Boy, this is just the Christmas of throwing a kink in things, huh? First, we don’t get to go to Philly and now it’s looking like I will be getting a white Christmas for the first time in my life. It’s been quite a year.

With that knowledge though, and the new forecasts, we are going to be heading out this morning to try and beat the storm to my parents’ house. It’s in the southern part of the state and is expecting more snow than us here in Norman. It’s likely we’re going to get snowed in down at Mom and Dad’s, but we’d rather do that than be stuck up here and miss Christmas altogether.

Have a blessed Christmas and I’ll be seeing you soon!

What a beautiful day this was. I didn’t think that Green Gables could be topped, but the drive around PEI might have done it. We had set aside one day to see as many lighthouses as we could. The fog got a little ridiculous throughout the day, something the locals told us was uncommon. I guess I should be glad that this wasn’t 200 years ago. Because I’m pretty sure if some strange woman (me) wandered onto someone’s island bringing a dark cloud of fog that swept over the entire landscape, she’d soon find herself at the bottom of a lake.

Here we go, our day driving around the island:

These bikers stopped in front of us to wait out the fog.

These folks were drying their Canadian flag in their backyard.

You see that fog? It’s creepin’ on in.

We were kinda up in a lot of people’s driveways. You never knew where you were going on this map.

I took a sea shell from this beach. Shh.

Anne fans, recognize this hotel?

Think back to Anne of Green Gables: The Sequel (or Anne of Avonlea, as it was marketed in the States)…

Certainly not a canonical scene from the books, but beautiful nonetheless.

After driving past Dalvay-by-the-Sea, we went on to Charlottetown to have dinner. I can’t remember the name of the place, but it was a little pub that we stopped by. There were hardly any people there (or anywhere) and I was still having some trouble figuring out the schedule these people live on. This establishment at least had a few people sitting outside enjoying their dinners though. It looked promising. Being that we weren’t locals and it felt ridiculously cold to us outside, we chose to dine indoors.

Kevin started with a crabcake.

And I went with the sashimi, which was pretty, but a mistake. Way, way too warm.

Now, for some reason I didn’t end up with pictures of our dinner, but I had this ENORMOUS bowl of mussels in a tomatoey brine and Kevin had…a burger.

Back to the resort we went for our last night in that huge room, with the daunting drive ahead of us the following day. Blech.

And since you made it all the way to the end, here’s a fun surprise:

As we made our way through one of the 3 airports we were in on Sunday, Kevin said to me, “I think this is blogworthy.” Now, he doesn’t say that often so I am going to roll with it.

We were both awake super early compared to our usual time (me at 4 am and him at 5 am) and I was rushing about the house getting last minute things ready to go. Once everything was packed up we were out the door by 6 am and on the road to the airport in OKC.

I’d had a funny feeling about it all morning and had even awoken to a strange dream thinking we shouldn’t go on the trip, but we arrived at the airport and our flight was still scheduled as being on time. Through security (quickly, I might add — thank you, Will Rogers World Airport!) and on to wait for our plane, we boarded with a number of other people who had Philly in mind as a final destination. The first leg of our flight from Oklahoma City to St. Louis was pretty uneventful. I napped a bit, but experienced my first light case of motion sickness on a plane. It was mild and I think mostly due to my sinuses being a bit bothered already. Remind me to tell you about my worst case of motion sickness sometime. The story involves Scranton, PA, so, yeah, interesting.

We landed safely in St. Louis to find a number of messages on Kevin’s phone. Our flight from St. Louis to Philly was canceled and we soon confirmed it for a second time on arrivals and departures board.

I’ve seen plenty of episodes of that Airline on A&E to know how this sort of situation usually goes. There’s often screaming and/or drunkenness. However, neither Kevin nor I are prone to being screamy or drunk, so we were already ahead. We went to the counter and were helped pretty quickly by a Southwest employee. He got us on a flight headed to Dallas and then on to OKC.

The whole thing really wasn’t a big surprise to me. I’d checked the boards that morning online and all of the other flights from St. Louis to Philly had been canceled, so our chances weren’t good.

Instead of moping, we got bagels with cream cheese. Cream cheese makes everything better. Seriously. My friend, those are words to live by. Write them down. And my bagel had pepperoni and mozzarella baked all into the crust. Yum.

It was when we got onto the plane that things got interesting. We preboarded (for the first time in both of our lives) and seated ourselves at the very front of the plane. Another first for me. The preboarding pass was so that we could get off the plane and onto the next one as quickly as possible because we had such a slim window. So, at best we were going to be the first off the plane and we’d made our next flight. At worst…we wouldn’t feel a thing (a joke you don’t make while you’re on the plane).

