Holy Week, Easter, coughs and fevers, a 2-year-old turned into a 3-year-old, we got a new roof and lost internet, a tornado hit and while we were out of town and we lost internet again, and my little blog got neglected. Someday I may post some of our last meatless recipes (there were some good ones!) and share our Easter menu, but not today.
Last week we went on an adventure. We covered over 1000 miles of Texas through big cities and tiny towns. The weather included sun and 90+ degree temps, and buckets of rain in the 40's. Our eyes feasted on open, flat fields, on rolling ranch land peppered with greening mesquite, and the famous Texas Hill Country where we saw blankets of wild flowers in every color of the rainbow.
Oh, those wild flowers! I didn't even try to get a picture because I knew I couldn't capture them properly. I've seen photos and paintings of bluebonnets, but it was nothing to the real deal.
We went to attend a conference in Austin and a PALS retreat in Midland. My Dad presented at the conference in Austin, which was one of the main reasons we decided to make the trip. This was the first time we've seen him since our move last July, and it was delightful to see my babies smiling and snuggling with their Grampie. We made sure he got some real BBQ, Mexican, and banana pudding, which meant we were able to enjoy some good eating as well.
In both places the kids and I had playmates, which made the week all the more delightful. I'm such an extrovert that, despite the exhaustion from miles in the car and (not) sleeping in hotel rooms, I felt energized and refreshed at the end of the trip. The kids did too, especially my oldest who has loved socializing since she was a wee lass. It made me so thankful for our home and our life here in Texas, and for the many new friends we have met since we moved. All the same, the cities were fun, but I was glad to get home to the country, away from the traffic and hustle-bustle.
And when we pulled up at home, my mind's eye still seeing those lush hills and wildflowers, I promised myself to weed the long-neglected flower beds in my front yard. The drive, the pleasant spring weather, and the book I'm reading (Wild by Cheryl Strayed) about a woman hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, have given me the itch to be in the great outdoors. We are contemplating a trip to the nearby Wichita Mountains to celebrate my baby's first birthday next week, and I'm determined to get the yard in shape. My thumbs will only ever be green if they are painted or bruised, but I'm hoping to try to keep a few pepper plants and some simple flowers alive this year. Or at least keep the weeds semi-tamed.
