1. You can properly pronounce Arab, Cahaba, Opelika, Sylacauga, Oneonta, and Eufaula.
2. You think people who complain about the heat in their states are sissies.
3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel.
4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.
5. Stores don't have bags or shopping carts, they have sacks and buggies.
6. You've seen people wear bib overalls at funerals.
7. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
8. You measure distance in minutes. (It's about 5 minutes down the road)
9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.
10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.
11. You know cowpies are not made of beef.
12. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.
13. You have known someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your fist.
14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer, and bait all in the same store.
15. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol. A Chevy Silverado Extended Bed Crew Cab is.
16. You know everything goes better with Ranch Dressing.
17. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
18. You actually get these jokes and are "fixin' " to send them to your friends.
19. You have used your heater and air-conditioner in the same day!
Finally: You are 100% Alabamian if you have ever had this conversation:
20. "You wanna coke?" "Yeah." "What kind?" "Dr Pepper."
It has been two years since we moved here to the Gulf Coast. I often wonder what we will think about years from now when we think about the move here and what prompted us to make such a drastic life change. What benefits will we see in the future? What outcome will the future bring because we dared to venture into the unknown and take a chance on an opportunity placed so perfectly in front of us. Until then I guess we can wonder and try to speculate, but for now I would have to say that with two years behind us, the move has been a positive one and we've been able to reap all the benefits of being residents here in the South. One benefit in particular is Arnold's job at Chevron. A benefit that one would say would have the most overall lasting effect on our entire family. 
The one benefit I would guess that would mean the most to our success here and determine our overall feelings about the change. It was the one thing I hoped didn't get overlooked as we scrambled to get the children adjusted and our new lives formed. If Arnold found that this area wasn't what he expected the "big move" could've surely been all in vain. But to our excitement this new work environment has been the best thing for Arnold's future with the company. Something that has turned out to be beneficial for all of us. Recently, Arnold participated in an unprecidented expansion of the FCC at the Chevron Refinery in Pascagoula, Missisippi. Part of the process was overseeing the arrival, assembly, and take down of a 300 ft crane that assisted with the two month project.
