Texas plus TGIT equals love and a really long post

Lest the very clear title of this post confuse anyone, this is simply an Ode to my home and the lovely, perfect, over-flowing cup of views, smells, and rhythms I carried about with me for a solid week.  I did not stop taking Texas sized swigs from that cup, and now I want to write about it.  It tasted so darn good, it would be wrong not to share.

I was there during Holy Week, and Holy Week trumps all.  But I have a few Shiner bottles full of sweet home memories and musings that are eager to be poured out into a worthy TGIT (thank Goodness it’s Thursday!) post.  

The mood is set, because the Dixie Chicks are singing cowboy take me away, and I know just what they mean when they talk about a pillow of bluebonnets.  Only Texas makes pillows of that glorious ilk.  

My airplane rides to and fro Austin were telling of how I feel on such a journey.  I had a direct flight home, with the most brilliant lightning thunderhead cloud show from my window seat, easily one of the most sublime things I have ever seen.  On the way back to the East Coast, I had a real early wake up call (so did Momma, thanks Mom!!!), a 3 hour layover in Chicago, and was attacked by some of the worst allergies I ever did have when I returned to Virginia. Such is life, and really I don't mind being at the airport, in fact as this post shows, I love it.  But leaving home leaves a sour taste in my mouth, and layovers on Holy Saturday don’t exactly sweeten the taste when you have to leave Texas.  All went very smoothly, for which I am so grateful, but the point is that for me it’s waaaaay easier to go home than it is to leave it.  Moving on.  

The Austin airport is the boss of airports.  It’s perfect.  Small, mellow Texas vibe, and little mini versions of Austin restaurants just to remind me that I am home, and it tastes really good here.  Not that I could forget.  

My dad picked me up in my baby.  That sweet white convertible that was meant for me to drive.  It is a totally undeserved treat to drive it while I am home, and I feel as if I am riding a Lisa Frank unicorn, but this unicorn is tricked out. She has a CD player after all.  The bonus of driving my little unicorn is that I have to wear hats to keep hair from whipping my eyes and causing a mass accident.  I love wearing hats.  

The first day I was home is entitled “Eat as much of your favorite Austin food before Holy Week begins”.  

my Momma's special touches

I dominated this game with the help of two of my most favorite humans, Mom and Dad.  We did the Grove right, on the porch, marveling at the delicious old tree that time has been very generous to.  

But, as much as I dig the grove, there is no place, in my humble opinion, that has mastered the marriage of Texas food and atmosphere (ambiance is too fancy of a word for this down home place) like the Salt Lick. 

I melt into a puddle of happy when I am at the Salt Lick.  How the heck could I not?

The picnic tables scattered without and within, the barbeque enthusiasts, coolers in tow, all mingling, talking, laughing, chasing down their munchkins, the flowers, the cowboy boots, the wine tasting room, the lighting

and, did i mention the food. Because it is so darn good.  

I even love their bathrooms.  It’s true.  I love ‘em.  I love the ceiling fans, the huge BBQ pits, the BYOB, the 1 and a half hour wait, the kids running amok, the Texas roses, Texas trees, Texas beer.  And most of all, the Texas parents that took me there.  I could go on, but i'll just hope one day you experience it if you haven't yet. Then you'll know why the salt lick is taking up 3/4 of this post.  

Palm Sunday introduced me to my home Parish’s new home.  The new St. John Neumann church is finally being used for the glorious, and most beautiful purpose it was built.  

I am in love with it.  Capital L-O-V-E.  It is completely cradled by verdant green trees that wave at you as you enter, and gaze at the altar to glorify our Creator from the windows of the Sanctuary.  

The mosaics are so wonderful, and every aspect of the Church is saturated with Theological significance. 

The Tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament is breath taking, and the Crucifix is a wondrous sight to behold.  Having that Crucifix to look upon during Holy Week was a great blessing.

I miss it very much.  It is the marriage of the two parts of my life that constantly remind me of God’s Love and presence among us.  First and foremost, the gift of the Eucharist and the Mass where He fulfills His promise daily “I am with you always, even until the end of time” (Matthew 28:20).  

Secondly, through His creation, which surrounds the Church with the gift of that natural beauty that is so perfect, because it is all God's doing and has not been touched by man.

I felt immediately at home, as I always do wherever the Eucharist is present, and because it’s my home Church.  The place was different, but the people weren’t.  And I love the people. Even though I haven't met most of them, there is something so familiar and homey about being present at Mass with them again.  

After Mass, we shimmied onto town lake for a typical Dehan activity: canoeing.  And by typical, I mean we do it once every...let’s see, how long have we lived in Austin?  About 22 years I believe.  So yeah, we do it, on average, once every 22 years. 

It was grand, and to quote my Dad “We should do this again...in 5 years or so”.  My parents did all the rowing.  Don’t judge, I offered.  But, the insisted, and I savored being the kid sunk in the middle of the canoe, soaking in the sun through a thick layer of SPF 50(thousand).