What I hadn’t factored into the equation was The 3rd Seat. You know, we’re traveling as a couple and have done so on every plane trip I have been on. Up to this point we have made it through dozens of flights unscathed. No arm rest hogs, no one napping on our shoulders, no one reading over our shoulder. But this time…oy. A young man seated himself down beside Kevin and proceeded to start telling us his life story. Your classic oversharer. Then he got loud and started joking with the people around us and tried to get the flight attendants to sing. Numerous times. It continued and I turned to the window to take a nap, leaving my dear husband to fend for himself.

When I woke up we were about 10 minutes from touching down and the young man turned to both of us and asked, “So, what are your majors?” Later I told Kevin that we should take it as a compliment that we still look like we could be undergrads. It was after this question that I made my fatal mistake. I told him my degree was in writing. He then started telling me about how he had written a chapter book that was almost 80 pages long. And then. He got out his phone (we were taxiing) and started searching. He handed me the phone and asked me to read his poetry. I don’t even want to do that for people I know. Especially not for total strangers who aren’t asking for criticism, but instead it’s all, “Look! See how good I am at what I do!” It was about an ocean tearing him away from a girl. There was rhyming. Lots and lots of rhyming.

We got out of that plane fast.

On the way to our next gate we ran into the man who had been in the same situation as us early that morning. He was the only person on our flight who had decided to come back to Oklahoma City. He walked along next to us and asked us what we had been heading to Philly for.

“Christmas,” we said in unison. Kevin asked him what his trip was for.

The man kept his quick pace as he spoke, “Going to see my mom. She’s dying.”

Our day might not have turned out the way we had anticipated, but it wasn’t bad. And it most certainly could have been worse.

Dallas to OKC was much less eventful, minus the UTEP basketball team being on our flight and the bulk of them choosing to share their music with the entire plane, but whatev. We made it home and *drumroll* so did my bag. I was more worried about that than anything else. So many crazy transfers to make. Thank you, Southwest, for getting my bag home with me. It was pretty worse for wear, but I can deal.

It doesn’t look like we’re going to make it to see Kevin’s parents this Christmas, so we’re going to save our flights for this summer and try to get out to see them then. Not ideal, but not bad either.

Brr. Well, Philly, it would have been nice to see you in all your snowy glory. It wasn’t meant to be though.

We were heading up to Philadelphia to celebrate Christmas with Kevin’s parents, but plans changed. A lot.

We arrived at St. Louis right on schedule only to find out that our flight from St. Louis to Philadelphia had been canceled and that there was very little chance that we would make it onto one of the later flights to Philly, assuming that those didn’t end up canceled. And they had arrival times after 9pm — no my cup of tea. I’m disappointed, but Southwest took care of us and we are going to try to fly out again after Christmas. I was so looking forward to being at my in-laws. I’m sure the house is toasty warm with the fire going and I don’t know about you, but a nice fire makes everything better for me.

Instead we are back home. My mom and dad are in OKC doing some last minute Christmas shopping and when they are all finished with that they are coming by to see why my washing machine is leaking when it drains. Eep. Yeah, that is a new development as of yesterday. After that, I think we’re going to head out for dinner somewhere. While we enjoy an evening with family, even though it’s not the side of the family we’d planned on spending our evening with, I wanted to share with you all a few memorable posts related to our families that this Christmas season had me thinking about.

• We Remain – A few thoughts on my Native ancestors and the culture I wasn’t raised in.
• Big buck!
• Like a jam jar. – The first time our parents met.
• Manipulation 101
• The Christmas Story According to 3-year-old Me

You asked, now I’m answering!

Anonymous asked:
Why do you use the word ‘goddess’?… it sort of comes across as non-Christian. :/
I’m afraid you may be misunderstanding the definitions of “goddess.” While it often means “female deity,” the word also means “a woman whose great charm or beauty arouses adoration.” And if you’ll look, I don’t say I aspire to be a goddess, period, the end. Nope. Domestic goddess. Literally a woman whose prowess in the kitchen and home arouses adoration. I aspire to have the adoration of my husband, family, and future children in those areas.

Where did you get your wedding dress? It’s GORGEOUS!
At a tiny boutique in Oklahoma City called Pomp & Pageantry. I tried prom dresses on there years and years ago. The dress I ended up with was custom made for someone else who decided they didn’t want it. It took a while to figure that one out, but we realized it when we couldn’t find my dress anywhere. It looks like the skirt of one gown with the bodice of another. It’s by San Patrick and is made mostly of lace, crafted in Barcelona.

Becca asked:
What is the biggest surprise to you concerning marriage?
The biggest surprise to me was how quickly everything about being married felt normal. We hadn’t lived together before our wedding so everything literally happened all at once. It was perfect, I won’t lie. We’ve been extremely blessed and I know that we are both thankful for the great pre-marital counseling that we had. So much heartache has been spared by what we learned about communication styles.

