Texas...

Life is funny. When Brian and I first moved to Dallas I instantly despised it. It was hot, very hot, and muggy, always humid and just a bunch of cars thrown into one big city. It was ugly-nowhere near the mountains or ocean like I was used to. Brian was making a whopping $400/mo being a Graduate Assistant at DBU plus going to grad school and I was unemployed. While he was busy with school and recruiting I sat at home applying for job after job and twiddling my thumbs. It was far from family and probably the last place I wanted to be. Needless to say, tensions were high and our first year of marriage was pretty challenging. It didn't help that Brian and I had not lived in the same town or state in over a year. While he was in Dallas I was in Maine and I cannot tell you the number of times I almost broke up with him. Men, especially in long distance instances, can be so challenging. In many ways though, it allowed for me to grow. It taught me to express myself without attacking and to be clear on the way I was feeling and why I was feeling that way, though this did not stop me from wanting to reach through the phone and strangle him because he was playing Halo for the millionth time and I hadn't talked to him in month. Ugh.

Fast forward a year later. I had started my job at GuideStone, loved my job and made some sweet sweet friends. I worked with 2 guys that were about my age and absolutely hilarious. The ladies on my team, though all older, were all troopers and dealt with the harassment like champs. We all had fun, lots of laughs and at the end of the day I went home in fairly good spirits, which was definitely an improvement from my previous job. By this time Brian and I had gotten into the swing of this whole marriage thing and were finally enjoying being in the same town...I mean...house. Though I still hated Dallas and the every day traffic, all the heat and humidity, we were having a lot of fun. I had become fairly good friends with Mary, the head coach's wife, and adored their little family. They only had Isaiah at the time and Mary was pregnant and I was getting baby fever, though Brian and I agreed to not trying for kids for another couple years. A good distraction was when our friends Matt and Lindsey moved to town. Matt and Brian played basketball together at CSU and Matt had played overseas for a couple years before throwing in the towel and taking a GA position at DBU with Brian. Though I wasn't really friends with them when I went to CSU, we quickly became pretty close. After convincing them to not live in downtown Dallas in the "fear bucket" (pretty much the ghetto of all ghettos in Dallas), they moved into an apartment in the same complex as us. Since neither of us had cable we spent lots of nights together playing Super Mario and Donkey Kong, smoking cigars and illegally grilling on the patio. We shared struggles, frustrations, dreams, fears, laughs and tears...and even had a sleepover. It was fun. It was simple. And I was happy to finally have friends that were REAL. We were finally comfortable with Dallas. Happy even.

That fall Brian and I found out we were pregnant. No, it was not planned. Yes, we were shocked. Yes I blame Mary Flickner for having Ruthie and subjecting me to newborns, driving my hormones wild and thus, making me pregnant ;o) It was Brian's last season at DBU and with me being pregnant it was necessary for him to find another job. I always knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mother and well, a family can't survive on $400/mo. This meaning we would have to leave our comfort zone and start anew. Though I dreaded the idea of moving, I knew God would provide and things would fall into place. And they did. Brian was offered a job at Central Missouri the day after Malachi was born. A few days later Brian was gone and 2 weeks later we joined him. It was a hard transition. Though I was thankful for the opportunity God provided, I was a new mom, Brian was gone more than I really wanted, in a new town and knew absolutely NO ONE! I was anxious, lonely and a little bitter. I missed my friends. I missed our nights trying to defeat Super Mario and Donkey Kong. I regretted not calling Lindsey more often to go out for coffee, or go to a movie. Yes, I was pregnant and for the most part exhausted, but I wish I would have made more out of our time in Dallas. From the big city to this tiny little town with basically only a Walmart and Applebees. Sweet. What was I going to do with a newborn and no friends? When I lived in Dallas I never once thought I would miss it...and there I was wishing that God would bring us back. But as the Lord so often does, he intervened and gave me a couple good friends in the good ole Burg. Thank goodness, otherwise I would have DIED!

Now, here I am 3 years later. Matt and Lindsey have the most precious 2 year old, Avery, and one handsome 4 month old, Asher. Though I still often miss Dallas, I really only miss those I left there. The ladies I worked with, my other friends Matt and Lindsay and their sweet little girl Payton, then of course the Flickners and the Williams. I want to be able to call them and say, hey lets meet up and let our kids get all rambunctious (Lord knows they do!) Or just stop by for a little play date, maybe a craft night, movie night or just a late night "cafe". Luckily though, Brian's job takes him (us) back to Dallas about twice a year, and every once in awhile we hit it just right so that the Williams, Flickners and Thomas' are in town. This summer was one of those times!! WOOHOO!! The good thing about having such good friends is being able to show up, even after a year of not seeing each other, and picking up right where you left off. Watching our kids play, fight, hug, hit and cry together just makes my heart so happy. I hope that one day Matt gets to working on "our town" that he had planned out a couple of years ago so that we can all live next to each other and be one big happy family. Until then, we will hopefully enjoy many more annual Dallas trips!! Love all of you guys and miss you more than I admit to myself...it saves my sanity!! Hugs.

PHOTO BOMB ALERT!!

Drive to Dallas...chillin.

Chocolate Malachi picking tomatoes with all the kids :)

With the Flickner kiddos, being crazy!

Swimming!

Avery and Kai on our way to the splash pad...which they hated.

 Kai and Cash

Pool fun.

Freezie-pops!

Matt is such a bully!!!

This is typical. 

Avery had literally JUST woken up when Kai ran in 

and climbed into her crib. 

Matt Jr...I mean...Avery.

Dimples.

No one is really sure what to think in this picture.

Precious.

HAHAHA

My sleeping buddy, taking up the whole bed.

We really did have such a good time, even if Lindsey and I did lose to the boys in cards. At least we had yummy strawberry daiquiris and delish brownies. Next time Linz, next time!