Leaving Texas...

May 6, 2013

 

          Where has time gone?  The last month has been incredibly busy.  The last time I blogged we were in Smithville, Texas for Justin to race Hells Hills.  It was such a memorable stay.  We took the kids to San Antonio in order to visit The Alamo.  We learned about the battles fought at the mission and visited a room where most of its defenders had perished.  It was humbling.  It rained during the entirety of our visit which made the beautifully landscaped gardens smell wonderful!

 

          We were the only ones camping the first night in Smithville.  The next afternoon, the race directors and their friends arrived to prepare the course.  They were so much fun to spend the week with.  The kids and I decided to volunteer the night before the race.  They are mature enough to handle the responsibility now!  We helped with packet pick up the night before the race and I woke up race morning incredibly early to finish what I started.  We were treated like family and kids had so fun playing all of the games at the ranch.  The race director was even sure to leave the tetherball pole accessible since Malachi and Kylah spent every available minute playing. 

 

 

 

          I guess the best/worst part of the week was saying goodbye to our new friends.  One very special lady told the kids that they were such great people and that they had really made their parents look good because of their stellar behavior.  It was a great compliment because I knew it was a sincere one.  Since they are so dangerously close to becoming teenagers, this is good news. 

          After Smithville, we headed to Palo Duro Canyon.  We had wanted to visit the canyon early on in the trip but arrived in Amarillo to record snow.  This time, though, made up for the frigid temperatures we first experienced.  The canyon was very pretty but nothing like we expected.  I think we may have heard too many people boast about its beauty and had high expectations.  There were showers though and turkeys and deer.  Lots of turkeys, lots of deer… and a photo bombing butterfly, but you would never believe me. 

 

 

 

 

          We knew we were soon heading back to Colorado soon and were anxious to get back.  I am only six credits away from my Master’s Degree and am finally a licensed teacher.  I am anxious to start my career and so I attended a job fair at the university in Pueblo.  It was nice to be some place familiar.  I could tell the kids were ready for that too.  We stayed with my sister and my nephews for a night before the kids stayed with my mom for two nights while Justin and I stayed in the Springs-alone.  It was strange not having them nearby and we missed them a lot.  A whole lot.