But we had him here for a week, and things started to pop right away! He came in in the middle of the night, but we waited up for him, then stayed up and talked until two in the morning. The next day, Spencer came over. We all wanted to go do something, but I was broke. However, a man had called the day before and said he might be interested in buying two of our Pyrenees puppies, so I got up early and gave them all a flea bath:
Poor puppies - it was a cold bath, I have to admit. See them in the cage behind Angel-Leah? But it worked, and the man bought two! I came back with the money, and before I knew it, within an hour, I was in the backseat of my own car, being driven to Austin. The boys all decided to go see the university Spencer will be moving to next month. I told them I felt like I had been kidnapped. There was no planning at all to this trip, but that made it all the more fun!
Our first stop was the University of Texas at Austin, where we drove around and looked for a bit, then visited the museum there. We had to run through the rain, and were throughly soaked by the time we got there But it was a really interesting place to visit, and even the little kids were having a lot of fun. The last floor we stopped at was mostly evolution, and of course we know better than that, although Beau did give us a bit of a pause...
But we decided he was just having a bad hair day, and carried on...
We went to the capital:
Beau tried, but he just couldn't get that cannon to go off...
We ate at a place called the Screaming Goat, which turned out to be pretty good and reasonably priced, and amazingly Gage found a friend from Georgetown there! That was really weird!
Then we visited the Botanic Gardens, and after that we sat under a bridge, watched two people play the guitar and sing, and when nightfall came, we watched the bats fly out by the thousands.
Tired but happy, we got coffee and ice cream and started home. The little kids fell asleep, and the older kids and I talked and talked. Don't tell them, but it was one of the best parts of the trip...
Gage likes to take pictures of my animals, and he got a LOT. If the yard had been cleaner, I'd probably add more. :o) But instead, I'll just show this one. He thought it was funny that I was always surrounded by animals when I went outside:
They also liked it that I drove Max's go cart up the road. I don't think anyone really believed I would do it:
Aren't I an adventurous old lady?
Our next adventure was that I found a FREE PIANO on Freecycle. I was the first caller, and she said I could have it if I got right on out. I wasn't going to let that get away, so I bulldozed all the men of my house, including the one that was still at work, and the two that were at volleyball. Max was able to borrow the truck from work, and we were off:
It is a beautiful piano, and I am so pleased, and so glad I have a bunch of big guys at my house, and I was able to get this blessing!!
Gage always builds something when he comes home, and this time, he dumpster dived at Lelands, and built me a porch swing from the scrap lumber he found:
The finished product was really nice, although we haven't painted it yet:
I guess, though, out of the whole trip, one moment stands out in my mind. I had been upstairs for a while, and when I was going to come back down, from the top of the stairs, the site took my breath away. There in my living room, lounging on couches and even laying on the floor, were all four of my big sons, together again in the same room, along with little sister Mary Susannah. They were all quiet, either reading or looking at lap tops. I stopped and just looked at them, wishing for a camera, but knowing if I moved, the moment would be destroyed. So I "hid it in my heart", it's permanently branded there. God is good, and I am so blessed.
Well, Gage is gone now, but not far, just down in Fort Worth, and we will have him back for a few days before he goes back to Virginia for his last year of law school. I'm planning on having another fun few days.
Welcome home, Gage!!
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