doing with your life Sara?
Me: I'm working and really loving living in Corpus Christi. Just trying to get settled in.
Family Member: Well, when are you going to law school?
Me: Not right now. Maybe never. I don't know, I'm just not passionate about it.
Family Member: Well, when are you going to find a real job?
Me: I have a real job.
Family Member: When are you getting a promotion?
Me: Well, I just starting working a month ago, so probably not anytime soon.
Family Member: Well, how are you going to afford a new house, children, their college, retirement?
Me (thinking): WHO THE HELL CARES ABOUT THAT RIGHT NOW?! WTH?!?!
Me: Well, the job that I took was the one that presented itself and I'm actually really enjoying it. If something else comes along down the road and I feel God calling me there, then I'll take this new job.
Family Member (sounding defeated and disappointed): Alright...

Ok, people. I know that I was in NHS, SNHS, SCOPE, band, basketball, volleyball, color guard (unfortunately, ha!), and was a straight A student in high school, PLUS I was in Tri Delta, Student Government, and many honor societies in college. And please don't get me wrong, I want to be involved as an adult and I always want to be a driven person that pushes herself to be the best, but what is so wrong about young people just enjoying their lives? I love my job. I love my new city. I love being closer to Luke. I love my new apartment. I just don't understand why so many people in my life cannot be happy that I'm happy. If I was flipping burgers at McDonalds and was loving it, I would hope that people could just be happy for me.

In the end, God is not going to care what job I did down here on earth. What He is going to care about is how I gave my all to serve Him and His people. And I know He wants me to be happy, whatever I'm doing.

Just so all of the punk "adults" in my life know: I'm still the same driven person I've always been. I want to do more school eventually. No, I won't be in sales for the rest of my life. I still have dreams and goals. In fact, I'm living them right now:) So get over it and quit asking me so many damn questions. Thank you very much. Oh yeah, and 23 years olds aren't supposed to be making $75,000 right our of college, FYI.

Anyone else loving Blogger's new page design elements? I'm not a graphic designer by trade, so I LOVE that blogger is making it so much easier for me to have a cool looking blog page:)

Anyhoo, I had a very relaxing and decorative weekend. If you've ready my blog lately, you may have noticed that I'm trying to slowly decorate my new apartment. I have furniture of course, but I really want to try to make my apartment modern and stylish on a (tight) budget. I'm not quite sure how to do this, but I have patience, creative friends that are offering great advice! This weekend I bought a papasan chair frame that a friend of mine pointed out to me on craigslist. The girl was selling it for $10, but I haggled her down to $5! I was especially excited about this because these chair frames sell for $80 at Pier 1. I bought a green papasan cushion for the chair and an amazing magenta down pillow (on sale!) thus beginning my color pallet for the living room. This was just the start/success I needed. Here's a picture of my cute new chair and pillow!

I've prayed for someone like you! You know you love that old K-C and Jojo song:)

This blog post actually has nothing to do with that song except for the fact that it's all about my life at this moment. Here's a little update on what's been going on:

This past weekend, my dad turned 50! Woohoo!!! I got to go home on Saturday afternoon and hang with the fam. On Sunday morning, my dad's actually bday, my sister Emily and I sang in church for dad as part of his bday gift. After that, the 6 of us (mom, dad, and the 4 girls) all went out to eat for dad's bday celebration. Since it was his special day, he picked BBQ, of course! Dad opened presents too. He got a new pair of tennis shoes, some cologne, and some truck accessories for his NEW TRUCK! Yup, for his bday dad is getting a new truck! Well, used, but new to him. You see, my papa loves to work out on his ranch and his old truck just isn't cutting it anymore. I'm not quite sure it even goes into reverse (gee whiz). It just can't take hauling hay or cattle anymore. So, dad is getting a new ranch truck. Yay dad! Overall, it was a good short trip home.

It's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged, and with good reason. I've had nothing nice to say. Between postponing the wedding, moving my life to Corpus (along with all of the crap I've accumulated over the past 23 years), taking a new job, dealing with the crazy/psychotic people in my life (if you're thinking "who?" when you read this line, its probably you), and adjusting to my new life, I've been a little really emotional. I know what you're thinking. Sara...emotional?? You'd of never guessed, right? ;)

I've begun many posts and finished a couple, but none of them were really web worthy. They either said to many hateful things about the people in my life driving me to drink (not literally of course...well... whatever) or about the way I struggle with change. I do. But I also know from experience that adjusting takes time. I may have never been good at it, but I do know that eventually things begin to settle in. I think I'm beginning to feel the settling and it feels nice.

For a week or so I had been sleeping on the couch in my living room because I didn't have any bedroom furniture. My college furniture was left in my college house because Claire will be moving in this next year. However, she also moved home for the summer and is sleeping on the bed in the guest room. SO, guess who had no furniture when she moved into her new apartment? Yup, me:) However, my Nana  so graciously after a good battle with my mother decided to share a few of the many pieces of bedroom furniture she had just lying around her old house. I am now the proud borrower of a bed, long dresser, tall dresser/shelf thing, two bed-side tables, two bedroom lamps, two end tables, two living room lamps, and a floor lamp. Whew.You think it was hard to type all of this? You should have been here to haul it up three floors to  my apartment without an elevator. I'm not quite sure my dad's gotten off of the couch since, ha!

Work is going really well. I love my office and the people I work with. It has taken a little over a week, but I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of things. I have many meetings with clients over the next few weeks (sounds cool, right?) and I love that I get to meet so many cool people on a daily basis. I got to buy new office supplies for myself last week, which was AWESOME because it was like buying school supplies, but BETTER because I didn't have to pay for them. My desk is officially organized to my liking and my new business cards came in. I know I sound so cheesy when I talk about it, but I'm still just really excited about having a job and the opportunity to take the next step towards a career.

I've also made a list of the many things I love about living in Corpus Christi:
1) My cute 1 bd/1bth apartment
2) My 10 min. drive to work
3) I work in the coolest office/atmosphere in CC
4) The awesome people I work with
5) Having a Starbucks, HEB, and Target within 30 seconds of where I live
6) Nuevo Cafe, Hester's, Agua Java, Tango Tea Room, Five Guys, Freebirds, P.F. Changs, and Cheddar's
7) Having the beach for a backyard
8) Wearing flip flops to work
9) Being able to lay out with my best friends because they live one street over and a few streets down
10) Camp is a 50 min. drive from where I work which in turn means I get to see Luke on a regular basis
11) Runs on the bay front
12) The chill attitude of South Texas
13) Being able to eat my lunch down by the marina on a sunny day and people watch
14) Discovering the many cool places to shop downtown (who knew??)
15) I know there are many others, but I'm tired. More to come!

Well, this is about as nice of a post as I can bare. You're lucky I'm not screaming and yelling still, the way I have in the previous posts I've written that will never be published. I hope everyone is having a nice start to this beautiful summer. It's about to get unbearably hot down here in good ol' South Texas, but I don't give a damn. This is why I moved down here, because it's where I'm from, what I know, and all I'm looking for right now. God is good and I can always make more lemonade. That's what we're supposed to do when life's hands us lemons, right?

-Sara

P.S. The new background is in honor of moving to and starting somewhat of a new life in South Texas:)