GIRLS' NIGHT

Things I love:

Really incredible girlfriends.

Giving each other a girls' night out for Christmas.

The Cheesecake Factory.

Piling up in one vehicle to drive across town to satisfy all our cravings.

Good conversation.

The Container Store.

Storytelling.
Eating an entire meal (+ dessert) without getting up a dozen times, eating cold food, or being interrupted with spilled milk or food flying in the air.
Spending a night away from my babes to remember how dearly I love them and how much I need them.

our first austin visitors / a recap

kayaking + the great outdoors | Kayaking might be my new favorite outdoor activity, and not just because it was something we can do with Hallie. She sure did love it though. We saw fish and turtles and absorbed so much natural beauty. It was rewarding to work that hard and have it take you somewhere so breathtaking. Getting tan was a huge perk as well.

shopping | We shopped...a lot. The mall, IKEA, the outlet mall, Target. We had to give Nana and Sami Jo everything that their small and smaller towns don't have to offer. And I bought leggings. Leggings! I'm already in love with them and want to kick myself for not buying them years ago.

food | Every single day revolved around where we'd eat out next. We had BBQ, TexMex, pizza, Chinese, Tiki-Mex, and ALL of it was good. We also had homemade Cafe Rio pork salads and tried the famous Blue Bell ice cream (not to be confused with Blue Bonnet or Blue Bunny...not even close).

date night | Clay and I got a date night in, where the only physical proof are ticket stubs and a poorly-lit self-photo taken in an empty theater. We saw Water for Elephants, which I loved. Clay read the book a few years ago and was pleasantly surprised at how clean they kept the movie. And, since I've never seen Twilight and never plan to, this was my first experience watching Robert Pattinson on the big screen. I finally get it, ladies. I finally get it.

friendship | I'm lucky to have a husband who is so close with his siblings and parents. They are some of his truest friends. I'm also lucky to have a great relationship with them as well. I can't believe I get to call my sister-in-law my best friend. It was so great to have her and Nana here for their visit. We needed it so badly and it was the most fun we've had in a long time. I can't wait to do it again.

lost + found

I got lost last night. Really lost and really scared.

When I was in high school I spent many late weekend nights driving around the city by myself. I know...we all have our quirks though, right? My car was my sanctuary from the drama, the awkwardness, the insecurities of being a teenage girl. I would blast my favorite songs and drive for hours. I loved getting lost and using nothing but my memory (and awesome navigation skills) to find my way back home. It gave me a thrill. I loved being able to escape.

Last night I met up with a group of strangers for a girls' night out. It's not something I normally do. Friendships are hard for me. Strangers are even harder. I ended up having a great time though. It was wonderful. But on both the drive there (which was on the other side of town) and the drive home, I got lost. Sooo lost. It was dark, I don't have GPS, and I was alone in a brand new big city. Luckily my husband is incredible and talked me through everything. He guided me back to where I needed to be and helped me find my way home. The moment I walked in the door I fell in his arms and sobbed. I had never been happier to be home.

It may seem like a silly story. A grown woman crying because she got turned around on the freeway. But what makes it something worth remembering is the realization that came from the experience. I am a different girl than I once was. I have no reason to want to escape my life, even for a late night drive and the thrill of getting lost for a small moment. I have a life that I love living every single day. I have blessings. I have responsibilities and a home to keep in order. I have a husband and a daughter who need me. I need them. And I would rather be with them than anywhere else.

I am so happy to have found my way back home.

[Austin Zoo / February 2011]

Participating in Project 52: Glimpse Into Motherhood

Austin observations

[source unknown]

Frontage roads are awesome...and can also cause crazy confusion.

The city is big. So are the grocery stores. And the parks. Everything might actually be bigger in Texas. (Except for hair...Boise, Idaho and Provo, Utah are tied for first place for biggest hair.)

Hello, traffic. I did not miss you in Wyoming.

The weather is delightful. I feel like we stepped out of February and into May.

We already dig the local restaurants. P. Terry's, I love you and your delicious $2 burgers and shakes.

We've got some ugly bugs here. They like to stay in the same spot, day after day, laughing at my fear and inability to kill them.

The city's slogan is "Keep Austin Weird" and I understand why. It's wonderfully weird. People really take pride in being quirky and unique.
The water here is yucky gross. We now have a pitcher in the fridge permanently filled with Crystal Light-flavored water. Still doesn't quite cover up the grossness, but it'll do.

Austin is pretty dang cool. I think we're going to love it here.

change

It’s going to be a good change. I know it.


I’m not sure how to wrap my head around what is happening. Up until three weeks ago, we thought we’d be in Star Valley for the rest of our lives. Moving somewhere else, taking a different job, leaving the comfort of being close to family: those thoughts hadn’t crossed our minds. We belong in Star Valley. At least that’s what we kept telling ourselves. We were supposed to be here, we knew we needed to move here, so why would we leave?

Of course starting a business is hard. Starting a law practice and making it successful seemed impossible. Clay has done an incredible job. I can't even express how amazing I think he is. But he has learned very quickly that it’s not what he wants to do. He didn’t go to law school wanting to become a lawyer. He didn’t want the title, he didn’t want the messy cases, and he didn’t want to be in and out of a courtroom for his entire career. He just wanted to find a way to help people.

And now he’s found it.

It is exactly what he wants to do with his degree. It’s perfect for him. He beat out 80 other applicants to get it. I couldn’t be more proud of him.

The job is in Austin, Texas. That’s what we didn’t see coming. Texas? Big hair, big belt buckles, “everything’s bigger in Texas” Texas?

After a few days of crying, weighing the pros and cons, praying and turning to family for support we started to feel really good about Texas. Then when the company flew Clay out there to meet the team and see the city, he knew without a doubt it was what he wanted and what our family needed. (Surprisingly, the fact that it was 72 degrees there and we were stuck in -6 degree temps here wasn’t as big of a factor as you might imagine.) And now, with less than two weeks left before we pack up and hit the road to yet another new adventure, it feels great. We’re ready for it. We want it. We need it.

As for Star Valley, I’m going to miss it terribly. I feel like I haven’t had enough time to truly fall in love with it. But I have loved living here. I have loved having family only a few blocks away. I’ve loved being able to hop in the car and drive to Boise to see my family whenever we want. I’ve loved the people, the spirit and the energy in this town. But I am learning that sometimes the Lord directs us to certain people and places for only short periods of time. We may know right away why, but, as in our case, it can also take a long time before you know what you were meant to learn or experience during that time. What I do know is that it’s been completely wonderful and it will be very hard to leave. Star Valley will always be a place I’m happy to have called home.

And as for this blog – it is staying. I appreciate everyone who has expressed a desire to keep following and reading the country girl chronicles. You have no idea how happy that has made me. The blog will remain. The way I see it, Texas is just a different kind of country. I will do my best to keep the blog the same. To keep the same feel and attitude. If anything, it should be even more upbeat because, as one of my closest friends pointed out to me while we were discussing the move, I just haven’t been myself lately. It's true. And I'm sure this move will be a good change. A difficult one, but a good one.

Thanks again for sticking with me. Thanks for your prayers and words of support. And as totally cheesy as it sounds, thank you for always being my blog friends.

[Star Valley, Wyoming  /  January 2011]