Texas

Mother’s day weekend was so special.  I got to go home for the first time in almost two years and be with my family (and even though it was mother’s day weekend that meant papa too)!  I flew to DFW late Thursday night and my parents greeted me at the airport with big smiles and our traditional ‘family sandwich’ which is basically just a giant threesome hug.  It was a bit sideways so I don’t know if I was a piece of bread or the cheese this time, but it still makes me feel warm and loved!  I was so hungry after the long flight and I had a list of Texas foods I was missing.  I made it a bit of a mission to have Sonic, Schlotzsky’sand real sweet tea while I was home. Unfortunately, it was so late I had to get In and Out burger but at least I got sweet tea!  The next morning, I dropped mom off at the university to teachmaymester while I had appointments.   She had my morning scheduled down to the minute.  This weekend can explain a bit about my mom.  She gave me a piece of paper like a schedule with the names, phone numbers and physical addresses of where I needed to be and when.  She also adds things like what to ask and ‘don’t forget to’ notes.  She is an organizational queen.

I ran a bit late from my last appointment due to traffic so by the time we got to meet up with everyone going to the lake we were over an hour late.  This meant the usual 2 hour drive out to the lake took almost 4!  I think everyone was really frustrated by then and I know that mom, who also thinks lateness is rude was having a hard time not trying to make our car into a teleportation device.  Her driving, I will admit, reflected her impatience.  But once we got to the lake its natural peace and beauty had us all relaxing.  It was around 7 so we all jumped in the water for a late swim (yes in Texas in May it is still in the 80’s that late in the day).  Mom ran to the store for food and we all began to relax.  Mom came back from shopping and whipped up, in her usual gourmet way, pesto pasta with sundried tomatoes and bacon, spinach strawberry and spiced almond salad withraspberry vinaigrette and for dessert we had homemade cookies which she later made into ice cream sandwiches with mint chocolate chip ice cream. Later we went down the road for a walk in the graveyard.  It is funny how something you see regularly becomes scary in the dark and every branch becomes a ghoul’s arm reaching out to get you.  We sat up playing slapjack and BS until the wee hours.  It was fun to get a chance to be a kid again.  Most everyone there was either just graduated from high school like me or a senior this year.  We are at that stage where we are in a hurry to be adults and sometimes embarrassed to act 12 again, but under certain conditions it is almost a relief to be able to be a carefree kid again.

Saturday, even though we probably didn’t fall asleep until around 3, we were up by 8 and eating stuffed French toast and bacon.  Then mom scooted us out the door for more swimming, volleyball, water balloon fights and just lazing in the sun.  It was a totally unique and relaxing day full of all my favorites.  I am such an outdoor athletic kid that I don’t like to sit it watching tv or playing games.  I have to be moving.  Ok, I am not always graceful and I really made a fool of myself doing a high kick and falling on my tail bone; but at least I am up and moving!

Mom taught us all to expand our horizons when she put apples, spinach, pesto, turkey and provolone on our sandwiches for lunch and taught us how to make hobo pies.  Another thing I love about my mom, she is the ultimate hostess.  She makes sure everyone has what they need and feels included.  She wants everyone to have fun and enjoy themselves.  So she spends every minute taking care of the details like the food, making a trash can full of water balloons, hanging the towels to dry and pulling weeds on the volleyball court.  It is like she mothers everyone simultaneously.  Papa came in the afternoon and we allsat around either napping or just chatting.  I got to really build some new friendships bonding over sunburns and injuries.  

I think going to the lake is like leaving your life and taking a break to be in another life.  You set aside your regular cares and focus only on the sun, the sand, the water and the people with you.  I really want to thank mom and dad for making this weekend possible.  I want to thank all of my new friends Hudson, Ashlee, Noelle, Chavius, Alex, Jordan, Lizzy, Sabrina, Jake, Ryan, Zane, Katherine, Brenna, Winston and my old friends Timothy and Marisa for an amazing weekend home.  I’m sorry my eternal klutziness made me have to be carried half the weekend!  Now you know why I like to be on the back of a horse most of the time; it keeps me from injury.

A final mother’s day thanks to my mom, you like many other amazing women out there do not have to be the birth mother of a child to fill (if even for a while) the role of a mother.  Over the years I know I have shared my mom with dozens, heck hundreds, of other kids.  She genuinely cares about people and their burdens and fears.  She genuinely wants to help people to grow and become happy and fulfilled individuals.  She works tirelessly not just to help me but everyone she meets.  You are amazing mom and I (and your hundreds of other ‘kids’) love you and thank you for helping us to become the adults we will be!