The swings ride at Fiesta Texas reminds me of this summer – it’s going by way too fast.  Julia and Hannah love it.  Lois and I are content to crane our necks.  When we left this ride, Lois and I reminded Julia of the first time we brought her to Fiesta Texas and the rides she enjoyed then.  She was half-bored, half-embarrassed by our recollections.  

The best feature of Fiesta Texas:  The water park is included in admission.  Texas’ summer temperatures are stuck on “broil.”  Here are Julia and Hannah photographed above the water line…. 

…and Hannah also photographed below it.  I absolutely love my waterproof Olympus.  It’s had 2.5 years of hard wear and – though scratched – still works perfectly.

Lois-the-summer-babysitter knows to wear a waterproof watch.  One failing at the park:  No visible clocks.  So you can’t say, “Meet me at the tube ride at 2 p.m.”

Crocs are the perfect park footwear.  Wet – no problem.  Dry – they’ve got good ventilation.  They keep me from dancing on the hot pavement, too – a mercy for all who don’t wish to bleach their eyes.

School starts a week from today.   We are in full countdown mode.  School supplies, backpacks, tuition payment, books, prep days – you name it - we’ve bought it, rented it or attended it. 

Saturday night, we’ll have “family movie night,” our first since school ended in May.  And during that two hours of snacks and a flick, we’ll talk about the summer, as well as the upcoming school year.  I think I’ll get a headstart right now.

My Top 10 List for the Summer of 2011:

10.   Reading more on my iPad.  I still have plenty of paper books I want to read (thanks in large part to the annual NEISD book sale), but slowly, I’ve been expanding my e-Library.  I can argue for/against e-readers and paper, but that’s another blog.

 9.  Visits with family and friends.  Not as many or as long as I’d like, but….

 8.  Music mixes for the car.  My almost-nine-year-old mini-van doesn’t have an MP3 player, but the girls have made me CD’s that inspire head bobbing, singing along and the occassional car dance. 

 7.  Rachel’s job at Highland Lakes Baptist Camp.  She’s the first of the flock to “be away” for an extended length of time.  I’m proud of her for doing a good job – and adding 100+ friends on Facebook, dang, she’s a beast.

 6.  Julia’s ever-growing comfort with technology.  If it’s got a screen – she’s in love with it.  This summer, Julia turned me onto “Appzilla” which is is the most fun I’ve ever had for $2.   She also declined my suggestion that she download Tony Hawk on her iPod instead of frantically searching for her Nintendo game.  Why?  She’d read the online product reviews and they were poor.  She is a fierce little Words with Friends and Hanging with Friends competitor, and many nights this summer she’s crawled up next to me to offer suggestions in my games – which I often take. 

5.  Hannah’s volunteering at Brownie camp.  Hannah’s childhood Girl Scout troop disbanded in middle school but has re-formed in high school.  Hannah invested herself in the training, then volunteered at camp.  She may do much more of that next summer.  January is coming…..cookies, anyone?!

4.  Groupons, Living Social deals, etc.  I bought several deals for the girls to use this summer which stretched out their weekly “blow money,” plus Keith and I used them ourselves.  Now that the girls are older – if there’s no pressing reason to hurry home in the summer – we can stop and get dinner if we want to.  Considering how little I cook in the summer, that’s fortunate.

 3.  Lois placing in the top 20 in four competitions at the Latin nationals:

Latin Vocabulary – 10th
Latin Derivatives – 15th
Latin Grammar – 14th
Greek Derivatives – 17th

 2.  Our five days at South Padre.  Lovely just to be away.  Ocean sounds relax me, too.  My kids think I should listen to them all the time.

And my Numero Uno summer joy…..

 1.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.    Harry’s been a member of our family since the first book release in 1997, and I miss knowing we’ll go visit him.

Back to school very, very soon……

….gummy worm funnel cake.  The girls pronounced it far superior to the earlier years’ “Frankenstein’s Brains” funnel cake with goopy cherry topping.