Misti (my long-lost, newly found, second cousin) asked:
What was your favorite tv show growing up?
Tough one, but the ones I remember being excited to watch in the evenings were TGIF shows like Full House and Perfect Strangers. ALF, Family Matters, Reading Rainbow, and Mister Rogers were all favorites.

What song reminds you of your husband?
Man, it’s so cheesy, but “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse is it. We made it each other’s ringtone when we were dating and, by accident, it was what we were listening to in the reception hall in our first alone moments after the wedding, right before we ran out to the car to leave. With all that birdseed raining down on us.

If you could have a pet of any kind, what would it be?
I would like a goat, but right now I am really happy with my Scoodle (or Scottie Poo, if you like) and brand new guinea pig (who doesn’t have a name yet).

Do you think you chose the right profession in life? What other path might you have chosen or still could choose?
Sometimes I wonder if I should have gone into marketing. I think I have a good head for it. Which is the countrified way of saying that some of it comes naturally to me. I don’t really have a profession. I have had jobs. Writing is my passion and I plan to stay home and raise a family. And maybe sell custom invitations and stationery.

What is your favorite thing about Oklahoma? I’ve only been a few times and it has been beautiful the times I’ve seen it, but I’m not all that familiar with it.
Everything really isn’t an answer, is it? The landscape. We have everything here. The weather. Again, everything. The sense of family that most people in small towns still have. The richness of culture and tradition.

Jennifer (a former teacher at my high school) asked:
What kind of books do you like to read?
Literary fiction. That is my book snob answer. And classics.

What is your favorite book?
I can never answer this. The last book I read to make it onto my favorites list is No Country for Old Men.

If you were to write a book, what would it be about? Or at least what genre would it be? (Of course, you may have already written a book, and I just don’t know it yet.)
I write Southern Gothic. I like to focus on family dynamics, crazy people, secrets, lies, small town culture, and religion. I have written hundreds of short stories, but never finished any of my novels. At least not by my own estimation. Maybe they are all they ever will be. The first novel-length story I made headway on was an 80 (typed) page manuscript that I carried around in black and white composition notebooks in 7th and 8th grade. All I can say is still waters run deep.

Vanessa asked:
If you could meet anyone, from any period of time, who would you choose to meet?
Either Hannah, mother of Samuel or Elisabeth.

As you may recall, when we last left the blissful honeymooners they were turning in for a long-awaited night of sleep on a foggy island in the northeast. We join them once again the next morning as they awaken to sunny skies with tummies ready for a big breakfast…

When we woke up that morning (it was Saturday by now) we headed out to find some lunch and find it we did. It deserves an entry all its own because we ate more seafood than was probably healthy, but after that fine meal we were off to do what I had been looking forward to all along — see Green Gables. You see, I was raised in the south so I always take the precaution that things may be closed on Sunday. Green Gables, as it turns out, was not closed on Sunday, but Saturday worked out just fine for us.

After arriving at Green Gables we decided that we wanted to take a walk before looking through the house. Off into the Haunted Wood we went.

And through the woods and across the road to the homestead where Lucy Maud Montgomery lived.

I took pictures of this little critter because he looks so different from the chipmunks and squirrels we have around here.

And this is why I think I connect so much to L. M. Montgomery as a writer. One word: place.

Of course, we couldn’t visit Green Gables without taking a stroll down Lover’s Lane.

Back up the hill…

…to the house.

It’s the stoop. I have a think for front stoops. Especially those that are worn and have really old rugs on them.

Inside…

I loved this little plant. The way it looks like lace, and how that looks next to the curtains. So pretty.

Anne’s room

I don’t remember if this was Marilla’s room or the guest bedroom, but I loved the quilt and the pillow shams either way.

That was Green Gables. I don’t really know what to say about it except that it was a magical experience. Maybe not what it would have been when I was 11, but magical nonetheless. I hope that someday I will be able to take daughters back. It is something to be enjoyed and experienced with a young heart.

A few days ago I responded to a little meme floating around on some of my friends Livejournals and they asked me some questions. I thought I would share them here as well since it’s NaBloPoMo and all and I’m sure that somewhere down the road I am going to run out of topics of my own (one day left, score!). Thank you, ladies, for providing me with a little blog fodder.

From Lauren, lovely lady who moderates GodlyGals with me…
1. What was your favorite wedding present?
That’s a tough one. The ones that have seen the most use have been my Fiesta ware (six in Shamrock, six in White). I’m pretty utilitarian so the things that I have been able to use the most have been most appreciated. Oh, and I love the mattress that my grandparents bought us. We picked it out about a year ago. It was nice to finally get to use it once we got married (Kevin requested that I not sleep on it until we were married and he moved in). It’s the best.

