Remembering Texas

Savory Kolaches

Ben was beside himself remembering these from our neighborhood donut shop the other day. 

Loving the Internet, I found a former Texan longing for tastes of home as well, who posted a recipe for these.  

Reserve Weekend

Replacing National Guard Weekend

It's still a mess.

However, this one included unpacking the last box and sifting through the last of the crazy.

We're moved.

It's official.

The USS Texas: Lessons for the Stuber Home

We visited the USS Texas a couple of weekends ago.

Lesson 1: We don't belong anywhere without air-conditioning in Texas in July. We look forward to visiting again in the Fall.

Lesson 2: Don't let harsh conditions cramp your princess style.


Lesson3: Even in rough conditions, everyone can sit down and have a civilized meal together.

Lesson 4: Stock up on the things you need.

Lesson 5: Stack 'em

Lesson 6: Cage the things you don't want messed up.

Lesson 7: Defense

Lesson 8: Even in harsh environments, you can find beauty every time.

What A Long, Strange Trip

We sold one house!
But we packed up and left it before we did that on May 20, 2011.
We closed on the old house June 30.
And in that period of a little over a month, we have been more than busy.


We had a new house to get to.

But first Patric and I lived here for a week while I started my new job.

Funny, it was still nicer than our first place in Missouri all those years ago.

And the kids went to Grandma and Grandpa airplane's for two weeks in there so that Patric and I could buy the house, receive our stuff, and even unpack a few things. And we don't think we could have done it without grandma and grandpa airplane's help, and I think they had a bit of fun with the kids too.

And then we learned how to find the bathrooms and the bedrooms in this new house.

And about two weeks later, Nicholas told me he was getting used to sleeping here.

And they walked into their new preschool with confidence, and we figured out the routine quickly.

And the very first morning the kids were here, they were in their swimsuits at 8:00 in the morning, ready for the pool across the street. They had a long two hour wait until it opened at 10:00.

But they thought it was well worth it.

And Brian and Lori came with Noah for a visit, and we went on a walk near the river in our neighborhood.

And we got a shot of five cousins together.

Then Patric took off for a week to graduate in Vermont from his masters program.

His connecting flight was canceled from Memphis to Houston on the way home.

So he rented a car and got out of there because it was beginning to feel like we would never break free from there. Although we did accept an offer on the Memphis house while he was in Vermont without internet, and I was at home with only an iPhone.

He got back the next day, and while we were returning the rental, I rear-ended him and smashed up both cars. We were mini-vanless for two weeks (which I secretly loved).

And we went without a fridge for a little over three weeks, six delivery attempts, one I didn't like, one the delivery men wrecked, three missed appointments, and half off the price. Maybe it was the malnutrician that gave Patric and I both summer colds to suffer through in turn about this time.

And finally, after three different services and four installation attempts--we got the Internet!

And while we seem to have moved to a place that is experiencing the worst drought it's seen in half a century, and the state is on fire, and the temperatures neared or beat records every day of our first month here, I think we're going to like it.

Hooray!

I figured out how to post a picture!

Now I must migrate the pictures to the correct place...

On the last evening of their two weeks with grandma and grandpa airplane in Kansas, the kids had a cookout in the backyard. There are many more memories to share from this blank time where Patric and I left one house, joined another, received our stuff, and then began furiously unpacking stuff. Somewhere in there I learned how to get to work, park, and then get into my building. We're making progress.

Book Two: Living

As we close the book on the section of life called Survival, we begin the second installment that I am choosing to call Living. I think you'll enjoy it--once I figure out internet connectivity and how to load a picture on the blog again, which is surprisingly hard so far...

In the meantime, some pictures from last weekend and our second house guests--Brian, Lori, and Noah are posted here. Our first official guests were grandma and grandpa airplane, who brought us the best gift--our kids after they spent two weeks in Kansas having fun while Patric and I unpacked. Pictures soon of everything, once I just figure this out. I do know where to park my car in the morning now, which is also harder than one might think.

Mother's Day Weekend

We met halfway between our now two homes.

We didn't take a single picture.

There was LOTS of swimming, even sans water wings for the boys!

My biggest gift: grass decided to grow here on our big flood fix while we were away.

That, and the Lilly of the Valley Patric bought me to plant at our new, final home that we are quickly approaching moving to.

Posting will slow now, if you haven't noticed already.

You Clean Up Pretty Well

You can hardly tell that we spent most of the weekend knee deep in mud trying to fix my fence-line. And the remaining part: painting, changing a faucet, trimming trees when it wasn't raining and sometimes when it was, cleaning, clearing out my attic, and chasing kids.

Practicing

being homeless, I guess.

Here We Go

Overheard on the phone last night,

"I'll stay and help Susan get the kids off to school, then I'll drive to Texas."

Seems surreal.

Not many kids get to climb freely on working tanks.

But it was with great glee that they all crawled around a last time last weekend.

I snuck off here while they were engaged to say good-bye to the cleanest woman's restroom with a urinal in the universe. I always appreciated coming to the armory because I had my own bathroom, maintained impecably by men in uniform.

And here we are before we saddled up to go swimming, which was all the brood wanted once the tanks were tucked away.

Learning from the inside,

out.

Ceremony

On Saturday, we all went to watching Patric's Change of Command Ceremony in Crossville.

He's been troop commander in this town for five years, which is nearly unprecedented.

And he enjoyed most every minute of command I think, right down to the end.

I love seeing this smile in the midst of all the serious faces. It helps me pick out Patric in all that drab finery.

We were late. And when they saw us all roll in together, the soldiers very quietly and very quickly lined up more chairs at the front for me and the brood, even though I tried to plop us all down in a corner in the back. The men would have none of it. I love that they have a huge banner in the armory with a prominently situated heart that says "love." That whole banner is filled with pictures of these soldiers with the members of the local community. This place loves their troops, and we love them back for their unceasing support.

Then they started doing this.

And he handed it to him.

And then they had to exchange words.

And then the thing got handed off again to another guy.

They all look the same...

We started getting antsy.

So I took a moment to click a photo of why the latest scissor ban is in effect. Alida was the stylist this time, trying out her skills on Elaine.

Then this.

This was the moment that Patric was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.

This was a complete surprise, even though we know he deserves it.

Then they let him talk.

And he talked.

Then he talked with his hands.

And I realized that the soldiers wanted us at the front so they would have some entertainment to watch.

And we all listened to him talk.

And then he finished talking.

And everyone cheered for him. Perhaps because he was done talking, but likely because those men love him almost as much as we love him.

And finally, the most important adoring crowd was released to mob the man who had just wrapped up a very successful command.

Saying good-bye to his tanks is bittersweet I think.

We are proud of him.

Now we're just excited that he'll continue serving when we move, but finally in the same town we live in and not a five hour drive away from us.

More on the final tank ride with the brood and commentary on the cleanest armory in Tennessee tomorrow.