Rachel stopped to donate at the blood mobile (clever!) on the way into the park.  I think her altruism balances out the family’s hedonism.

Fright Fest 2006 – Julia was very nervous around the “greeters.”  Not so much any longer.

Lois has been driving the family to church, the grocery store, Home Depot, etc. for the last few months, which has definitely been a spiritual experience (I pray a lot.)   As I watched her and Julia race the go-carts, I found myself mumbling, “Turn signal, Lois.  Slow down, Lois.  Watch that guy over there, Lois.”  Did as much good as it usually does.

Hannah earned the title of “Favorite Daughter” by accompanying me on my favorite ride – Bugs White Water Adventure.  At Fright Fest 2003, an in-park concert drew almost everyone away from the rides.  We rode Bugs seven times in a row without having to get off.  That was the single greatest evening we ever had in the park.

Hannah snapped this shot of the gum stuck to the roof of Bugs’ tunnel.  We’ve donated a few pieces of Orbit ourselves, but never been able to authoritatively determine if they were still in place on subsequent visits.

Speaking of Hannah….she attracted the attention of a very hot young Zombie.  I told her that he was only interested in her brains. 

She kept trying to hide behind the teddy bear she’d won in a carnival game.

But he was persistent.  George Romero would be proud.

Julia’s least favorite job at home is emptying the wastebaskets/taking out trash.  “I told you this would happen!”

“Creature Feature” show – blood-curdling fun!  I was enjoying a bit of chair dancing until my youngest – who is such a Tween – scowled and whispered, “Mom!  Don’t embarrass me!”

Julia wouldn’t even let me dance in the aisles when the characters came into the audience.  Kill joy!

Wiggles World was monster-free.  No scaring the lil’ guys and ghouls.

Rachel – who always takes better pictures than do I – snapped this one.  Next year will be a little sad because I didn’t renew her season pass.  She’s getting a “real job” next summer, and Lois will be in charge of the home front – including the bulk of the visits to Fiesta Texas.  They’re growing up.  And yes, I do find that a little scary.

Yes, we do get one of these pictures made.  Because we’re just cool like that.

One of my favorite Fiesta Texas tips. Save differently-colored plastic mug straws from year to year.  Then each person can use a uniquely-colored straw and there’s little danger of foreign backwash ingestion.

Pop Guns for Pop Divas

View from the Ferris Wheel, which Hannah and I love.  Lois – not so much.  She doesn’t trust us not to sway so she won’t ride.  Not trusting her loving family?  If I had feelings, they’d be hurt.

Scooby’s Haunted Mansion shoot’em’up.  Family rivalry is intense with many bets made (but not paid.)

The closest our girls will ever come to owning a dog.  At least as long as they live here.  Mom is mean.

Normally, we do the Lazy River last.  But it was sooooo hot – we jumped in as soon as we hit the water park.  One thing I really like about Fiesta Texas – they don’t charge extra for the water park.  Locker rentals are pricey.  We always hand ours off to another family when we leave.

Once I get in that tube, I’m not budging – even when a 54-lb. fish jumps on me.

This is the first time I’ve seen both of Lois’ eyes in months. I wasn’t sure that right one was still there.

Finally, a short mat-racing film by Hannah.  Look for it at Cannes.

Don’t forget to get your hand stamped on your way out!  And where did we park the swagger wagon?!

When I was told we had to move after having dodged the relo bullet for years, I cried every night for weeks.  Literally.

Lois and Hannah – Christmas 1999 in Houston.  12″ plastic tree on the coffee table; presents on the couch; stocks hung on the mini-blinds.  We let the girls unwrap their gifts Christmas morning – but no un-packaging.  As soon as they unwrapped an item, I placed in it a moving box.  Mean, mean Mom.  Our unpacking in San Antonio on January 13 was quite festive with the new toys, clothes, dolls, etc.

