Family Time

So, I had a great trip home this past weekend. Usually, I'm a little stressed trying to drive around and see everyone I want to see and I spend 90% of my time in the car, but this time it all seemed to pan out quite nicely.

My Aunt Robyn (who my sister is named after) was in town from New York. I only get to see her every few years, so it was a treat. It's always funny hearing her talk and how different it is from my mom. My mom moved to Arkansas when she was 14 and her accent has zero trace that she ever lived north of the Mason-Dixon line. Anyway, so we got to talk a lot and catch up.

There were fifty million things going on over the weekend. My niece Lauren graduated from 8th grade. She'll be starting at my old high school in the fall. Her older sister Beth will be a senior there and had her Ring Mass on Sunday. Plus, today is my nephew Paul's 16th birthday. Thinking about that makes me feel like I should start spiffying up my gray hair with a blue wash and go buy a fancy walker. I managed to go to the celebrations for those things without having to step foot in church. I did have to eat at Dixie Cafe though. Just kidding. It wasn't bad.

And because I'm me and I can't seem to go anywhere without doing a little dog business, I picked up a new little guy while I was there. In a bizarre turn of events, the lady who I picked him up from lived in the house where one of my high school friends used to live. It was very surreal.

Driving back to Austin yesterday I was so tired I almost dozed off. So instead I sat funny and gripped the steering wheel really hard the whole 8-hour drive home. Today I can't raise my arms or turn my head to the left without searing pain.

Good times.




(and if you're my family and wondering where the other 500 photos on this trip are, please note you'll be getting a link to the album soon).