Tom and Amy took me out to a place called Hard 8 BBQ for lunch. BBQ is a whole different experience over here and a lot of effort goes into smoking the meet. This place had huge pits that meat was smoked in and then a couple where you could take a look at the cooked meat and they'd carve off however much you wanted. It's super hot around the pits, which you line up through when you come in, so they have free bottled water at the entrance. After you've chosen your meat and/ or baked potatoes and roasted corn on the cob, you go through a kind of salad bar area, pay then find a seat. 
I had baked potato and corn,with coleslaw, cheese and sour cream and some peach cobbler for dessert! YUM!
(Don't tell the vegetarian police, but I also had a taste of Tom's ribs and whatever the other BBQ meat on his plate was- and it was great! So tender!!!!)
After lunch, we went to a huge outdoor goods store. You can find everything you need to kill all of the things there.... And it's decorated with dead animals.....from gar fish, deer and bass, to bears, wild cats and even a walrus and a polar bear!!!! But, not everything was dead~ they had live rattlesnakes at the front of the store!!! Obviously it wasn't my kind of store, but it was certainly a unique experience.
After a little shopping, we went to Tom's mom's place and hung out for a bit before Amanda came to pick me up.
I was a bit worried that things would feel kind of awkward, seeing as I we hadn't seen each other since she was in Korea four years ago. (We'd kept in touch via Facebook, and spoken on Skype once or twice, but that was it) I was so relieved when we just started chatting like old friends on the drive back to Waxahachie (south of where I'd been staying). She took me to meet her parents and pick up her daughter, Addison. Her family are super friendly, and I had a great time chatting with her dad about his travels while in the Navy. She's so lucky to have such a warm and welcoming family!
Addison
This girl is hilarious! She is obsessed with anything and everything princess and pink. She likes to watch princess makeup tutorials on youtube, and laid put her pjs to see if they matched before putting them on for bed. She has beautiful manners ("yes ma'am" and "no ma'am", please and thank you, apologies quick to come if she feels she did something that was wrong or inconvenienced anyone). And, of course, she has an adorable accent! Listening to her say "y'all" is the highlight of my trip so far!!!! She's been very warm toward me and asked this morning if I would "start loving her now". Cute, huh? She also asked about why I say things differently, and we've tried to explain what a country is and that I come from a different one.....don't know if she got it, but she understands that I have a thing called an 'accent'. 
I slept normalish hours again last night, 12 ish till 5 am. Today we went to Starbucks and Amanda showed me around town. Waxahachie has a beautiful old courthouse! We happened upon a flea market and found a cute chair for Addison's room.
Later, we played in the pool at Amanda and Addison's apartment complex. Tonight, Amanda and I are heading into Dallas to meet up with some of her friends for a birthday dinner (Amanda's birthday was last Wednesday). I hope I can squeeze in a nap this afternoon!
Later, we played in the pool at Amanda and Addison's apartment complex. Tonight, Amanda and I are heading into Dallas to meet up with some of her friends for a birthday dinner (Amanda's birthday was last Wednesday). I hope I can squeeze in a nap this afternoon!
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