I'm back

I'm back! It was great to be able to help out Mom and Dad and then go to see two of my kids. They are pictured here cutting up at Amy's Ice Cream in Austin. (And aren't they the cutest things?) Side note: best flavor at Amy's on Saturday? Cop Stop. N asked what it was--Coffee ice cream with doughnut pieces mixed in. ZL drove to Austin to meet me there and NS and ZL and I played Rock Band (Although we all tried out all the parts, N did most of the singing and Z did most of the drumming--wonder why?) We ate fabulous Mexican food on Friday night and then went to N's favorite Vietnamese place on Saturday. Then Zach and I drove back to Denton (where barbecue was in order) and I went with him to church on Sunday morning. I saw some kids I'd seen grow up from childhood and a couple of dear friends who help with the singles ward Z goes to. Funny moment at church: I introduced myself to the bishop as Zach's mom. My son was right behind me. He looked at me, puzzled, and said, "Zach D?" I realized that he hadn't spotted my son and that probably he has ten Zachs in his congregation. I think it was the most popular boys' name in America the year my son was born. I left right after sacrament meeting (bawling, of course) and had uneventful flights back home. I was so glad to see Michael and I think he was pretty glad to see me.

Everything is completely covered with snow here. Quite beautiful. But I have to admit that I did enjoy ten days of glorious sunny weather.

It was poignant in the extreme to be back in Texas and Denton even though I was only there a few hours. It still feels very much like home. I wondered how it would be. It's like I never left. Everything still seems so familiar. And even though a few things had changed (they're building a huge bank on the corner of Eagle and Carroll and there are actually four lanes open on Loop 288 in front of the mall), it was still very much as I remembered it. I realized after this trip that even though I grew up in Louisiana, Texas really is home. I just feel different when I cross the state line.

I am still having bad coughing spells. I started coughing back in November. Lots of plane flights with bad air, the inevitable dust that gets stirred up during a move and the dander from my beloved grandanimals, Wrecks, Mikey, Feynman and Winston have made an impact. So I have an appointment with the doctor today. I hope I can get over this soon.