Summer 2018- Part 3

This is my final recap of the summer, and as today is the first day of Fall, it is fitting!. Other than the 18 things on our to-do list {Part 1 and Part 2}, we also had plans to travel to San Antonio for a family reunion on my mother’s side.

We are extremely lucky that now, we only live about 3 hours away from my grandparents, my mother’s parents. Growing up we never lived close to them, and never were able to visit as much as my other cousins. Sometimes it make us, my siblings, feel like we are the odd ones out. Since moving, and being older now, I see that really it’s just that they don’t know us as well, but my grandparents WANT to have that kind of relationship with us.

Getting together with all the cousins, I think only one or two was unable to come, and their families was crazy! My grandparents had 5 kids and those 5 had: a total of 14 kids. Of those cousins, 6 of us have had at least 2 babies. I believe the total is now at 15 great-grand-babies! Plus some of my grandparents cousins came down. There was a lot of people at the big party.

Even though this wasn’t our first time to San Antonio, we finally got the chance to do some touristy things.

Like The Riverwalk:

All of us on the new boats
Tower of The Americas
Lunch at the old restaurant on the Riverwalk, Casa Rio. We enjoyed it!

The Alamo:

Living history on medical procedures
Living history, on firearms

And our favorite place, The Doseum!

No, we didn’t have two hats for Mr. Z. At some point before we road the river boats, Mr. Z lost his hat and we had to get a new one. His little dino hat was my FAVORITE and I am still devastated, so if anyone can find a replacement for Baby Hercules to wear send it our way!

Hotel shenanigans

 

Lastly, we were able to get Mr. Z a set of private swim lessons! He did a lot better this year than last year in the group lessons. Next year, both boys can do them!

Swim Lessons!

What we did: November 7 to 13

This last week was fairly uneventful. I am going to purposefully avoid taking politics because, well yeah. I voted, and not for Trump. That’s as much and as far as I want to go.

I have been working on Mr. Z Christmas stocking. I am not sure I am going to finish it, but I am trying my hardest to get his stocking finish for Christmas this year.

christmas-stocking

We also canned some pumpkin! Peeled, cubed, boiled, and pressure canned! I hope to use some for pumpkin pie this holiday season. We found a volunteer seedling, so we planted it. Maybe Texas will give us pumpkins in May!

volunteer-pumpkin

Since, we are cycling often, and sometimes it can rain without notice, I wanted to find a more permanent home for the trailer. Without garage, I had to get creative. It is a little bit of a hassle, but it stays dry, and no bugs.

bike-trailer-new-home

We also, rescheduled our family pictures. I found an AMAZING photographer. She was amazing with Mr. Z. She sent me some proofs and I can not wait until I get the finals!

family-pictures

Tears and Joys

Moving to Texas has been  H. A. R. D. Moving in general is not easy, it zaps just about every single resource. And then, just because life isn’t already hard enough a curl ball gets thrown right at your face.

Our first month was alright. We arrived at our new place and instantly wanted to demand our money back. Actually, I did. But they promised to fix the water, even though it was out of their control, and promised to replace the nasty disgusting, I wouldn’t even wash my pet dog in that tub, which they did.

We got our stuff on time and we only lost a few things from poor packing. Shipping our stuff was most definitely the BEST DECISION EVER! Then we spent the rest of the month getting used to the Texas heat and humidity (Still not used to it).

OD delivery

June turned into July and we thought life was going well. We visited our farmer friends, The Dragon’s! We celebrated Mr. Wonderful’s birthday and had a fun 4th setting off fireworks.

Dragons

August came, and we just pretend August 2016 didn’t happen. The domino of events last month were devastating and heart breaking. As I heal from the roller coaster, I will share all the bumps and pits of August.

Now, we are in September. The floods of August receded but left some pretty deep wounds. As we try to pick ourselves up, we have had some hiccups (Budget? What budget? You mean, crap what did we spend our grocery budget on…)

But moving to Texas, hasn’t been all “OMG WHAT DID WE DO?!?!” We have had some really wonderful moments.

Like taking Mr. Z to the Houston Museum of Natural Science.

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Visiting my mom’s parents in San Antonio.

Grandparents

And frog catching in Dallas, at my cousin’s son’s birthday party.

Frog catching in Azle

Right now, we are holding on to the things that bring us Joy here in Texas.  Like slowing down and making cookies with Mr. Z.

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We moved!

About 3 months ago, I FINALLY got to say “Peace out, Pullman!” with a mic drop.

I moved there in Aug 2005 for school. I HATED it here, and I let people know. Washington State University was not my first choice or my second choice for school. It wasn’t even on my list. But it was the only school my parents would help pay for. In an alternate universe, I went to Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, wasn’t medically disqualified for Air Force ROTC and graduated with an Aerospace engineering degree.

Instead, I moved about 300 miles from home into a small dorm room with another girl on a floor with about 120 other girls. For 6 years my life revolved around getting an engineering degree. In 2011, I graduated with a Material Science and Engineering degree.

In 2009, I married a local boy, and Pullman, became our home. For 7 years, we lived in our large one bedroom duplex. We have seen many people move out of the basement apartment, and from the other rentals on our street.

In 2013, we welcomed home a beautiful baby boy. That house, was all he has ever known, and asks to go back.

This year, 2016, we celebrated 7 years of marriage, our baby turned 3, and we moved.

To another country.

Texas

Well, basically. 2,500 miles away to Texas, the Lone Star State, where everything is bigger.

Many people who leave Pullman, do so sad. This is their first home away from home. But for me it hasn’t been that. For me, this was my home. My bank teller, knew my name, our struggle with infertility, she was a friend. I know the cashiers at the local grocery stores. I came to Pullman with definite end. Then it changed.

Now, that our house is in shambles and there are stacks of boxes on every free wall, I am excited! We, as a family, are getting to experience something new and yes, scary!

This process has been a whirlwind of events. We thought for sure we would only be moving to Oregon. I know when the decision was made, Mr. Wonderful was heart broken. I remembered that feeling from 2005 when my parents said no to my dream.

This time, together, we have come to be excited for this change. And now that it is our turn to leave Pullman, we do so without looking back on the heartbreak this town has had for us and we look forward to the possibilities College Station, TX has to offer.