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| At the seaweedy beach. James got a little homesick here and asked if we could leave soon after we got there. The air was too humid, the water was too warm and the beach was "nasty" in his words. He's a coldwater, fancy beach kind of boy. |
Life in Texas is good. It is slower here. I mean, the speed limit is 70 or 75 on the major roads and people tend to travel a daring 55-60. Seriously? You make the speed limit 75 in Maryland and people will be going 80-85, but out here they are like, "hmm, no thanks." I try to contain my road rage.
The bugs are huge here. I never saw a cockroach until we moved here and now I see them all the time. IN MY HOUSE! I even found one in my pants one morning while getting dressed!!! Freaked me out to say the least. There are ants everywhere, HUGE vicious mosquitos, and these little tiny dot like bugs that bite as bad as mosquitos.
The weather has actually cooled down a little bit. By cooled down I mean we are able to go outside in the mornings and not wish someone would dump a bucket of ice water on our heads. Other people around here are wearing jackets in the early mornings, we are running out in T-shirts and shorts and finally... a smile! Where has that smile been? I hate hot weather. I am so homesick right now dreaming of beautiful foliage, crisp hayrides bundled in blankets or a warm jacket, a perfect 60 degree day of walking through the woods or apple picking or scouting through a pumpkin patch AND no bugs.
No, I don't love it here. I don't exactly hate it, but it isn't my favorite place. Everyone told me Texas was cheaper, but to be honest, we are finding it to be close to or as expensive as any place we have lived. Including Maryland. Yes, rent was slightly more expensive in Maryland, but Maryland had much nicer neighborhoods, so that is to be expected. The taxes here are outrageous and the gas and electric bills are killing us. Schools here are not wonderful like people tried to convince me of. Maybe other places in Texas are not so bad..
The major upside to life in Texas is that JAMES LOVES HIS JOB! He comes home saying, "Babe, my job is awesome." or "I really love my job!" That makes me happy. That's why we came here.
We have made some good friends and met some very nice people. People hug us in the grocery store and tell my kids they are beautiful. They invite us to their church and squish our cheeks. We are blessed with weekly soccer practices and early morning Saturday games. I was born a soccer mom. It makes me so happy to sit on the sidelines and cheer the loudest. I'll even sit in hot, buggy weather to watch little Ez kick the air as hard as he can in an attempt to score and then the way he sucks in his cheeks with pride after a job well done. Totally makes me want to play, but I have dreamed of Saturday soccer mornings. It makes me smile.
Don't worry, we're not entirely pessimistic about it. Maybe just mostly. Working on that. It's an interesting place, but it's home. Or at least it will be.. :-)
