Tuesday, March 25, 2014

I Live Here













It is no secret that the Nycum family loves to be outside. When we told Blanche our plans for the day she responded, "Yay hiking!" Andrew had the day off yesterday and I had text his mom about us coming up to Georgetown and doing a little day hike around the river close to their home. Andrew's mom had the idea to go to Mount Bonnell, which online says it is more of a tourist spot over hiking. But for our family it was perfect. It was easy for all of us to walk along the beautiful Colorado River, while Andrew and Blanche went in and out of the trees along the little deer paths. Blanche loved exploring. She has always had something in her that makes her long to break from the trail. Sometimes I do think life would be so much easier if we just lived in some sort of tent and she could just go explore all day long. Except for winter and food I guess. That part would be a little bit harder.

Yesterday was just one of those days where we all kept saying, "What a fun day!" Andrew and I, well all of us, love when Andrew's mom and Keith can come along for the day. Andrew's mom wears Rosemary. Showpa chases Blanche.  Andrew and I get to take pictures and look at the view. It always feels so good to have the spring sun on my face. The rolling hills with huge Spanish villas sprinkled all over them, with the dry and rocky landscape, made me feel like I could be back in Spain. I love those parts of Austin. One of my friends lives farther north in the midst of the rolling hills, and while I drive what feels like straight up to her house, I swear I am heading to my little apartment I lived in while living in Malaga. If only I could see the Mediterranean, but there is the Colorado River.

I can hardly believe it is almost April. In July we will have lived in Austin for a year. That fact makes this the fastest year of my life. Although life in Siloam, when Blanche was just a baby, seems so far away. The wanderer in me is yet to become weary, looking for a new adventure, because this adventure still seems so new. Any free time that Andrew and I have we are looking online or driving around looking at houses and different parts of the city and surrounding area. We went into the more "country" area in the northwest a few days ago. I told Andrew we knew we were in the country when I couldn't tell if people were having a garage sale or if everything in their front yard was just their "stuff." We were driving through trailers that had been added on to, making their own little Texas mansions of tires and rusted fences. We saw a house for sale that was hard to make out if it had been a trailer in it's past life. There was lots of land, and it was "bohemian" for sure. I could see a laundry line and chickens. Or the idea of them. A garden could be planted. The neighbors next door had six kids and they all stopped to look at us as we drove by. I am not sure if this is the life I want. Do I want vegan ice-cream down the street instead? I am conflicted with what my dreams are verses reality. I grew up in the country. It feels familiar. But then again I was always trying to leave the familiar to discover new things.

I like having this time to explore and find what we love. Obvisouly living along the Colorado River in the middle of Austin would be amazing. Unfortunately everyone else has the same eyes that I do, and you have to pay a few million to live there. We will find our home. Or our little house we will make a home. It is out there. Maybe sitting empty or with another family in it. Waiting. We will find it after we have paid the allotted amounts of months rent, country drives, and online searches that fate has for us. One day before I know it I will be packing boxes and telling our girls we are moving to a new home. But until that day, our family can continue to go on beautiful hikes. And Blanche can exclaim with two year old passion when we tell her it is time to leave, "I LIVE HERE!"


No comments:

Post a Comment