Deep in the heart of Texas...

Oh, Texas. It's been a fast one. Quick overview to hit the highlights, with a more reflective blog in the process.

Monday -- Knowing I wouldn't have time at any other point in the week, I hit El Mercado for a specific purchase -- a gift that I'd been contemplating for awhile. Super excited about the gift. Spent the evening with the community. I love spending time with these amazing women.

Tuesday -- Three observations, a midterm and a little more community time.
I remembered how much middle school students make me laugh. Aware that I was there to observe their teacher, two of the seventh graders kept yelling "She's a really good teacher!" and "We learn a lot from her!" in the middle of class.

Two "tee-hee" stories from the Kindergarten. The letter of the day was B ("B says 'buh'!"), and the students were identifying words they know that begin with b. One student said barn. Their teacher asks the students if they could tell her what a barn is. One little guy, who was so excited he could hardly stay "criss-cross-applesauce," announced, "It's a place where animals live, and my mom bought the big barn on FarmVille last night!"

A little while later, during snack, a student who was seated at the table where I was working informed me that my "bracelet has brown beads. Buh-buh-buh!" The girl at the same table asked if she could see it. She then asked if I would take it off, so she could see it. I thought I was going to have to use force to get it out of her fingers. (I did not take it off.)

In Spanish class, I wondered when students in Texas were going to be able to use the phrase, "Hace frio," as it was in the nineties with high humidity each day this week. Today was particularly disgusting.

A few realizations from Wednesday. One, I think I like Texas because they have places named "Mamacita's" and "Bueno Taco!" We don't have that in Ohio. I also wondered if a place like Chipotle really does very well in Texas. Kind of seems like a sell out. Finally, I was rather disappointed by Austin. I don't know why I expected Austin to be different. Driving into Austin from 35 S is kind of like driving into Atlanta on 75 from the south. The hotels just get bigger and closer together, and then you're kind of like, "Oh, hey. I'm downtown. There's where the Longhorns play football." I expected Austin to be more like Cincinnati -- You come through the cut in the hill, and TA-DA! There's the city!

Wednesday was also the day that I stopped in New Braunfels to see Kristen, my friend from high school. We were nearly inseparable the last two years of high school, despite going to different schools. I'm not quite sure I know all of what came between us, but at this point, it's just best to say life took us in different directions. It was very cool to see her and spend some time catching up. What I thought would be a couple hours turned into like four, and I found myself driving back to San Antonio at one in the morning. Totally worth it.

Sooo... a word about rental cars. You really should figure out how to read the gas gauge before you get too close to empty. Because it's quite an adventure to find yourself on 35 in Texas, in the wee hours of the morning, and thinking, "Hmmm... I wonder why that is flashing. OH! That's the low gas indicator!... Crap. How long has that been flashing?" (Much to my relief, I found an open Exxon station, and I pretty much coasted up to the pump.)

The gas light fiasco was followed by turning on the car Thursday morning to find the Check Engine light on. It took Enterprise an hour to decide if I should just drive the car, or if they could find another compact car to bring me. (Apparently, even if the car they give you requires maintenance, they are not giving you a free upgrade for the day!) After an hour of calling back and forth, they told me to go ahead and drive, but provided me with a number "in case the car breaks down or stops running." Wow. That makes me feel spectacular.

Four volunteer fairs over two days -- with mixed results. I'm looking forward to following up with the potential Lalanners that I've met over the past few days. I'm especially loving the group of volunteer service program recruiters who are running the circuits. What a fabulous group of people! Super fun. I'm really looking forward to hanging out with them more next week.

Tonight was a particularly slow fair, and I was privileged to spend about an hour and a half talking to Hector from ACE about the spirituality of art, theological reflection in sketches, visio divina, and sacred art. Amazing conversation. We also talked about prayer forms, prayer journals, stories of saints that we love, icons, cool churches, and Catholic identity at the university level. He's an artist, teaches art, and is teaching a college level course on Theological Reflection through Art.

So I'm pretty sure I'm going to like this recruiting thing...

...And my Saint of the Day is... St. Vincent de Paul!

Scavenger Hunt Victories!

I went on a Scavenger Hunt today. Really, I was looking for inexpensive furniture that is still in good shape to furnish the San Antonio service house. Specifically, I was looking for a sofa, a table with six chairs, a dryer, three desks, a television, and an armoir (maybe). (We had solved the Mystery of the Missing Refrigerator by this point.)