I sobbed when my dear friend Shelley – who had moved to San Antonio years before – called me.  Shelley laughed at me (she’s done that a lot over 33 years) and said, “Dry your ears, dearie.  You’re going to LOVE San Antonio!”

But I.  Did  Not.  Want  To.  Move.  Period.

And yet Keith and I had long cussed, discussed and prayed about our school situation.  We had managed to claw our way into a good elementary school for Rachel and – by legacy – Lois.  But there were no good public middle schools in HISD, and only one good high school, which we had no hope of attending.  What to do?  Should we move to the sticks and endure the commute?  One of us get an evening/weekend job to pay for private school?  Home schooling was certainly “out,” with our being pro-life.

So instead – we moved.  And I am so thankful.  When I think about all the time I spent crying, I laugh at myself.  What an idiot.

In honor of year 2010…and our 10th anniversary in Ole San Antone….here’s my personal “Top 10 Things I Love About San Antonio” list.   If you see this list later in a Chamber of Commerce brochure, remember – you read it here first.

#10  I Love the History

I’ve read that every real Texan’s home is San Antonio.  And why not, with the Alamo, its other missions and rich history?  Teddy Roosevelt gathered the Rough Riders at the Menger Hotel here  in 1898.   LBJ and Lady Bird (newest high school named for her) were married at St. Mark’s in 1934.    My first trip to San Antonio was to visit HemisFair in 1968, with its famous needle tower.

The city features tons of historical markers (or “hysterical markers,” as Keith calls them), fascinating street names (highly recommend this book) and engrossing cemeteries.

Hannah, Rachel and Lois at the Alamo, Christmas 2000.  “Remember the Woodworths!”

#9  I  Have Loved Watching Our Neighborhood Grow

When we moved to our neighborhood, the closest 24-hour pharmacy was seven miles away.  Ditto the closest Target – and it was small.  Not all the streets went through, and there were construction sites everywhere (handy for dead-of-night rock dumps when building a pond….if you know what I mean….)

It’s just been fun to watch everything grow – the shopping, more schools, four 24-hour pharmacies within two miles and yes – two nearby Super Targets.

The girls spent hours playing “fort” at the houses built on our street – like this one, behind us.  Keith and I walked those houses often, getting ideas.

#8  I Love the Buses – All of Them

We had no school bus service in Houston.  Here – bus service is provided if you live more than two miles from the school.  It’s been a godsend for elementary and middle school.

Keith and I have been riding the Express bus downtown to work since November, 2005 – we were its original riders.   It’s saved us a fortune, plus gives me to time to read in the morning, and nap in the afternoon. Everyone at home is happier if I get my nap, I assure you.

Julia and Hannah on the bus August 14, 2006 – the district’s first day of school, plus Julia’s first day of American school ever.

#7  I Love the Military Presence

Standing behind a full bird colonel buying a quart of milk in HEB….sitting next to parents in camo at a school play….attending moving-back-to-Germany parties at the end of every school year….watching the doctor from Ft. Sam hook his bicycle on the front of our downtown bus….that’s what we do, because San Antonio is a military town with Ft. Sam Houston, Brooks AFB, Lackland AFB and Randolph AFB.

USAA Insurance – one of the three biggest employers (USAA, AT&T, federal government) – preferentially hires veterans, like Keith’s brother Byron.

We’ve loved sharing Thanksgiving with airmen trainees from Lackland Air Force Base.  Those are our good friends John and Linda on the left, with whom we always co-host the holiday.  And those are our good friends Shelley and John on the right, who helped us unpack in 2000 – what a thankless job.  I remember Shelley sloughing her way through a sea of my Rubbermaid.

#6  I Loved Learning To Be New?