2. Have you and Kevin thought about any potential baby names? You know, for way on down the road
We do, but I’ll never tell until the babies come along. I will say that Kevin has given a firm “no” to one of my favorites — Clementine.

3. What is your surefire, go-to recipe for potlucks/covered dish events (idk what they call them out there)?
Potlucks Well, I have got Kevin’s grandma’s recipe for chocolate pie down so I might need to stick with that. But my grandmother’s recipe for “Southwest Salad” is a hit (it’s not your average taco salad). I always like to bring that. I’m pretty famous for bringing weird stuff down home to my meat and potatoes family. “What’s that?”

4. Did you and your brothers get along while you were growing up, and did your relationship change (other than obviously you were all older and more mature) once you left home?
First off, “more mature” is a stretch. As kids, I hear that my middle brother and I got along until my baby brother was introduced into the mix and then it was all out bedlam. We fought. ALL THE TIME. Hitting and kicking and screaming. After a while I got tired of it, played the “you can’t hit a girl” card, and just let them go at it. Up until just a few years ago I’d still take part in the arguing, but even that has slowed down now. The boys still fight. And our relationships have changed pretty much only in that we don’t talk to each other as much anymore.

5. How do you feel about public speaking?
I kinda like it. The first time I had to speak in public was in high school and back then I broke out in a nervous sweat, got the cotton mouth, and my hands shook uncontrollably. It took a few years for that to change and I was able to calmly present a motion before our school board to have some grading standards changed (we won!).

On the surface my personality is not sanguine. If you break past my exterior though, that’s what you’ll find. In the past few years I have found that I really enjoy speaking in front of a group and am able to do it confidently. And strangely enough, on the Compare People application on Facebook, I’ve been ranked the best public speaker amongst all my friends. I find it interesting that this is something people would think about me. Even if I do enjoy it, I don’t do it that much.

And from Rose, another lady I met through GodlyGals (waaaay back in the day)…
1. Do you have kids’ names picked out? Care to share them?
See above.

2. Where’s your next vacation planned?
This spring break (which occurs in mid-March in Oklahoma) Kevin and I are taking our first long roadtrip east to visit some of his family in North Carolina. I’ll be documenting the whole trip as we try to hit as many hole-in-the-wall restaurants that we can find (with Guy Fieri as our guide). We’re going to visit Grandmother in Clinton, NC, Aunt Sue in Raleigh, NC, and Pop Pop and Miss Phyllis in Currituck, NC.

3. What’s your spiritual gift?
In one of those really extensive tests (that includes things that not all people consider a spiritual gifting) I had 5 at the top that I scored very highly in. Tied for 1st place were Pastoring, Faith, and Discernment and tied at 2nd were Hospitality and Leadership. I have never asked anyone else who is close to me and that I trust spiritually what they thought about those results, but I think it would be a good idea to do so. It seems that people who work with you in ministry or see how you work could give some good insight into what they see you presenting strongly.

I feel that discernment and hospitality are the two things that come the most naturally to me. Discernment is something that it’s been clear I was gifted with ever since I was very young. I believe that is one huge factor in why I turned out the way that I did. My parents and grandparents have always been quick to say that I needed very little correction and had a very strong sense of “right” and “wrong” from the time I was small.

I guess you can see how the Pastoring and Leadership have shown themselves in my life. Faith, yes, I can see this. It’s Kevin’s highest gift on the list and helps me to understand why we are so compatible. We both trust God and that He will always come through. Period. For me, that sometimes makes it difficult for me to relate to Christians who regularly doubt and question the will and work of God.

Also, I don’t believe that people necessarily only have one gift. I think sometimes people have one gift right then, right when God needs to use them in that way.

4. What’s your biggest regret?
The ways I treated some of my friends in high school. I threw away some friendships I wish I hadn’t.

5. What’s the most common way people find your blog?
Honestly? Searching for the RoutanBabymaker3000. Look it up It’s helped me build a huge following in eastern Europe.

This is our first year that Kevin and I will attend Thanksgiving as a married couple and we’re bringing his grandmother’s famous chocolate pie with it. I don’t know if I am free to give the recipe out for this one. It’s probably some big family secret. But I’ll give you a clue. There are basically two ingredients. You just have to know how to mix them and how to tell when it’s perfect to pour. Oh, and you have to be an accomplished meringue maker.

I love the word meringue. Is it just me? Look at it. MERINGUE.

And the peaks. I love it when the meringues begin to peak. Only that by the time I’ve got them doing their thing I no longer have any muscle control in my right arm from the vibration of the hand mixer. Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrweeeeeeeee! (Hand mixer sound.)

For reasons I cannot say, it seems appropriate for me to share with you all that today is a day set aside to raise awareness that violence against women (and let’s not forget, all people) is despicable and should be stopped. Do what you can to support those you know who are or have been victimized.