Life in Texas

We have been in hot/pretty/bare/sticky/urban/dry/flat/relaxed/busy (my opinion changes depending on the day) San Antonio for almost two months now.  Many times I've considered sitting down and writing about our new life here but have not yet quite felt ready to express how I felt about Texas life. ...read: I didn't have much nice to say so I decided to say nothing at all.  But I think the time has come and I have worked through those first initial emotions that come with a new [husband, home, state, job, childcare, church, friends, highway, neighbors, grocery store] season!

The move was hard for me.  Not physically (despite the climate change), but emotionally.  Actually, I was doing great here until Micah started his Emergency Course (M-F, 9-4, plus studying often at home), and then I was left friendless, jobless, and spending my days with a one-year-old (although she is quite adorable!, the conversation quickly reverts to crayons, cheese, babies, blankets, and Elmo.).  Before we moved I was relatively busy...teaching four classes, mommy-ing, packing, and planning a wedding.  I like busy.  I function well with busy, always being around other people, and the more I have to do the more productive I am.  So, Texas was a change.  I had all this free-time yet not really sure what to do with it; no one to spend it with.  It was hard for me (sometimes still is), but it is getting much better as we get more involved and seem to find more of a natural day-to-day rhythm.  I also think it has been a good season when God has reminded me to turn to Him with my day-to-day struggles and free-time, and He reminded me also how self-centered I am.  How much I want and how much I expect.  So it's been a good time for me to work on refocusing my Lara-centered brain and to have the free-time to sit and think about things, instead of just going all the time :)

All that said, life here is hot, but we pretty much go from air conditioning to air conditioning so I feel like it's not too terrible.  We have a pool at our apartment that we frequent often and Juliet LOVES her "kool".  We also live about a mile from a huge stretch of the green-way and we take advantage of the shaded trails almost daily.  Believe it or not, I often see deer on my runs!...although, I guess that shouldn't surprise me because it is really the only green place the deer have to live in this city.

Micah's course seems to be going well.  I know he is learning lots because he studies all the time.  The course consists of two phases: classroom (which they are doing now) and then in hospital clinicals (September-October).  During the classroom part they have a test every Monday on the material covered the week-before, hence the studying.  If you don't pass the tests you can't continue in the course.  So, he studies.  

Micah also convinced me to do a GoRuck race with him.  So we have begun our training...just imagine two people running in the heat of Texas with Ruck Sacks (backpacks filled with weight), carrying hand-weights, and pushing a baby stroller.  Yup, that is currently us.

Juliet seems to be adjusting fine to Texas.  She loves the pool, her preschool, and all the green lizards that climb all over our outdoor stairs.  She goes to a bilingual preschool two mornings a week and loves it.  When I wake her up the mornings that she goes to school, I tell her she is going to school today and she says "Play?!?!  and...... EAT!".  Clearly I am getting my money's worth ;)

I personally am really trying to be more proactive in getting involved.  This week I emailed two different ministries that I heard about through our church to inquire about volunteer opportunities.  One is a Pregnancy Center and one is a ministry that works with the kids of homeless families.  I've really been praying, even before moving here, that God would use us in some sort of ministry and I'm looking forward to where that would be!  I also started a job....  which was a total God-thing.  I wanted to do something teaching related and part-time without it causing me to need lots of childcare.  Well, one of Micah's classmates has a husband who works for an online higher-ed program.  They just started their Spanish courses this year and needed graders.  So, my job is to grade assignments, essays, and exams of the Spanish students as they submit them.  It's all online and all on my own time.  God is good.

I think that is a pretty good summary of our lives these days.  Thanks for reading and for caring about us.  May our lives bring glory to God and this blog be a testament of they ways He has been faithful and good to us!