In gynormous Houston, you carve your niche.  My niche was bordered by Stella Link, Gessner, S. Main and 59.   If I went anywhere in that several square miles, I was bound to see a friend.  And I loved it.  It was sooo hard to be “new” in San Antonio.  I h-a-t-e-d it.  And yet – had we not been “new” – I never would have learned its loneliness.   And I never would have made some of the good friends we’ve made, because I wouldn’t have thought to encourage the girls to ask the “new kid” over to play, or seek the visitor at church.  I never would have thought of what to write down for a new neighbor – the trash pick-up days, when the pool opens, the closest 24-hour pharmacy, the nearest churches of their denomination.  It’s a lesson I needed to learn, but one I never would have pursued voluntarily.

After we moved, I was always encouraging the girls to invite friends over, particularly new-to-the-neighborhood or new-to-school-or-church friends. Being new stinks.

#5   I Love the 20-Minute Town

On our house-hunting weekend in 1999, we ran into my friend Bud at the airport who said, “You’ll love this place.  It’s a 20-minute town.”  Meaning you can get anywhere in 20 minutes.  At rush hour, that’s not quite true now – but still, San Antonio’s size, population (1.3M) and expanse is very manageable.

Keith describes San Antonio as “a small town of a million people.”   We quickly noticed one of the first questions locals asked was, “Where did you go to high school?”  Obituaries almost always list the high school, even if the deceased completed more advanced education.  San Antonio also uses street banners to advertise events.  Its freeway entrance/exit system is very small-town with a distinct lack of interchanges – the one thing I would change with my magic wand, if I had one.

I like the smaller-town “feel.”  I’ve long hated driving, and if everything I needed were within five miles of me, that’d be even better.

One of the best ways to get around (down)town:  The River Walk.  We go every Christmas to enjoy the lights, music and food.  It meanders behind the office buildings where we work.

#4  I Love Fiesta Texas

We have Sea World, Schlitterbahn and Fiesta Texas here – but Fiesta Texas is our favorite.  Sometimes in the summer, we go to just swim – it has a kickin’ water park, and it’s too hot to do anything else outside.   We renew our passes at spring break; go often in the summer; go once for Fright Fest, and once for Holiday in the Park.

Her first summer home, Julia would come to me and wave her crooked hand like a fish, asking “Bomp, bomp, bomp, bomp?” with an expectant smile.  That meant, “Hey, Mom – let’s go to Fiesta Texas and do some rides!”  Every summer, she races to check the height requirements for the bigger coasters.  When she grows tall enough for the Superman (54″) – listen for the shout.

We took Julia when she’d been home less than two weeks.  Our sainted social worker – Jennifer – thought we were stone cold crazy until she met Julia and got a feel for her personality.  We did not have to cocoon our post-institutionalized child as so many adoptive families have had to do.

#3  I Love the Patriotism

You may think #7 – Military Presence – and Patriotism are the same thing.  But they’re not.   Military towns are not necessarily patriotic towns.  And San Antonio is patriotic.

Fiesta Texas plays the national anthem before opening the park each day.  One day last summer – as we waited, hands over our hearts – a group of foreign-sounding high school students rudely talked and laughed and jostled.  I glared, then finally stepped over and said, “Excuse me.  That’s our national anthem.”  A girl answered, “I do not care.  I am French.”  I said, “You are a guest in our country.   I would hope you would show respect for your host.”  They did quiet themselves.  An older-than-me Hispanic woman walked over after the anthem to say, “I’m glad you said something.  I was going over to slap them.”

The first year we hosted airmen trainees for Thanksgiving (2002), I parked my eight-year-old Ford mini-van between a tricked-out Lexus and a beat-up Chevy yard truck filled with lawn equipment.   The families hosting airmen tend to visit, and it’s so much fun hearing how long they’ve been doing it, what they’re serving, etc.    Nobody talks about their their heirloom china, or the square footage of their dining room, or any “things.”  They talk about how happy it makes them to host trainees for dinner, and maybe their own military service away from home on a holiday.

God bless America.

