"Starting right now, you've only got one Ma in the whole world. You know who that is?"

"Starting right now, you've only got one Ma in the whole world. You know who that is?" - 238

Taylor and Turtle were going around Oklahoma City waiting for some of the adoption papers to clear. As they are going around in Mattie's Lincoln they have what Taylor considers their "second real conversation". Since the adoption was about to be official Taylor was making sure that Turtle knew what Taylor was going to be to her. She was to be her legal mother. This is a huge step, she wants Turtle to know that Taylor loves her more than anyone in the world and her love for Turtle will be forever, and everyone else is a friend that also cares and loves Turtle to, just not as much at Taylor does.

"There seemed to be no end to the things that could be hiding, waiting it out, right where you thought you could see it all."

"There seemed to be no end to the things that could be hiding, waiting it out, right where you thought you could see it all." - page 172

Taylor says this because she is amazed by all the life and activity in the desert. Estevan being a former teacher practically knows anything about everything, and explains everything to Taylor. She didn't think that toads were suppose to be in the desert and maybe they were just suppose to be in a rainforest or something. It was just so unepexpected for her just as everything else is in her life and the people and things she comes across.

"There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur. A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You just couldn't imagine how she'd made a home in there."

"There was a cactus with bushy arms and a coat of yellow spines as thick as fur. A bird had built her nest in it. In and out she flew among the horrible spiny branches, never once hesitating. You just couldn't imagine how she'd made a home in there." - page 129-130

Taylor is thinking this as she is at the doctor with Turtle. Turtle had gotten X-rays to possibly determine and give Taylor some kind of clue as to what might have happened to her before she had ended up with Turtle. The doctor puts the X-rays up in the window and has he explaining the picture to her she looks past it to see the garden on the other side. Maybe Taylor uses the bird with the nest in the cactus as possibly a reflection upon her and Turtle and how they have ended up. Althought Taylor ended up with Turtle very unexpectedly she never once hesitated giving her away or not taking a responsiblity, and how easily Turtle had made a home and comfort and trust in Taylor.

"You can go and visit heaven. What? You see a room just like the first one, the same table, and the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop. But these people are all happy and fat."

"You can go and visit heaven. What? You see a room just like the first one, the same table, and the same pot of stew, the same spoons as long as a sponge mop. But these people are all happy and fat." - page 113

Estevan is telling a "wild indian story about heaven and hell" to the Parson's, Lou Ann, and Taylor. He explains how in hell there are a hole bunch of people sitting around "jibbering and jabbering" starving to eat a delicious pot of stew that God has made. But these people can't eat the stew because their spoons are as long as a sponge mop. But the people in heaven are in the same room sitting around having a good time with the same stew and the same spoons as long as the sponge mop but they are happy and fat. The people in heaven are satisfied and well fed, and the people in hell are suffering and starving. This story Estevan tells is important because it comes from his and Esperanza's culture and even Turtle's. And maybe he is trying to say that Taylor as a big chance of being a satisfied person in heaven by being the good person she is.

"I feel like the only reason I have any friends at all is because I'm always careful not to say something totally dumb, and if I blow it just one time, then that's it."

"I feel like the only reason I have any friends at all is because I'm always careful not to say something totally dumb, and if i blow it just on time, then that's it." - page 89

Lou Ann is a very cauious worry wart who thinks entirely to much of everything and anything. She constantly doubts herself but not anyone else. Lou Ann always is the one to encourage Taylor to keep her head up, but she never tells herself that. It seems like Lou Ann has a hard time being herself with out caring if someone is judging her or not. Taylor tells Lou Ann how she believes that what she says is a wierd theory a friendship, letting her know that practically no matter what she isn't going to judge her and that Lou Ann should be herself. In a lot of ways Lou Ann and Taylor can really complement each other.

"Turtle's main goal in life, other than hanging on to things, seemed to be to pass unnoticed."

"Turtle's main goal in life, other than hanging on to things, seemed to be to pass unnoticed." - page 81

This quote has so much importance simply because it describes so much about Turtle in such little words. Turtle clinged onto Taylor so tight hinting how she gave Turtle the name (and also because she really didn't know her name and needed something to call her). Turtle also seemed like she really didnt care for people to know she was around. When Taylor was working, Lou Ann would watch after her baby, Dwayne Ray and Turtle. Lou Ann would tell Taylor how she didn't have to pay to much mind to Turtle because she barely ever wet her diaper.

Independence

July 29th, 2010 - page 67

Introduced in chapter 2 is Lou Ann, who is from Kentucky just like Taylor. In Arizona she finds her husband, Angel and also has a newborn with him, Dwayne Ray. Angel has left Lou Ann , living in the house they both had lived in. Chapter 4 somewhat stresses that with him leaving gives Lou Ann a chance to be independent, just as Taylor. Lou Ann also becomes like Taylor because they're both left with a baby. A night when she was driving out of Kentucky she stopped at a bar near the cherokee nation. As Taylor was leaving the baby's aunt gives it to Taylor and says her mother died and she can't take care of it. Taylor then takes the baby to a hotel. She finds out that the baby has bruises all over when giving it a bath, she also finds out that the baby is a girl. Taylor calls her Turtle..
It's a good thing for Lou Ann getting perfect oppurtunity to learn to be independent, she is going to have to learn it at some point in her life and maybe she will get over some of her worries she has about the smallest things.

Parents determining the lives of their children

July 29th, 2010 - page 35

The first chapter introduces Taylor Greer. Growing up in Pittman County, Kentucky, she seems to firmly believe that parents have a major influence of determining the future of their children. Being raised by a single woman, Taylor became independent herself. She attended high school with Newt Hardbine. His father abused him his hole life and eventually Newt killed himself after dropping out of school and impregnating a girl, Jolene. Taylor also went to school with her. Jolene's father called her a "slut" throughout her entire life so Jolene felt it was fitting for her to be pregnant at a young age.
I completely agree with the way taylor thinks. Growing up it seemed I had the perfect family of four. As I grew up and realized the fighting between my parents and the mental illness in my mother, I started to see how not perfect we were. After we lost my mother I started to think what if it was the other way around and I had lost my dad instead. I would probably be raised for the rest of my life by my mother and probably grow up with her same mentality. So now, I realize  that my dad determines they way I am for the rest of my life.