Our Time In Texas

Maybe it's no coincidence that my parents left the lone star state just as we were making our way in? While they went to Arkansas for the weekend, hubby and I headed to Lake Texoma for an annual client vacation sponsored by one of my husband's suppliers. Each year for a weekend they put us up in a beautiful resort, feed us all of our meals (grilled on a smoker by their own private cook) and generally spoil us rotten. And every year I return thinking that year was better than the last.

There are a variety of activities to choose from and each year we do something different. The other contractors that attend with us each year also make our time so fun and relaxing. They are all such wonderful people - about 4 to 5 couples and our host. This was the first year that it rained while we were there, but that only added to the beauty of our arrival night tradition, in my opinion. Friday night we arrive to an Angus steak dinner processed within miles of our resort, so it is the freshest, most tasty steak you will ever eat! Oh, My, Word.....It is yummy! (And I don't usually even eat beef.) With it are giant farmer's market skin-on baked potatoes and salad. Dinner is served on the company's private dock with views of million dollar boats, neon palm trees, and dark glassy water.

After everyone is feeling happy from full bellies, we load onto the boat! It's forty-something feet of something like a pontoon-yacht. The deck is full two stories above water level and we always set sail at dusk to watch the sun set. This year, of course, the skies were grey instead of a brilliant red, but I just LOVED sitting in the soft mist out there with no other boats to maneuver, watching the drops create tiny holes and ripples in the water. And the new captain this year stayed out a lot longer, so we were able to do a lot of reacquainting with the other guests while on the cruise.

Saturday, our host - one of my hubby's friends, another client, my husband and I played 18 holes of golf in the warm and breezy sunshine while the others went fishing. Now, my husband and I are not avid golfers, but we SO WOULD BE if we had the time! So holes 1-4, I considered successful if I even made contact with the ball. It was icing on the cake if I actually hit it into terrain that made the ball locate-able. :) But our host (who actually comes in a shot or two one side or the other of par) studied my form and added a tip every two holes or so for me to practice. By hole 8 or 9, I was doing decently enough to make some very long drives and stay entirely on the green. (Of course, getting tired by hole 16 and beyond, I also filled up a pond with free balls for any kid willing to fish them out and ended up playing hole 17 from the green of hole one - ha ha.) And I won't lie. We completely did revert back to teenage antics on the golf carts, racing and cutting each other off and laughing like little kids. Great times!!

Saturday night, we ventured up into "The Tower," a classy lounge featuring overstuffed leather arm chairs directed toward 270 degree views of the Christmas-lighted marina through two-story floor-to-ceiling glass windows. BEAUTIFUL!!! This is where we ladies get to shed the laid-back lake attire and dress up just a little. No certain dress required; just enjoying being a bit girly. The seating arrangement there is so intimate that our party was able to meet other people staying at the resort and we all left feeling like old friends. I absolutely love getting to know people, their stories, where they are from and what they are about. It fascinates me to learn how we all come to be who we are.

Sunday morning, after the most delectable griddle baked breakfast and fishing off the dock, we headed back home to get the kids so we could ready my son for camp early Monday morning. But the trip home wasn't without it's adventures either! About an hour into our travels, we heard a loud slapping sound coming from underneath our car. We pulled over and inspected the tires to find exactly what we had suspected from the sound. Our tire tread was peeling. We were discussing whether to use the donut spare or look for a local tire shop (on a Sunday, out in the boonies) when DH noticed the OTHER front tire had metal coming through IT'S tread! (This car has been our first big lemon in NUMEROUS ways!) We decided with only one spare, an un-even ride would not be the smartest choice. So we consulted the map, picked a back route and started ever so slowly toward the next big, small town. No where open. So we continued to the next. No tires our size in stock. And on and on it went from town to town. Finally, as we approached the metro and called five different shops, we realized our tires we not going to be available in stock anywhere, so we had to drive the last 70 miles of the trip on the back roads, with a stop sign every mile, and coming to a SLOW stop to save the tread! It. Took. Forever!

My sweet MIL brought the kids to us so we wouldn't have another hour out on the roads to go get them. As soon as we pulled in, I rushed my son up to church for his last practice (they compete at camp in areas like singing, preaching, instrumental solos, etc. and sports), where his group and their parents had waited on him for almost two hours. Sweet people! After practice, we stopped for supplies at Walmart, bought drive-through food and returned home for dinner after 10:00! I still had laundry to do for camp. So, I ended up packing until 4 am. If this post is long and rambling, well, I'm now officially way to old too pull all-nighters anymore, especially after whooping it up late all weekend!

The point of all this is, I had a great time. Even the tire fiasco - since it afforded me several more hours alone with my hubby and a whole lotta belly laughing and memories!!! That's what I've been wanting. And in His time and IN HIS OWN VERY UNIQUE WAY, God gave me that. And He kept us safe! He really is GOOD.

I have so much I want to record about our past month, but it will take several posts. I haven't forgotten about all my teases. My draft list is incredibly long right now with titles to jog my memory so I can get all caught up. My daughter, summer, our vacation property scout trip, etc. And my wrist is healing so if I don't get stupid and over use it, I'm ready to type away. I also can't wait to read what everyone has been up to. Hope you all have a great day!

P.S. Happy Birthday T. and H., daddy and daughter, 30-blah-blah and SIX years old! We miss y'all!