Ode to Texas

Six more days. That's how long we have left in Texas. In a week, the boys and I will be back in Minnesota, and Dear Husband will be enjoying the hospitality of the Clear Creek Monks in Oklahoma for a day of prayer and rest.

Over the last few days, Dear Husband and I keep saying to each other, "Can you believe we're moving in a few days? I can't believe we're leaving Texas!"

Because, of course, we're happy to be going back to Minnesota for some reasons ... but we will certainly miss Texas for other reasons.

And so follows our ode to Texas, and everything we've loved here:

* Our Texan relatives, especially Cousin K -- the daughter of my cousin, who lives nearby. Boo Boo often announces to us, "Someday, I am going to marry K." He doesn't seem concerned that it's against the law...

* Miss Dani -- Our beloved babysitter, who was literally an answer to my desperate prayers. Where else can you find a 19-year-old who works in the parish childcare center, was homeschooled and wears an archdiocesan T-shirt every time we see her?! She even got Boo Boo to start saying, "Yes, ma'am" by treating me with such respect in front of him. When Boo Boo said good-bye to her, he almost cried; and I almost cried along with him!

* Mockingbirds, brown pelicans, confederate star jasmine, cypress trees growing out of swamps and signs warning about alligators living in our neighbhood's "lakes."

* All of the different, slower "fast" food, especially Sonic, Whataburger and Chick-fil-A. And all of the Tex-Mex flavor and smoky barbecue smells.

* Monstrous superhighways, six lanes wide, both ways, with HOV/carpool lanes and feeder/frontage roads, too. Criss-crossing, soaring high in the air. Infrastructure, glorious infrastructure!

* Our incomparable parish, Our Lady of Walsingham, with its charming, Australian-born priest (who has a twin brother priest to boot!), beautiful, fruitful families, and an Anglican-rite liturgy that is heavenly.

* My Familia group and the Our Lady of Perpetual Help bible study: full of faithful, fun moms with oodles of adorable children. Another major answer to prayer and further evidence of God's perfect provision in my life!

* Dear Husband's colleagues -- all of their different gifts and personalities made for a wonderfully complimentary group, and a happy work environment for DH.

* Our new, carpeted, roomy rental home -- with fenced in backyard, neighborhood parks, pools and splash pad, and free fitness room, trash, internet, cable and alarm system. (Yes, it HURTS us to leave all that!)

There are many other things, and many other people, who helped make this place feel like home -- even for ten months. We'll always be Minnesotans ... but perhaps a small part of us may still remain a little bit Texan.