Some Girls are Bigger than Others

Some people are just cooler than others, too. Am I right?
Well, NM is turning out to be quite the surprise. Sometimes when I think about it too much my stomach still gets a little crazy, but mostly things have been happy here. I'm having a heck of a time with my family. My brother and I watch these movies from our childhood nearly every night, and we get a big kick out of them. My sister is supremely cool, and we're gearing up for her big birthday celebration next week.
I'm happy to report, though, that my social life has been surprisingly active thus far... so yes, I'm doing stuff with people other than my immediate family. I've been home for what, 8 days now? That seems about right. I've been out and about nearly every night-- mostly hanging with my cousin Garret (ok, ok-- so still family, but there's some branching out). We're rolling as a posse these days, and the rewards are pouring in-- particularly for Gare. It's good to have him around.
Monday was particularly fruitful for the both of us. Garret ran into a girl he'd taken out the week before, got a phone number (and a date) with another one, and made another gal fall into big crush territory. He's an inspiration. As for me, numbers weren't quite so impressive, but I did run into a guy I'd seen around before. Back in the day I'd tried to be nice to him at church, but he was so shy and acted like he'd been insulted when I invited him to sit with me and my family at this dinner thing. But Monday he came running enthusiastically up to ME and we had a good half-hour chat. I feel it is only a matter of time before something goes down. Not positive he's my type, but he seems like a cool guy. I'm looking forward to getting to know him better. My fam loves him.
The other big news of my life comes as part of a pair. Shall I give you the "bad" first? Well, as many of you know, I took the foreign service written exam last April, but got my results letter yesterday and was told I didn't make the cut for the next battery of tests. It's a little disappointing, I guess, but I'm not really even upset about it. I thought I would be, but I really feel it wasn't meant to be. Let's be honest-- I think I'm infinitely more interested in traveling abroad than living there on a permanent basis. A few months at a time, sure. Years at a time? Naw, it really isn't for me.
But I promised you something to complement this news, right? Well, it looks like I'm making one of those big steps to becoming an adult. I'm building a house. CRAZY. I knew it would happen someday, but I didn't expect it to come up all at once. Still, I gotta have some shelter, and I might as well get some equity, right? Plus also, I'm stoked about being in on all the plans. I'm supposed to choose a floor plan this weekend. I get to decide what kind of flooring we put in. I'm the one in charge of the stucco and paint colors. I'm the one who makes the decisions about cabinets and light fixtures and tubs and showers and windows and how many electrical outlets and phone jacks there are. Eventually, I'll be the one doing the landscaping (sadly, this will probably mostly be xerascaping, or however the crap you spell that, but I'm holding out for at least a little grass in the backyard). And I've got two acres to work with. It's wild, I'll tell you. But I may be in as early as Christmas. I can have people come and stay with me. I'll have a guest bedroom. And a study (just because it's only me and really, how many bedrooms can I use anyway?). Like I said, wild.
This weekend is marked as family reunion time, and I couldn't be happier. Going up to the cabin for the first time since it was finished. And hello! Who doesn't like the Pioneer Day Rodeo? Yeah, maybe this New Mexico thing isn't going to be so bad after all.