Well cowpokes, we've been in Texas for 18 months today. We're still kicking, and wanted to give a little update on how it's all going.
I think I can say with 100% certainty that we're still completely satisfied with our move from Maryland to Texas. We're definitely missing the water - I don't think that a girl who was raised on the beach and a boy who grew up in Maryland could ever be truly happy being landlocked. It's so hard to explain what happens when you can't make a quick trip to the water when you need it. I think that's why we're wanting to live near the lake so badly. We're just not used to being so far from the waves.
Otherwise? Things are going far better than we ever could have hoped. We survived a week-long ice storm over the winter, but coming to Texas after years in Frostburg, it was a mere blip. Not being housebound under four feet of snow for 4 months is nice any way you paint it.
It's already getting hot and we've had several days that reached 90 or so. I really can't complain, as I'm definitely a warm weather girl. Last August was unbearably hot, but it goes by quick when you have the mornings and evenings feeling cooler and more doable. We just doing our outside play first thing in the morning before the sun gets too high. I'd still rather have a small bit of the day marked as unusable than have the entire day too cold to walk out the door! I can say with certainty that while our allergies are worse down here, we feel so much more healthy and vibrant when the sun is out and warm year-round. My own attitude is severely affected by the weather, and I know that my parenting and marriage are far more healthy in a place where I feel like I have space to move and play. I hate the "today is going to be nice so we need to take advantage of it" feeling, and love that almost every day is suitable for flip flops, a walk, a trip to the park or just a "go outside and get that energy out before mama loses it."
We haven't had the same opportunities for adventure since I've been pregnant, which has been sorely missed. My second trimester was very, very rough. I would say that the past 6 weeks have been the best so far, and I'm hoping to feel mostly the same through the next couple weeks. With any luck, we can get out a few more times to explore and have a little fun. Once that baby's here, he or she is going to be subjected to our weekend trips and adventures, so I hope Tex is getting some rest now! We're a family on the move, and Texas has been good to us in that sense. So much to see and do. We love feeling like we have places to go and things to see, and still feel rural and country most of the time.
The one thing Texas offers that I'll never tire of is the overhead space. The big sky is sort of like a cathedral ceiling to me. When you live in a place with 10-foot ceilings, you don't really know what you're missing until you move into a house with high ceilings. The sky is definitely a big selling point for us. We need space to stretch out, even moreso when you continue to add children to the family. We may not always have room when we reach out to the sides, but our square footage is immeasurable when we reach above us!
Texas has also been good for our faith, I think. We're at a very, very large parish with about 25,000 parishioners. While it felt far too large at first, the group of families we've connected with has been so rewarding and wonderful. We met most of our close friends through a mom's journaling group last spring, and spent most of 2010 getting to know them and really solidifying a great group of friends. We're finally getting to the point where we run into people at the grocery store, and that's a huge thing for me, personally. It's important to me that the girls feel like all of our local area is home. I grew up in a small town, and moving to a town in Maryland where nobody knew me was a huge jolt. I finally felt at home when I started bumping into people. Joining our Church mom's group has been invaluable in that sense, because even if it's just a smile and a wave, I feel like I'm not alone. Being a stay-at-home mom is a tough and isolating job sometimes. I will say that Andrew makes it far easier than I deserve, but even the best husband comes up short when you really, really need girlfriends. Nothing compares to sharing laughter around a kitchen table, and it really does take a village of strong women to raise each other and their little ones. Texas has been good to us.
Andrew's job is going well and he seems very happy. He doesn't always love being at a desk all day, but he's given travel opportunities whenever he wants them and we keep our evenings and weekends active and varied. He's a top performer in his company and I'm so proud of his work ethic and willingness to put his family first in the midst of a demanding field. We've been so blessed by a steady income and a generous industry, and being able to support our family on one income means so much to all of us. The girls are just thriving having their daddy close by during the day, and we love having him just a ten-minute drive away for quick kisses and lunch-drops. There is nothing nicer than a "come downstairs" phone call so we can get a Daddy fix in the middle of a tough day. I think it means a lot to all of us!
All in all, I'll say it again. Texas is fast becoming home for us. The family values and friendly people are only a small part of the equation when it comes to where you make your home, but for us they're both two big sticking points. We've really found a place where we feel safe and healthy, and that feeling is second-to-none when you're raising a family!
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