^^A car selfie from a few weeks ago simply because this post needed a photo, haha.

I have a confession: My name is Hannah, and I am a backseat-driver.

....but more on that later...

We're back in California after a fun-filled week in the great state of Texas. As I mentioned before, we had a few weeks to kill between Stephen's graduation and starting work, so when my sister mentioned we could fly from Oakland to Dallas for under $70 one-way (via Spirit) we were sold!

We spent a few days with my sister, Rebekah, and her family in a suburb of Dallas and then rented a car and drove down to Houston for a day and a half to visit my brother Joseph and his family down there. (I have a post all about spending time with Rebekah's family in the works, stay tuned.)

While on the drive down to Houston, we learned a valuable lesson: When it comes to driving in Texas, it's a good idea to take everything you were taught in Drivers Ed and throw it out the window. 

Due to a few accidents on the two-lane freeway we took from Dallas to Houston, there was a fair amount of traffic (causing our estimated four hour travel time take about five and a half hours). Not long into our journey we were stopped in some traffic when all of a sudden a car a few hundred yards in front of us pulled off the road and drove straight across the grassy median onto another road!! We were both like, "Did you see that?! Did that really just happen?!!" when lo and behold no less than FOUR additional cars did the same thing! A few hours later we began to see signs that said, "STAY OFF THE MEDIAN" and it was only then that we understood that this sign was actually merited! (Though, not given much heed, haha.) 

While additional signs say, "LEFT LANE FOR PASSING ONLY" the reality is that everyone who drives even a mile over the speed limit stays in the left lane until they want to pass, at which point they switch to the right lane, floor it, and then slam on the breaks and switch back into the left line milliseconds before crashing into the semi in front of them. We watched this system for five and a half hours. For five and a half hours I had to fight back a mini panic attack. 

Oh, and one more thing: turn signals are for noobs. 

...now back to my confession. Yes, it's true. I am a backseat driver. I don't think I've always been a backseat driver, as a matter of fact I'm quite confident that has not always been the case. I cannot recall an event caused me to become one, but I am, as much as I hate to admit it, unquestionably and totally, wholeheartedly, through-and-through the most obnoxious backseat driver of them all. Thankfully I can control my comments (for the most part) when I'm in the car with friends...but when Stephen is behind the wheel....that isn't quiiiiiite the case. (And for the record, Stephen is a great driver!)

Texas drivers + backseat-driver wife + a brand new rental car with less than 500 miles on it = POOR STEPHEN. 

hahahhaa. But really. 

STEPHEN: THANK YOU FOR LOVING ME DESPITE MY HORRIBLE BACKSEAT-DRIVING-PROBLEM. 

I need help.

_ _ _

han.

PS If you missed the vlog we made on our drive from UT to CA, be sure to check it out here!