Novelty

So, for those of you who are not married, or have been married for awhile, I feel the need to explain the supreme hassle that defines the name-changing process (and everything else that has to have your name changed officially on it) compounded by the fact that I am changing states as well. Everyone wants to have some sort of official something that says "Allison McLaughlin" on it, but there it's so hard to get that first! I finally got my new social security card in the mail today, which I am hoping will make the rest of the process a little easier! Last week we spent 2 1/2 hours at the DMV getting new plates for my car (which are way more expensive in MD, in case you were wondering) and attempting to get the title changed with my new name and to have the car registered under my name. Difficult, to say the least. But, we got it figured out. Brent is the lucky one! He just has to hand in his old OK stuff and they just change it for him (along with a small [I mean rather large] fee)! Lucky kid.

Our next challenge was settting up our new account at the APL credit union. The woman we worked with was super nice, and quite in awe of the fact that we were from OK. She thought we were "just so cute" as newlyweds and then proceeded to ask us about our beloved Oklahoma.
     "How is OK different from MD?"
     "Well, MD has trees, and hills. Um, OK does not."
     "Oh, really?"
     "Well, we do have some trees. And, it's really hot there right now. Like, really hot."
     "Well, it's hot here. [Let me interject, that they have not gotten above 95 since we've been here.]
     "They've been around 110 or so for the last month."
     "Ooooh. And don't they have those, what are they called [picture her spinning her hands around in  the air] those spinney things?"
     "Tornadoes?"
     "Yeah. It's called Tornado Alley."
     "Wow! Have you ever seen one?"
     "Not in awhile, but we go under tornado warnings all the time." . . .

 . . . And the conversation continued from there. I am not trying to make her out to be ignorant, it was just interesting to dialogue with someone who had such a different perspective on what is so familiar to us. She was also incredibly nice, helpful, and stayed past closing to explain everything to us and get us set up. People here in Columbia are incredibly nice for the most part. Aside from their driving that is. In general, turn signals are simply not in use. In the words of I believe it is Kayli's mom? (Correct me if I'm wrong!) "They must not have made them that year" (referring to turn signals). Haha. What a true statement here! I feel so out of place when I use my turn signals (which I will continue to do, even if it does make me stick out)!

Despite the changes and funny things that are different here, I do like it. It is beautiful and scenic and everyone is very kind. Brent has a job that he likes, and we are celebrating his first week with a delicious lemon-garlic roasted chicken dinner tonight that we are in the process of making right now. If only you could have a sniff in our apartment right now . . . it's delightful! Other good things . . .I have a job that is sounding more and more ideal everyday, and we are hanging out with another couple tomorrow that Brent has become friends with at work. Bonus: the wife is a teacher! So we are making friends . . . Movin' on up!

Counting my blessings. :)

[hugsfromMD]