Rue de la Course

Joy and I went to one of my favorite coffee shops in New Orleans last night. Rue de la Course is located on Magazine Street off the Garden District. A real artsy community resides in the area, but it is also a favorite location for University students.

I had been doing some basic research the last couple of days when I talked Joy into going down to Magazine Street for a cup of hot chocolate. Normally when we drive around in New Orleans, we like to take Ol'Peggy (our gold colored 1991 Buick LeSabre) because we don't care if she gets banged up a little bit. Ol'Peggy has seen many days, but she rides like a comfortable pair of shoes.

You can get one of the best cups of Joe you have ever had at Rue. New Orleans has a really strong coffee shop culture. Some of the best memories I have deal directly with my friends and I sitting around Rue and talking about nothing really for hours on end.

I took Joy on one of our first dates to Rue. It really is just a different type of atmosphere there with a really wide mix of people. Half the fun is just sitting there and watching the different types of people coming and going. I remember how Joy and I sat around one of those old wooden tables just talking and talking. Sometimes when you first go on a date with someone new, you feel compelled to keep the conversation going in hopes of finding a connection. I honestly cannot remember what we talked about, but I do remember thinking how much I hoped she would like this place as much as I did. It is funny looking back at those old dating expectations I used to dream up while trying to find 'the one.'

Last night we sat across each other drinking hot chocolate because Joy has to be careful about caffeine since she has gotten pregnant. I avoided a good cup of Joe because my days of staying up until 3 am are long gone. Yet we sat around like best friends as I read over some research papers on grounded study theory and she read some Jane Austin book that I really don't care to know anything about. We still sit around the same old wooden tables, but most of those old dating expectations are just funny memories. The best place you can find yourself is in a mutally loving God ordained relationship.

We are expecting our little girl to be born soon. One of the greatest gifts that God has ever given us is life itself. I used to wonder what I would be like as a husband. I used to wonder that exact thought many nights sitting at those old wooden tables inside of Rue. Last night I sat across Joy at one of those same tables wondering what I will be like as a father...wondering what it will be like to hold my little girl. Will she laugh at my dumb jokes? Will she sing my made up songs? and will she think that I am a cool dad?

It is not long before our little girl comes... not long at all now.

-arnold