An update

We are still discovering new routines. New city. New house. New school. New jobs. Everything is new and yet the same, because despite it all we're still who we are! Gavin is adjusting. His new school is not his old school and sometimes we are both sad about that, but it is far from a bad school and it has its positives. I think we're just both adjusting to CHANGE and occasionally I have to remind myself to stop comparing the new with the old and accept the different.

Our rental house is quickly transforming into our second home. Still no movement on the house that we own, but we're hopeful and patient. In the meantime as I make my way around a new city I often detour into neighborhoods I have never been in just to get a feel of where we might look when the time comes to start thinking about buying another house. If we end up buying a house at all! Some days I am perfectly content to rent while we shop for our own plot of dirt, in the hopes of someday building a forever home. We hope to actually build a home someday. I like the idea of being involved in all planning aspects of creating a dwelling. Consulting with an architect, discussing our values...designing windows to frame a pretty view, creating a space that makes sense with the landscape...our own tiny piece of heaven on earth. A girl can dream and dream I most definitely do.

While we miss the new friends we made in East TN, we are also grateful to be back in the company of friends from years past. Perhaps someday we will be able to merge the old with the new in a backyard fiesta. Since being back in Texas, it has been one play date after another - for Gavin and his mom and dad. It's been fun. Occasionally, my new job also takes me back to my hometown of San Antonio. I enjoy having additional opportunities to visit with my parents and San Antonio friends.

I do not anticipate having as much time to blog as I did in the past and that is OK. I hope my blog evolves with our new circumstances. Something fresh and new would be nice. A new layout, new focus? I am not sure yet.

My camera is no longer packed, but it has a few issues of its own. The lens needs to be repaired and we need to buy a new battery. Not what I would like to spend money on, but as much as we love to document our life as a family it needs to happen. A defunct camera is another reason I'll be laying low in the blogosphere.

My new kitchen and I are still getting to know each other. With limited Internet time - desire - I am reacquainting myself with my cookbooks. I have a whole new city to explore in search of farmers markets and quality local/organic food sources. There is so much to learn! Fortunately between my friends and new coworkers I have a growing list of referrals to research. We have already found an organic egg source. Thank you Coyote Creek!

It will be a while before I can resume work toward my education goals. I have made necessary adjustments to my forever evolving plan and am excited about what the future holds while here in the home of the "other UT." Gavin has learned how to make longhorns with his fingers and says, "Hook 'em Horns!" I also taught him how to make a "Guns Up" and say "Texas Tech." Of course I would not discourage him from rooting for his Vols.

Creative projects are in the queue as always. My first priorities in that area are completing a couple orders from friends - long time encouragers of my creative interests. Other than that I am not sure what direction I'll go. Work on my hope chest? Finish a couple of my own paintings? I just don't know. I do know Valentine's Day and Gavin's birthday are just around the corner and I am excited about what fun projects those events may inspire.