15 on the 15th ~ Memories from the Land of Bluegrass

As a recap of our trip from bluegrass to bluebonnets, I was originally going to post a "Thursday Thirteen," but couldn't keep the list narrowed down! I finally worked the list down to 15, so I decided to stop there. This is by no means an exhaustive list of my favorite memories from our trip to Texas, but highlights the those that will always come to mind when I think back on our time spent with friends and family:

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1. Stopping to buy shoes in Memphis because my husband didn't bring any

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2. The very first night of our trip - my aunt boiling a pot of hot water on her stove for me to stand over with my sinus-infected head, and my uncle throwing in some Vicks's Vapor Rub which ended up filling the whole house with its minty aroma

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3. Swimming with Nali who apparently believes herself a water rescue dog

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4. Time spent with the Panda Family - the kind of time with friends when you just pick up where you left off, as if you'd never been apart

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5. Reuniting with friends who date back 10 years, and meeting some new who didn't feel like strangers

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6. Almost two hours talking with my brother face-to-face, amazed at the growth and progress I see in him
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7. Tex-Mex & Steak (they can go together since both are of utmost importance)

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8. Wearing my husband's deodorant for five days because I thought I left mine at home, only to discover it in the bottom of my suitcase six days into our trip
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9. Traveling with my mother-in-law to four different Walgreens locations in search of the perfect Victoria, TX t-shirt


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10. Sitting with my husband's grandmother for over two hours looking at old family photos, some dating back to the 1950s or earlier

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11. Meeting my mom's horse, Endy, only to spend more of our time with his buddy, Speck, since Endy was apparently less than impressed with the carrots we brought

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12. Catching my first fish! (And being secretly jealous that my husband caught five)

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13. Many morning coffees on back porches as if it's just an understood family ritual
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14. Sweet time with family - the kind that seems to stand still it's so relaxing and you just don't want it to end!

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15. 46 hours logged in Green Gale with my husband, my best friend ~ we shared hours of conversation and music (and no 25-lb. dog attempting to jump into the front seat)

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The time away was so good for us. We savored every moment with everyone we were able to see and found it hard to leave each destination point. One thing we know for certain upon arriving back here after being gone: 2 1/2 years is far too long to be away from family! So Lord-willing, our next trip home will be sooner than December of 2012. Just days after we came back and were unloading the suitcases, I saw something an old acquaintance posted online, something that has stuck with me this week: remember where you came from, and be thankful. I was reminded of where I came from, reminded of dear friends and family who have been influential throughout the years, and yes, I came home deeply thankful. I returned to our "normal" here in Louisville with a deep and refreshed sense of gratitude for both mine and my husband's history. In some ways Texas will always feel like home. Regardless of where the Lord takes us in the future, our peace and rest have been renewed as we continue to wait for what is still so uncertain~