pursuing happiness

August 4th, 2010 - Page 136

In this part of the book it seems that Taylor is amazed by the ways that Turtle over comes such an abusive childhood and can see the brighter side of things. It maybe indicates how Turtle is very content with what she has, and Taylor should be the same way. Taylor and Lou Ann are also introduced to Mattie's old friends, Esperanza and Estevan. Lou Ann seems to draw some attention to Estevan in the way that he isn't cruel or mean, sort of the opposite of the way Angel is. Lou Ann and Taylor see the difference of Estevan apart from other men. Estevan is so knowlegdeable and caring.
I feel that it's obviously hard for Taylor adjusting and making a new life, not only for her but for her and Turtle. It could be a good thing that she see's Turtle's happiness with what she has, making Taylor to be maybe be eventually as happy. Taylor and Lou Ann could both learn a lot from Estevan. For Taylor it could be his caring sides and for Lou Ann maybe the fact that she could have done better than to end up with Angel.

Finding home

August 4th, 2010 - Page 93

After Taylor gets fired from her job at the Burger Derby she starts frantically looking for new jobs and a place to live in the newspaper. She first comes across an ad for a new roommate. The people who put the advertisement in the paper were weird hippie looking and acting people. There names were  Fei, La-Isha, and Timothy. She looked into more places and came across Lou Ann. The first time they met the two could tell the similarities and contrasts between them that could better both of them.  Taylor and Turtle moved in, and then shortly after Taylor got a job working with Mattie at her Jesus is Lord Used Tires. Mattie becomes a big positive influence in Mattie just as much as Lou Ann.
Its good that Taylor is starting to find some comfort and home in Arizona and becoming very surrounded by people that could majorly impact her life positively.

"Even a spotted pig looks black at night. This is another thing Mama used to tell me quite often. It means that things always look different, and usually better, in the morning."

"Even a spotted pig looks black at night. This is another thing Mama used to tell me quite often. It means that things always look different, and usually better, in the morning." - page 148

Now that Taylor isn't around her mother to much, and doesnt talk to her to often anymore she still thinks about her most of the time. Her mother made her who she is, with her independence and everything. It shows how she still thinks of her mother by the simplest things she would tell Taylor. Taylor probably wishes her mother could see what she has and how she has made her life for herself and Turtle. So she could show her mother how independant she has become thanks to her.

"The petals stood out in starry rays, and in the center of each flower there was a complicated construction of silvery threads shaped like a pair of cupped hands catching moonlight. A fairy boat, ready to be launched into the darkness."

"The petals stood out in starry rays, and in the center of each flower there was a complicated construcktion of silvery threads shaped like a pair of cupped hands catching moonlight. A fairy boat, ready to be launched into the darkness." - page 195

A night when Lou Ann, Taylor, and the kids were home Virgie Mae Parsons came knocking on the door. She told them to come over to her front porch for a surprise. The surprise was a beautiful flower called the Night-Blooming Cereus. The flower looks like a bunch of vines usually but only one night does it ever bloom. For Lou Ann, Taylor and Turtle, it had been the most beautiful and unique thing they had ever seen. With all the craziness with child protective services, for Taylor it was a beautiful distraction.

“It didn’t seem to matter to Turtle, she was happy where she was.... She watched the dark highway and entertained me with her vegetable-soup song, except that now there were people mixed in with the beans and potatoes: Dwayne Ray, Mattie, Esperanza, Lou Ann and all the rest. And me. I was the main ingredient.”

"It didn't seem to matter to Turtle, she was happy where she was.... She watched the dark highway and entertained me with her vegetable-soup song, except that now there were people mixed in with the beans and potatoes: Dwayne Ray, Mattie, Esperanza, Lou Ann and all the rest. And me. I was the main ingredient." - page 246

It seems like Taylor is referring to her life as a recipe, without all the people, the up's and down's, it wouldn't be satisfying in the end. Although Taylor's journey wasn't always perfect and happy, she always had Turtle. Turtle always seemed to be happy no matter what was going on, and it kind of seems like that taught Taylor a lot. No matter what stay strong and keep her head up, to keep herself in a happy place.

"Lou Ann shuddered. "That door’s what gets me. The way they made the door handle. Like a woman is something you shove on and walk right through. I try to ignore it, but it still gets me." "Don’t ignore it, then," I said. "Talk back to it. Say, ‘You can’t do that number on me, you shit-for-brains.’ ... What I’m saying is you can’t just sit there, you got to get pissed off.”’

"Lou Ann shuddered. "That door's what gets me. The way they made the door handle. Like a woman is something you shove on and walk right through. I try to ignore it, but it still gets me." "Don't ignore it, then." I said. "Talk back to it. Say, 'You can't do that number on me, you shit-for-brains.' ...What I'm saying is you can't just sit there, you got to get pissed off." - page 157

Lou Ann explains how she thinks women are easy taken for granted and easily get walked all over. Some of this anger may come from the fact that her husband left her and their baby to do what he wants to do. Taylor is the type of friend who always brings Lou Ann to her senses. In this case she is letting Lou Ann know that she can't keep ignoring the pain, she should get anger and let people know how she feels. Lou Ann should let Angel know how she feels, and the way she shouldn't be walked all over.

"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.