Accomplishments--Perhaps Minor, but Major to Us

I managed to get my Texas Driver’s License. That is not an easy task. I had been warned it is the worst part about moving to Texas. I guess it is such a privilege to become a Texas resident that they don’t think they need to be particularly accommodating. On my first attempt I stood in line for 2 hours and then was told I needed an additional form of ID (not listed on the website, by the way). grrrr. The second time I went I was prepared with all my documents and a few extras just in case. I stood in line for 4 hours. I was the next number but they decided not to call any more numbers for over a half an hour. After waiting a couple more minutes and then a couple more minutes and then a couple more minutes, and even pleading my case I had to leave empty handed in order to go pick up my girls. Grrrr. Josh came up with a plan for our next attempt. When we got up in the morning he would go directly to the driver’s license torture facility and stand in line. I would do the morning routine and get Kate to school and then go immediately to meet him. He would save the spot in line and we would both get it out of the way. A brilliant plan, until I loaded the girls in the car and the car wouldn’t start. It was completely dead! GRRR. We knew our battery was getting old, but honestly, did it have to die at this particular moment? I got the girls back out of the car, Kate hopped on her bike, I ran behind her pushing Jane in the chariot and we made a mad dash to the school. By some miracle we managed to get there before the bell. Then Jane and I borrowed a car from our neighbor and went to meet Josh. He, of course, had become best friends with the lady behind the counter. These are the same ladies I had begged earlier in the week just to take the “7 minutes” to process my license before I had to go and they had flat out denied me. Mr. Negotiations comes to the rescue and I was able to walk in without standing in line, wait only a few minutes, and then get my license without a hitch. The irony is, Josh has to go back next week.

The other major accomplishment of the week was coming up with a solution for our art supplies. I am glad my girls are creative and artistic, but I was loosing my sanity when every day our living area downstairs became a craft disaster zone. After spending at least an hour every night cleaning up feathers and pompoms and beads and glue and stickers off our hardwood floor, the purchase of an art table jumped to the top of our “Furnishing the House” priority list. We may not have patio furniture, or a couch, or a dresser, or a piano, but I NEEDED an art table. I spent a good part of Friday and Saturday putting together the furniture and organizing the art supplies. Saturday afternoon after our family run I came in the house a couple minutes behind the girls having been distracted by some weeds. There was no sign of anyone. The house was quiet and neat. I had to call out to make sure the girls were in the house and alive. They were happily creating at their art table! When Josh came in a few minutes later, I met him at the door and said, “Do you hear that? [silence] It’s the sound of success.” We had some friends over last night and the art table was the hit of the party. Happy girls. Happy mom.

Kate’s accomplishment of the week was getting up enough courage to go into the attic with Josh. She wrote three notes celebrating her success:

1. I went in the adik with dad. [I went in the attic with Dad.]

2. I sa the fir mshyn. I wus skard. [I saw the fire machine (furnace). I was scared.]

3. I klimd daown bi myself. [I climbed down by myself.]

Jane had a moment of triumph this week as well. I was doing some homework with Kate and we were reviewing 3D shapes like cones, cubes, spheres, etc. I showed her a picture of a cylinder. She was racking her brain and then tentatively answered, “sphere?” Jane who had just been observing pipped up, “No. It’s a cylinder! Like the Jenga box.” Go Jane!

Josh and I have both had a few opportunities to talk about our membership in the church with neighbors and co-workers lately. Mormonism is not particularly popular in Texas just now. Thank you, Gov. Perry. Josh had a really meaningful conversation with a member of his team about doctrines and what we really believe. I awkwardly answered the first time one of my neighbors asked me what church we attend. I did a little better the next time. But last week I had a fun experience. I came around the corner after finishing a run in the morning. My next door neighbor, Beth, was animately talking with another neighbor. They had been talking when I walked past on the way to school with Kate and they were still talking an hour later after I finished my run. I said, “Wow, you are having a great conversation!” They came over and told me that they had a mutual friend who was starting to talk about them and call their church a cult. I said, “Oh, we get that all the time! Don’t worry too much about it.” We all laughed and then talked for a few more minutes. Looking back, I guess I could have been a little more empathetic, but at least in was a comfortable conversation.

We went trick-or-treating at Josh’s office on Friday. The girls were Indians. Jane originally wanted to be a dinosaur but after some persuation from her Grandma Shelly and her sister she decided to be an Indian. It suited me just fine. We had the costumes already on hand and I got to return all the supplies to make the dinosaur. I repaired the much used and abused Indian dresses, braided their hair, and painted their faces. They were so cute! The office was decked out. In addition to the trick-or-treating they had games to play, cookies to decorate, and food to eat. BCG is a work horse, but it’s also a great company. It’s nice to have activities like that occasionally to feel a connection to the company.

I have to go carve a pumpkin now.

Happy Halloween!