Friday

Summer and I took our weekly trip to the library and grocery store. I have finally found a library that I like. Unfortunatly everybody else likes it too. I used to think that they just didn't have a good video selection but after talking to the very nice librarian helper in there I found out otherwise. It seems you have to get really lucky to grab the good stuff. Her advice to me was to put a hold on it online and "wait in line".

While at Walmart today I bought me an Austin Street Guide. I got sick of pulling out a full size map to try and find my way around. It was a little more than I like to spend but I figured I would be using it for a long time to come.

Anyway, while doing my map studying the other day I discovered there is a park very close to the library we go to. I have fond memories of taking Summer to the West Regional then on too the Cottage Hill Park for a day's activity.

Things do change though. Now she finds the library boring and the park is no fun without a friend with her. Oh well, we did check out a new park. All the parks here have hiking trails which I LOVE, so we hiked along a VERY rocky trail to a large clearing with picnic tables.

I don't think I have ever walked along such a naturally rocky trail in my whole life. No wonder our water here taste like limestone and always has a milky coloring....YUCK!

Even though the temps have been pushing the 100's here it still has not been unbearable because of the lower humidity. Today, while walking that trail I felt humidity just like in Mobile. Hopefully, this doesn't happen very often here.....we'll see.

While at the park something happened that made me glad that I am able to stay home with Summer.

When we first drove up to the park we noticed there was a small group of 5 kids with one adult. They were the only ones at the park. When Summer and I got out the lady came up and asked me if I was going to be at the park for a little while. I told her that I really didn't really know how long we would be at the playground because of our intention to hike the trail.

She then told me that she was attending the kids for some sort of summer program and asked me if I would watch them while she went to the bathroom. Of course I told her I would. She was gone a pretty good while.....long enough for the kids to be making jokes about her having to "go real bad". I was also beginning to wonder if she had reached her kid toleration point and had flew the coup. I was trying to imagine what I was going to do with these kids if she did not come back.

Anyway, about 15 minutes later she returns. I guess she just had to poop or had a stomach ache or something, or who knows what else. Whew, I was releived to see her.

All during her absence all I kept thinking about was this caregiver handing these children over to a complete stranger to watch over. I'm sure that I don't look like a pervert or that I black market kids but you never know......she didn't know that for sure and she left somebody elses kids that she was responsible for in the care of someone she did not know. God, when I think about how many times Lucas was in the care of people I didn't know it makes me shudder. Thank goodness he always came home safely to me.........

On a different note Summer is really into crafts, art, sewing, etc. This is not a new thing, she has always been that way. She gets it honest. Toby and his grandmother are both artists and Toby's mother is very crafty and creative.

In Mobile I was always able to give Summer her "fix" by taking her to Michael's craft day. By the way, I am not crafty or artistic and have very little patience with it hence the reason we went to Michaels.

Unfortunately, Michaels craft day is on Saturday which is Toby's tattoo shop day which means it's my "no car day". Today she wanted to make a stuffed animal out of material and hand sew it together. Hand sewing is her latest thing. She does a really good job of it but of course it's one of those things that I have to help her with. I HATE sewing AND crafts!
I try to be patient because she enjoys it but I still hate it.

We have been in Texas for almost 6 months. It has been a major life change for all of us but a positive one. We have all had to learn to adapt to a different way of life. My dad always preached to us that change was good. The things that keep people from making life changes is fear of the unknown. I think I would rather have tried and failed than to wonder what might have been.

I know it all works out in the end no matter what decisions we make..we adapt.