So the plan of action was that I would check out some thrift stores and, if need be, the Giant Retailer of Cheap Crap Who Shall Not Be Named (because I despise shopping there... for many sound and additionally not-so-sound reasons.) When I found each item, I was to text message one of the principals, who was taking care of purchase and transportation for the Archdiocese. Said principal was at a beginning of the year principal shindig, and she would come for purchase and pick up as soon as she was able.

Sidebar: We were really concerned about being able to locate this furniture before all the teachers arrived, and still staying within our budget. Nothing quite says, "Welcome to our city!" like coming to a house without furniture. We were especially worried about tracking down a dryer and a sofa for a decent price.

After meeting one of the teacher's at the house to distribute keys, I set out on my adventure. My first stop was a thrift store fairly close to where the principals were having their pre-year meeting. I found the location easily, grabbed my notepad and cell phone, and strolled into the store. There was a sign marking the furniture section. Easy enough.

I found a sofa. It was green/red/cream plaid. The chairs are green, so this wouldn't be terrible. The tag was marked $199.99 "As Is." The "As Is" made me nervous. What was wrong with it? I pushed on the frame, smooshed the cushions, and searched for tears. Nothing. The only thing wrong with this sofa is that it was... well... dirty. But the price would keep us on track with our budget.

I texted Principal, letting her know that I had located a sofa. I told her the price, and explained the condition, noting that we could try to clean it, or we could just get a slipcover. After sending her a photo message, she said to try to find a cover for it. We'd take it. Sofa: Check.

After leaving the store, Principal sent me another message, asking if there was a table and chairs that would work. I responded that there was one set that had four chairs for $199, but I wanted to see what the other store had before making that call; I was on my way to St. Vincent de Paul.

Sidebar: When I went to Detroit with a group from Cincinnati to do Young Neighbors in Action, my service site was a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. The store manager at that site was meticulous about what went on her floor. Having worked for a week in the store, I recognized how much work went into running the thrift store, and how that work was truly a labor of love. I really, really, really, really, wanted to support another Catholic organization, especially SVdP, but I knew that I had to put the budget before my heart.

SVdP in San Antonio is not easy to find, and even harder to get in the parking lot. It is essentially the only thing in between two busy cross streets on a four lane street, right next to I-10. I walked into the store, and realized immediately that it was substantially smaller than the store where we had done our service in Detroit. I walked the aisle between dining tables and a row of televisions, disappointed to not see a table with more than four chairs. I turned to head out of the store, when I saw a "room tableau" (as they were called in Detroit), with a nice sofa, loveseat and chair. Surely, I thought, this is too much. The whole set was $275. For $75 more, we would get two additional pieces of furniture -- and this was nicer stuff than what was at the other store! I immediately sent a text message to Principal. Abort mission to other store; go directly to St. Vincent de Paul, do not pass Go, do not collect $200. Wait. Collect $200 if someone is giving it out. The school could definitely use it.

After texting and then calling Principal to make arrangements (and deciding to just take one of the tables with four chairs...), I call Boss to tell her our good fortune. St. Vincent is smiling on us, I say. I flip the phone shut, satisfied and excited with the Furniture Find of the Year just in time to see a new table being placed on the floor... and SIX chairs are on the dolly!

I walked over to the store manager, who was supervising the set up, and announced that I wanted to purchase the table with six chairs, and I would also take the living room set. Her eyes lit up. "Really!?" Obviously, this store needed some sales, and this sale would make their day. We chatted briefly about the teacher-service program, I explained that I was waiting on a truck, and the truck would also bring the person with the check. She was thrilled to be helping out an organization that worked with Catholic schools. While I was waiting, she brought me a soda and some cookies.

When Principal arrived in her truck, I met her outside, and walked in with her. "Hey!" she exclaimed, warmly greeting the store manager. "This is my truck driver!" I explained. The store manager, who had demonstrated such hospitality and gratitude for the purchase, is a parent of one of the students at Principal's school. A school where one of our teachers serves. One of our teachers, who will come home to a comfortable house, because of the great service provided by St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store. A service made possible by the intense efforts of store managers like this parent.

Indeed, St. Vincent was smiling on us. God does really awesome things. Sometimes we get to see those sacred interactions first hand, and that is truly awesome.