Old, yes. Sissy, no.

Well, I feel old. Every now and then those things happen in life that make me feel like I'm really a grown up. Like turning thirty a year ago (Just hit thirty one and boy was the catfish good)....and getting my first real job several years ago....the massive amount of hair growing on my back....and the lack of hair growing on my head....when my wife calls me "Steve" cuz she knows I'm acting like my dad even though she hasn't been around him that much....when I hear myself telling my friends my dad's jokes....because I really do think they're funny...spending my allowance (the money I get to blow) on things like bird feeders and whiskey barrels for the yard...I like watching birds in my back yard and putting out feed for them....and don't get me started on gardening...I'm even growing lavender because I love the way it smells and I harvested the flowers today and hung them up to dry (and if you call me a sissy you better do it to my face)..and most recently buying a car for the first time (yesterday. yes!!). Carrie and I went to Oklahoma City yesterday and bought a car. It felt like a milestone. Every other car has been handed down to me and to her and to us. Our parents were really good to us to hand cars down which allowed us to pay off loans and save money and eat beans and rice and rice and beans until we were finally able to buy a car. We are really thankful to have a new car, for a great cousin helping us locate it and a great God for ultimately providing it and giving us the money and to our parents for their help all those years and for their teaching, and to Dave Ramsey and his teaching...beans and rice...and now we get to play a little, not that we didn't play some already. We went and bought insurance today and then to the DMV to get it assessed and registered and to pay a lofty excise/sales tax (that just ain't right). I even got a sweet conservation plate for the back. Mostly because I think it's really cool but also as a way to "pay it forward" (in a very small way) by giving to a good cause and to honor my folks (who are kind of in to fish and wildlife) for being for me (and us) all these years. Thanks dad, mom, roberta, ford, rita, tomilea.