Category Archives: texas

Why, hello there spring

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There’s no denying my love of spring. It’s the most amazing season. A glorious few months of new growth, new color, new life. I found myself admiring these tulip blooms this morning. I returned home after taking Eli to school. There I stood, in my pajamas, hair a complete mess, glasses on, while cars drove by one after another. Yet, I didn’t care. I didn’t care if they saw me in my sleepy head state, because, all I saw were tulips. DSC_2304 DSC_2307 DSC_2308 DSC_2310

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade.

Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

Summer storms

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We love summer storms. Who wouldn’t? It’s a slight break from the intense heat and a chance to go outside and play in the rain. And that’s exactly what we did. Emma was all smiles for the camera but Eli took no interest in it. He was too busy floating legos in the puddles of water in the street.

On a jet plane

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I love traveling. Although I’m a total homebody and miss my home dearly when I’m away, I think traveling only reminds me how lovely our little home is and how I am more like myself when I’m within its walls. But for now, we are traveling and I love that.

I had two extremely excited children in tow. And a 2-1/2 hour flight to Los Angeles. I’ve been traveling back and forth to California since Eli was nearly a year old. My worst flight was the first trip back as a mother of two. Eli was 2, Emma was maybe 3 months old. I flew Southwest which was a huge mistake. We made about 200 stops before we reached California. I was nursing, so I couldn’t take medicine for my intense motion sickness. I ended up handing baby Emma to a stranger and leaving Eli to fend for himself while I used that ever so wonderful barf bag. We landed in Phoenix and had to switch planes. I came so close to refusing to board the plane and demanding that my parents drive to Arizona to pick us up (they totally would have done that by the way!). All that to say, this time around was my BEST flying experience ever. Could it be that the E’s are at the age when traveling is just easy? Could it be that we flew Virgin America airlines which is like a nightclub in the sky and has satellite television in front of every seat? Could it be that my mom was just a few seats over? Whatever it was, we had the best flight.

Now, we are enjoying this beautiful place that I used to call home. Now, although it still feels like home to me, it has become my home away from home. I love this place, like a deep, deep love. And I’m so glad to be here.

the e’s in dallas.

the e’s in los angeles.

This small town

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Volunteer headquarters the morning after and a line of cars waiting.

On Tuesday, a tornado hit the small town we call home. It moved through downtown and a community down the road. The pictures are devastating. Driving by and actually seeing the damage brings tears immediately to my eyes. What makes me smile is the way the community has responded. It has left me speechless. Local churches have coordinated aid and are accepting donations. One church in particular has stayed open until midnight, if not 24 hours. A local hotel has offered discounted rooms for families to stay and a local church has picked up the remainder of the tab. City residents have volunteered to help clean up the neighborhood, help homeowners pack, house those affected, house pets displaced. High school students have arrived to help their teacher retrieve belongings from his damaged home. Local restaurants have arrived to feed homeowners and volunteers. That is only a portion of what has been happening here and it’s amazing. Truly amazing.

Some homes have been left in shambles, some have been deemed inhabitable to where owners cannot even enter to retrieve their belongings, some two-story homes have become one-story. Cars were picked up, one left in an empty field, one tipped on its side and left at a front door. God’s hand was on our little town on Tuesday and no lives were lost.

I have never loved this small town as much as I do at this time. There’s a sense of community that is rare and priceless. As I watch the news footage each night of our little town, I see the same faces I run into at the grocery store, at the park or at local restaurants.  I cannot imagine living in another town or city or state at this point in my life.

 

this small town

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at this time, 5 years ago, we landed in texas in search for a home. i still cannot believe it has been 5 years. the idea of this move came about in spring 2006, and in fall 2006, it became a reality. 
we stepped off the plane in texas, a state david had never visited and i only tip toed through on a family road trip to illinois. all we had was each other. david, myself and a 9 month old eli. two suitcases, a stroller, a carseat and a laptop to guide us on this journey. 
we traded in our lives in california, the only state we had every known, in search of a slow pace of life. we found it on this little cul-de-sac where we have played, laughed, cried, dreamed, and just lived for the past 5 years. everything that we came here in search of, we have found and we are happy and content with the life we live. 
i have grown to love this small town. there have been moments over the past 5 years, where the longing for home and all things familiar have shadowed my appreciation for this place. but, when i snap out of this frame of mind, look around and notice the sun shining through the windows, i can do nothing but smile, take a deep breath and bask in the simplicity of our days. 
so as i gathered the children on a saturday morning a few weeks back, i fell in love with this small town for the 2,894th time. we sat on the side of a downtown road, with my best friend. a best friend who left the east coast, just as i left the west coast and we somehow found each other in the middle. there we sat, waiting for a homecoming parade to start. there we sat, waiting for the fire truck and police cars and horses and homecoming king and queen and high school marching band. there we sat, the kids jumping with excitement as they picked up candy thrown from the floats. there we sat, and it made me so happy that we took that huge risk 5 years earlier. 

dream barn

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last night i turned to david and said, “i think we should move.”
he rolled his eyes at me.
“no, give me a second. hear me out.” i said.
“i want a barn,” his eyes rolled back to their normal position. “not just any barn, but i want a barn just like the barn school barn. i’m not saying today, or tomorrow, but at some point in my life, i want a barn. will you build one for me?”
“sure,” he responded, “i will build you a barn.”

so there you go. one more thing to add to my dream list. it sits right between my dream white kitchen with dark countertops and my dream garden.