Making Bluebonnets out of Weeds

I learned this weekend when life gives you weeds you have to make bluebonnets.

We went to Nick's family reunion in Brenham in hopes of taking loads of pictures in the bluebonnets. I was ready to create a masterpiece. Sadly I found no bluebonnets. The lack of rain in Texas is killing us. West Texas is burning down while the rest of Texas is so thirsty for water it can hardly stand it. I did find weeds disguised as flowers floating in the tall grass of the plains. They didn't quite fool me. I settled on some pictures of the scenery and people and it was all just fine in the end.

Nick's family is a large bunch and they enjoy a good time. We went to his Granny's house. She is a feisty young lady with many stories. I sat on the porch quizzing her about life growing up. She told me all about dating her husband and how she was just sure he was going to kidnap her on their first date when he drove her out to the boonies to the oilfield. She told me in her days you could buy one pair of shoes, but many gave their tickets for shoes to women with babies so the babies could have shoes as they grew so quickly. She said there were no nice sheets! All the nice sheets went to the soldiers so her mama sewed them tough sheets. She said we are extremely spoiled these days!

I found myself many times wanting to call Grandmommy. I took a photo of a windmill... which I did for her the past two years we went to this reunion and framed for her. I yearned to tell her the stories I heard. It was definitely hard. The past month has been very hard, but it's funny that you don't know your own strength until you are forced in the fire. I'm not sure if God thinks I just might be made of steel?

We had a nice time just chatting and hanging out. Nick's mother has three sisters so most of their families get to come. They are all such a great group. I feel blessed to get to be included in this family. Of course Nick and I have to answer why we aren't married yet... I think I've come to the conclusion if we had met now instead of three years ago maybe we'd be on everyone's timeline, but we met when he was 24 and I was 26. He wasn't quite ready and we were figuring out our professional lives. I was probably ready to get married at four years old! Now we've almost got it all figured out, but I wouldn't take back a second of the growth the past three years. We have gone through more than most couples who quickly marry! I lost three grandparents and he lost one grandparent, I lost a best friend, we both had professional struggles... I could go on and on, but we've learned each step of the way. I don't know if we could have made it while getting married in the midst of it all. Maybe it sounds like an excuse... but, we will know when God tells us we are ready. It's truly that simple. Yes, I could marry him today... but, when you start throwing houses and pets and roommates into the equation it isn't quite as simple! Oh... you didn't know I have a devil cat that everyone refuses to live with? Ahhh... if only life were that simple.

Anyway... back to the weekend. There was so much love flowing around the home. I enjoyed watching them laugh and interact with one another. Family is so very important. It's truly the glue of our lives. Even without bluebonnets they just made the entire room fill with flowers.







This little girl was the star! Ashlyn was so funny. We asked her what she worries about and she said, "I really hate that my mailbox wiggles!" We then were talking the millions of dogs at the reunion and she said, "I just know the stupidest dog I know is my cat!"




Dianne and her nephew, Garrett playing Bolo Ball. They laughed because I had never played so I was very rusty. They stopped laughing when I hit four in a row on the best row for high score!!!




I made a friend.



Renee & Boston. We stayed at Renee's house and got to sleep in twin beds that belonged to Nick's great grandparents as they used those as their actual beds like in "I Love Lucy!"



Renee, Nick, Dianne and her sister, Annette