Road Trip (A little late)

This past summer we went to San Antonio for one night.  We had to meet Jav's cousin Tony to talk about the sale of some property Jav's parents own in Mexico.  Honestly, because this was supposed to happen the weekend after school started, I was NOT looking forward to this trip.  But by the time we left I was geared up to make this a Fun, Fast and Furious Texas Road Trip.  And where do you stop for breakfast when traveling South?  Kolaches in West!  Where to you stop for lunch?  DAIRY QUEEN!!!  (Where, as the sign says, they are Always Hiring Management!  I wonder why?)

We also decided to take an afternoon visit to Natural Bridge Caverns because we've been REALLY wanting to take the boys and we thought we'd have some time to kill.  It turns out, though, that we didn't anticipate how crowded it would be, and that we should have reserved a time.  We had to wait, sometimes in the hot July weather, for 2 hours before our group went down in the casve.

Jojo was NOT impressed with the caverns.  Gabriel thought they were awesome.

I did too.  Pretty amazing stuff.

We didn't make it to the River Walk until about 9pm.  I was amazed the boys were still awake.  Gabriel thought the tall tower was the greatest piece of architecture he'd ever seen.  We sat right on the water, but the food at our restaurant was awful.  The boys ended up feeding the ducks with their dinners.  One of the ducks (a very cheeky one indeed), jumped up on the platform where our table sat over the water.  Here he is waiting for another handout.  

We couldn't find our car in the parking garage for a half hour, which delayed us getting home even more.  This is what happened before we even had a chance to brush his teeth.

I'm glad I had an attitude adjustment and decided to embrace the spirit of a true Texas Road Trip.  It was super fun!!!

Meaningful

While driving to Weatherford to finally watch one of my nephew's Little League games, I re-fell in love with a song.  I know that some people just can't or won't take Sting seriously, but I've always thought he was a terrific singer/songwriter.  I had pulled out his CD Mercury Falling a couple of weeks ago and realized that although I hadn't listened to it for years, it was still one of my favorites.  So heading west, the song, "Let Your Soul be Your Pilot" was playing away.  It's a song I've listened to many times and found uplifting.  And I must admit, I am a total sucker for any pop song with a choir in it.  There are several of Sting's songs on his later CDs that are very religious and spiritual, which surprised me.  On this listen, though, the realization hit me that these are perfect words for my kids. Words about what I hope they will figure out.  Words to let them know that they are not alone in this world, even when it seems at its darkest.  And that last verse.  Whoa.  This is what I feel for them now, and maybe one day when I'm gone they will realize that is how God feels for them.  "Let your pain be my sorrow, let your tears be my tears too.  Let your courage be my model, that the north you find will be true."  Father Paul, our current priest, ends every homily the same way.  He says, (twice for emphasis) "Let's be thankful we're still here, and let us remember God cares very deeply about us."

Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot

When you're down and they're counting
When your secrets all found out
When your troubles take to mounting
When the map you have leads you to doubt
When there's no information
And the compass turns to nowhere that you know well

Let your soul be your pilot
Let your soul guide you
He'll guide you well

When the doctors failed to heal you
When no medicine chest can make you well
When no counsel leads to comfort
When there are no more lies they can tell
No more useless information
And the compass spins
The compass spins between heaven and hell

Let your soul be your pilot
Let your soul guide you
He'll guide you well

And your eyes turn towards the window pane
To the lights upon the hill
The distance seems so strange to you now
And the dark room seems so still

Let your pain be my sorrow
Let your tears be my tears too
Let your courage be my model
That the north you find will be true
When there's no information
And the compass turns to nowhere that you know well

Let your soul be your pilot
Let your soul guide you
Let your soul guide you
Let your soul guide you upon your way...