Austin Trip

To see pictures go here! http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fbx/?set=a.536987536619.2030628.110800292&l=cca5e5ec00 





I’m riding in the car back from a short-lived vacation in the green, lush, hill country
of Texas as depression attempts to roll over me. The corners of the sky are turning
a dull red-brown as the wind kicks up the dust from this expansive wasteland. Dirt
glides across the road just like snow did in northern Iowa on some of the coldest
nights. We even have the pleasure of crossing paths with a couple of friendly
tumbleweeds.

I know what its like to live in a place that some outsiders hate. They don’t
understand how I could love small town life, how I could love being so far from the
city, or how I don’t get mani-pedi’s every few weeks. So I know my words sting,
West-Texan’s, and for this I apologize. It is different when you were raised here
among friends and family and this is all you know. God knows I think the rolling
hills of golden corn are one of the most beautiful things on earth. I was also raised
among green lush old trees and humidity; this is probably why brown, dry, and
geographically stunted is so difficult.

The flat brownness that is West Texas seems to attempt to squeeze the life out of
my soul. Especially when driving into it from Austin. If the land had a face, then in
San Antonio it would be grinning from ear to ear. But, sadly, as you travel northwest
the face slowly falls into boredom, then a deep grimace. Or maybe this is just my
face. Thankfully I have my husband next to me singing the new Ke$ha song, Blow,
from the point of view of a monkey. Nothing could ever be sad with this man around.
Even on this plateau of nothingness, I am happy.

We have experienced so many wonderful things during our time in Texas. We know
what it is to live on love and we are very good at getting creative to have fun. All of
our trips we have made while living here have had cheap if not free housing. We
have seen the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, a lonely ranch in Oklahoma, plenty of
trips home, rugby games in many different cities, the Alamo in San Antonio, the
super cool building that looks like an owl in Austin, and so much more. Being 15
hours from home has been hard, but we have made it work, paid our dues, and now
we are moving closer.

Soon I will be sad to leave the flat land that is Lubbock. I will be leaving my job, my
friends, and my church. Luckily most of my friends are just here for school as well,
so I know we would have had to part ways eventually. One thing I have to admit is
that I am thrilled to be living in the North soon. I am full of joy to soon be so close to
my cousins Sarah and Dustin. I am excited to be able to enjoy all that is Minnesota
and to live so very close to my family and my beloved nephew.