Children’s Choir Members Rachel and Lois in 2001

#2  I Love Our Church

The third Sunday we visited Shearer Hills, Keith looked at me and asked, “Do you want to get this over with and join?”   We did.    We’ve made most of our friends there – been challenged to serve Jesus there – taught and been taught there.

There’s always something special about the church where your babies are born and if for no other reason, Westbury Baptist in Houston will always be precious to me.  But there’s also something special about the church where your babies are born again, and all four of ours made their professions of faith at Shearer Hills.

A church membership is not a substitute for a relationship with Jesus Christ.  But we are called to be members of the body, and when we don’t see our church family regularly, there’s a vague unease in our family life.    We do try welcome guests, too, as we felt so welcomed.  As Casting Crowns sings, “Jesus paid much too high a price -  For us to pick and choose who should come -
And we are the Body of Christ.”

Hannah’s 2003 Baptism

#1 – I Love Our Schools

We are profoundly thankful for our schools.  Keith knew – from online research – within two square miles where we’d live when we moved, based on the schools.  If we had to move, then we were going to solve our biggest problem, which was sub-standard public education for our girls.

Third-grader Rachel was an outstanding student in HISD.  When we moved into North East ISD in San Antonio – she was behind.  Badly behind.  Her teacher tutored her twice a week to help her catch up.

Other than three small bumps in the road, we have been very happy with Rachel, Lois and Hannah in their schools.  That happiness makes the steep property taxes worth it.

But with Julia – we’ve been more than “happy.”  We’ve been thrilled.  Julia’s English-speaking ability (which was “none”) was evaluated soon after she came home in May, 2006, in preparation for her upcoming kindergarten year.  NEISD brought in a Russian-speaking speech therapist to see if she needed speech therapy, which almost all post-institutionalized children require (she did not.)  Her kinder teacher – who also came to her baptism last year – kept a very watchful eye on her, to ensure she didn’t get lost physically or academically.  The school principal personally looked in on her once a week.  She received extra reading tutoring in first and second grades, and – as an ESL student – is regularly tested for any looming problems.  Her teachers couldn’t have been better if we’d hand-designed them.

We also appreciate the elementary after-school program – not available in Houston.  Because our kids could stay on-campus after school until we could pick them up, they could be in choir, chess club, storytelling club,  Girl Scouts, etc.  Rachel – an education major at UTSA – now works in that program at a nearby elementary school – and loves it.

This picture Julia drew for her kinder teacher at the end of the school year says a lot.

So that’s my X-File…… I’m an ex-Houstonian, and have now lived in San Antonio for X (10) years.   The truth is out there.  And it’s that I love San Antonio.

Come see us sometime!

Because yes, we’re cool like this.

Pumpkin-painting. We’re decorating for Lois’ Halloween party next Saturday.

The “clowns” in the other windows were mannequins. Surprise!

Time to wash the drink mugs…put away the Six Flags backpack....and start thinking “Holiday in the Park” next month!

Must.  Love.  This.  Guy.   Rachel’s not here because someone (ahem) forgot her season pass and had to go back home to fetch it.  I wore Crocs because (1) They are soooo comfty and (2) they work in the water park, where they keep my feet from frying.

Mom’s favorite ride, so it’s a “must.”

Cute of Julia – but still overexposed.  I need to learn what I’m doing with that waterproof Olympus.

We all like the wave pool – but again, I gotta get better with my new-at-Christmas toy.  It was freaky to drag a camera through the water.  I’ve spent my whole life keeping “wet” away from my camera.  You can see my reflection in Lois’ lenses.

Back to work tomorrow….dang, it won’t be as cool as this….

The new Wiggles section of the park is sooo cute!  There was virtually no one there today, so the girls rode the Wiggles stuff multiple times, and we all did Scooby Do and the bumper cars several times.  In between the shivers and dodging sprinkles (which haven’t hit our yard yet.)

Note to parents: Let your kids go first.  They dry the seat for you. 