We dined al fresco Sunday night, and I watched as the dusk transformed the ever-glorious Texas sky into a playground for the stars to sparkle and twinkle to their hearts content.  The stars love their view of Texas and I love the view of Texas stars.  

My parents have recently gotten into bird watching, and I became acquainted with their married finch couple, a merry humming bird, and caught highly prized streaks and flashes of the radiant scarlet plumage when the cardinal came to sneak an afternoon treat. 

 They installed my new favorite place in my backyard.  A rocking chair with cushions that beg for a napper to rest upon.  But the naps never came, because the view was far too wonderful and homish to ignore.    

I had the distinct privilege of making a very quick trip to Dallas.  I originally wanted to just go for 24 hours to visit Mimi’s grave, and spend time with my cousins.  As Providence would have it, Fr. Robinson, the beautiful priest I wrote about in this post, had his funeral on the day I intended to go up.  So, I got up a little extra early, and made it just in time for one of the most beautiful experiences of my life.  I am so grateful I have had the blessing of knowing so many holy and Christ-like people. 
After the funeral, I had the treat of visiting with a few beautiful souls at UD, and visited a few of my favorite spots at my Alma Mater.

 After this, I headed to visit Mimi’s grave.

It was hard to see her name on a grave.  It was hard to remember November and watching her slip away from this life into the next.  But, as always, He was there. 

And He put me there during Holy Week to remind me why Easter is truly the Best time in any year.  I was reminded of why we need Jesus, and why He is the center of my very being.  Apart from Him is death.  With Him is Life eternal.  Mimi’s name was there, but her soul is Home.  Alleluia!  

After the day sprinkled with tears, old friends, and much beauty to be grateful for, I was able to spend some brief (but of the highest quality) time with my fousins, the beautiful Michelle and Rachel.  We dined on some of the world’s finest cuisine (Cavallis. Enough said.), and our souls feasted upon the joy of being with loved ones.  Watching the sunset melt into a pastel Easter egg sky, between two of my favorite girls, at my favorite restaurant (second only to Salt Lick), not too shabby.  

Believe me when I say we closed the joint down taking an array of hi-larious (in our opinion) cray cray fousin photos on the patio. These are but a mere sample of what Michelle's camera possesses. We capped the night off visiting with Uncle Charlie, describing our perfect climates and laughing at fig newton jokes from one our favorite comedians.  It was delightful.  

Michelle, Meredith and I closed off my visit the next morning at IHOP.  And anything that ends with IHOP is alright by me. 

It was such a blessing being with them, and it was a joy watching my beautiful Michelle be such a wonderful and patient mama with her little cubs.  I love y’all a lot bigger than a big dollop.

The rest of Texas week had me sleeping in, preparing for the Triduum, and loving being at home with my parents.  Watching my new favorite netflix instant watch (the 12 dates of Christmas-I give it 2 very enthusiastic thumbs up and ******** that many stars) with my very good sport of a mother, rocking on the rocker, basking in the glow of the media rooms ever-alluring charm and comfort, and re-falling in love with home in general.

I enjoyed a coffee date with a dear friend, Susan, an awesome photographer, and an even more beautiful/awesome person. After coffee, she treated me with a visit to a nearby nursery, where God’s goodness comes in the colors and varieties of flowers and butterflies, and the perfect glow of late afternoon Texas sunshine.  Thank you, Susan, for the delightful visit!  

I miss it all.  I miss my parents and their binoculars out and ready to be grabbed at the first sighting of one of their bird friends.  I miss the rocking chair and the view it offers to any willing visitor.  I miss walking to the St.  Michael’s chapel to find my Momma there, singing praises to our Maker, and always always praying with me and for me and all she cherishes (that’s a long list).  I miss dad quietly reading as I type away on some blogpost or other in the later hours of the day, all the time knowing the stars are smiling and shining big and bright deep in the heart of home.  I miss meals with my parents, and knowing at Mass that they are up in the choir loft, lifting their hearts and voices to God.  The list of what I miss about home is like Texas from top to bottom or left to right: a very long one filled with lovely things.

It’s always hard to leave, but as usual, the Beloved made it beautiful.  I came back to Virginia just in time to reunite with my siblings and my fousin, Rachie, and go to the Easter Vigil Mass (my favorite of the year).  And then my parents were back with me a few days later, and the rest is history.  

Maddie or Maddy (not sure what the verdict is) is here to stay, and my momma is here for one more day.  God is ever-faithful and it is still the Easter season.  It is still the most wonderful time of the year, and I am staying right where I am because this is right where He put me for now.  I don’t want to miss a moment of the Love He is pouring out on me and all of us during this most holy time.  So here’s to Texas, to Thursday, to the almost-weekend, to new nieces, and to the Resurrection of our Savior!   We are an Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!