Travel can be brutal!
Y’all, since May 24, I have spent five nights in my own bed! (I refuse to count the two nights I got there after 3:00 AM. That’s just a nap!) Over 70 kids to Austin for Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest, 108 people to Orlando, and now back in Austin for the wedding of a very special couple—I’m one pooped gal! But along the way I once again am awed at the beauty and wonder of the King. I love being a “watcher,” an observer. So, humor me as I drop some observations on you from my time as a traveler…
Now, I love that America is a melting pot. The different cultures make us who we are. With that said, Texas is different!!! At solo and ensemble we shoved thousands of people into one high school, mixed in some artistic performance induced stress, pumped the heat up, and added teenagers. Navigating the hallways required one to “bump and excuse me” like a pinball. The most common response ranged from “Oh, I’m sorry” to “No, excuse me. Let me move over a bit.” DisneyWorld, an amalgam of different cultures….VERY different story! Bump, push, bang, ouch, hey, that’s my foot, I was standing here, dirty look, ignore me. WOW! Texas is different, Y’all!!!!
Fashion…yeah. I am very conservative and I try very hard to bully my sweet students into that. It doesn’t work, but at least they tend to be respectful. “Before you put that on your body, picture it on this hot mess” goes a long way! I talk to my girls about their temples and respecting the temple that has been gifted to them by God. I saw more people with their temple gates wide open than I ever hoped to! I don’t want to know what the curtains should be containing! I don’t care if you are a size 2 or a size 32, there are some parts of the human body that should be left to the imagination! All bodies are beautiful, but they don’t have to be displayed for human consumption! Back to my previous post, the sexiest women leave some to the imagination. And Lawd! why would you wear some of that mess to DisneyWorld??? I draw the line at the pleather bodysuit that sucked so tight to the person’s body that I could almost read the tags on the outfit!!! Can you imagine pulling that off after sweating in it all day. ewwww…….
And now we are at the wedding weekend. It has been laced with some bittersweet. The grandfather of the groom held on as long as he could but his weak body succumbed to its mortality on Tuesday. He will be so missed, but can you imagine the beauty he saw when he opened his eyes at the feet of the Father!!! No more pain. No more illness. Grief, however, will line his seat at the wedding. His absence will be louder than his presence would have been. Yet we know he will be there. And this wedding will be beautiful! It is based on a love that has endured time, distance, growth, laughter, and tears. It is a union of two good families who have raised two outstanding human beings. I stand in awe at the way my husband and I have been swept into the bride’s family over the years. Neither of us come from large families so the concept of “big family” is very foreign. We are getting to stay at the family house and just be part of the bunch. I am overwhelmed by the love that encircles this beautiful Air B&B this weekend. Three generations are in this house and the only emotion is joy. At any given time the spontaneous laughter erupting is easy, authentic, organic. And we are part of it… It does take a special family to make anyone around feel like true family. Oh to be like this group in everyday life!!! I am blessed beyond measure to not only watch but be included into this family as though it has always been so.
And so, as I close, I am sitting by a pool listening to the symphony of the morning and reflecting on my last three weeks’ travels. I am where I am supposed to be. In Texas with family ready to celebrate the union of two young people in the eyes of a Father who adores each of us differently. It doesn’t get much better than this! (well, maybe a little…going to get a firmer pillow for tonight! haha)
Until next time…
AJ and a LATTE 
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