Costco had these kits out in September, so you know it’s freeessssh!

Hannah’s peppermint-flavored icing is really pretty good.  She’s learned cookie and cake-making/decorating from the best – her daddy.

Highlights last night at Fiesta Texas’ “Holiday in the Park,” which is always a lot of fun.

I’ve always admired folks who decorate beautifully.  People like my sister can take knotted string, an apple core, broken spaghetti and crusty spray paint and create a stunning centerpiece in 10 minutes.  I am not one of those people.  I keep Rubbermaid boxes jammed under the stairs and spread the contents around the fireplace.  The orange-topped boxes contain memories of Halloweens past – kids’ crafts, Beanie Babies, stuffed animals and a few books.  This is Julia’s third Halloween home, and she was thrilled to discovered I’d kept some of her kindergarten and first grade crafts to display.

We headed to Fiesta Texas for Fright Fest, and opened the gates at noon.  Didn’t leave until 9 p.m., which is why everyone is overtired today.  Of all the characters roaming, I liked these ghastly twins the most.  They never smiled.  I took their stony countenance as a challenge, – kind of like the visitors who taunt the guards at Buckingham Palace, hoping to crack a smile.  Nope.  Shortly before we left, a ghoulish “convict” screamed and chased Rachel at least 100 yards through the Old West area.  Her Superman cape was flying – her mouth was hanging open screaming back – her feet were flying, all while clutching the pumpkin she’d painted hours earlier.  I have not laughed so hard in months.  I hurt, I laughed so hard.  People applauded, and I heard, “Man, that belongs on You Tube!”

I don’t play the Frugal Maternal Unit at Fright Fest.  The girls feign great shock when I allow each to have her own soft drink, and I spring for extras like pumpkin and cookie painting.  Rachel chose a “rasta” theme for her pumpkin.  Lois – Lestat the Vampire.   Hannah – a Hannah Montana theme. Julia – a vampire with a sword in its head.  (Child psychologist, anyone?)  They’re now gracing the fireplace mantle. No, no, I won’t save them for next year.

Rachel’s cookie tasted a bit like paint.  She’s not sure why.  Yes, she’s a senior this year.  And can vote next year.  Comforted by that, are you?

I’m in total denial.

Yeah, Pooh.  We know.

No more sleeping until 6 a.m.  No more “just make two lunches and out the door.”   No more wondering where all the traffic is.  No more shutting our door at bedtime because I really don’t care who’s still up and who’s not.  And no more quick dinners at the pool.

I took Julia to her school open house tonight.  We did lots of hugging.  Lots of labeling.  And I brought home the first batch of dreaded school forms.  My return address labels are ready.

Julia’s brick in the school entryway was laid over the summer.   Moses’ fellow Hebrews were forced to make bricks. Joshua’s army marched and brought down Jericho’s wall of bricks. Paul described Jesus as a cornerstone. So we decided years ago our school bricks would offer a biblical reference.  Like Jesus’ promise in John 14:18  – “I will not leave you as orphans.  I will come to you.”

Rachel selected a very prophetic verse for her brick in 2001 – “A gentle anaswer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  She must have realized she was going to turn into a teenager one day and that I’d need to be reminded of this verse over and over.  And over.  Again.


Lois is always one for the basics so in 2001 she chose – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whomsoever shall believe in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  Hannah selected the 10 Commandments.  I remember when the girls had to memorize them for Pastor’s Pals.  The first four – relationship with God.  #5 – relationship to parents.  #6 – #10 are all those darned sins, which Hannah was having trouble memorizing in order.  So she, Lois, Rachel and I formed a conga line and danced into church that Sunday night chanting, “Murder!  Adultery!  Steal!  Lie!  Covet!”   They all got ‘em right.

Tomorrow it’s off to Fiesta Texas for one more day of water park fun.

“Get thee behind me, school supplies!”  1st Rebecca 8:21