Journal #3

It has been a rough week, but well worth it…

There is bad Sciatica in the left hip this week. Buttock is on fire and there is intermittent pain shooting down the leg. There also feels like a left rib intermittently out of place. What did I do to myself !?! Well, I’ll tell you. I went to New Braunfels, Tx with my family! It was a 5 hour drive to and from our destination. On Friday, we went straight to the Comal Inn which was very quaint. It met all of our needs. The owners were kind and provided us with continental breakfast. We had delicious banana nut bread from Naegelin’s Bakery. As a family, we swung by the bakery at the end of our trip and bought about $50 worth of pasteries…yummm. Bella had a unicorn cupcake and chocolate M&M donut. Brenden had their glaze donut, but he was not a fan. He did like the cinnamon roll. Fo dinner that first night we went to the Grismill in Gruene, Tx. Alex and I have been to Gruene at least 4 times prior to this trip. We LOVE Hill Country. We took the kids around to many of our favorite shops. Brenden and Bella loved the General Store where they both picked out a little wooden guitar Christmas ornament as their souvenir. Bella loves to do whatever her brother is doing and it was super cute to see her pick the guitar because he picked it. She is sooooo sweet and loving. I never want her to change. She reminds me of Tiffany (my sis) when she was little and followed me around. When we ate out on the patio of the Grismill, someone paid our bill! We don’t know who….it was so kind. As we walked out of the restaurant, Alex stated “We will have to pay it forward.” I love that about my husband…such a great man of God. 

We slept in our cute little room, The Mountain Laurel room. Kids were on the fold out couch…they thought that was the greatest thing ever. It was a first for them and they both fantasized about having one for themselves some day! lol. This is a prime example of that childlike activity that helps mold our brains (neuroplasticity). Explore life, and find the many joys!!

The next day we went to Schlitterbaun with our season pass. It was so cold! I already knew that May weather is too cold for me…and this day was overcast, raining some, and windy at times. I finally told Alex at 4 pm that Bella and I can’t be in the water any longer. Alex was so disappointed since he was really hoping to float the river. Later that evening the weather improved and we were able to go on a beautiful short hike at Panther Canyon Nature trail at Landa Park. It was as though we were hiking in a creek bed. I taught Brenden about flint and arrowheads. He tried so hard to find an arrowhead in the short time that we were there, but to no avail. He did go home with some flint rocks though. Bella went home with 9 rocks!! I kept telling her to limit it to 3, but she just could not decide which ones to leave behind. I even helped her eliminate some and she put them to the side. Next thing I know, she has all 9 rocks back in her hands. So I decided, if she can carry them she can take them. Of note, I walked 19,000 steps this day, and who knows how many flights of stairs!! That night we watched “Back to the Future,” while I started packing up the room. I love it when my kids watch movies from my childhood, it brings me so much JOY. 

After spending our second night in the hotel, we had to pack up and head out for another adventure. We went to the Natural Bridge Caverns for the first time, where we toured the Hidden passages. I took so many wonderful photos that I need to post on Facebook! We had to walk down and then back up 185 steps….we did great. Other tourists were not as fortunate, and suffered a little as they gasped for air in the 99% humidity of the cave. 

At the gift shop, Brenden found his arrowhead that he soooo wanted…yay! I bought one too as a reminder to me of our flint sharing experience. I also bought an opal necklace and earrings, as that stone always reminds me of my sweet October babies.

We were expecting rain all day, and to our surprise, the sun came out! So, rather than driving home, we decided make Alex’s dream come to life and float the Comal river! We were not too cold, enjoyed our Jimmy Johns sandwiches, and rocked and bumped to some good music. Four hours later we exited the river and headed home. 

In the car, Bella has watched “The Hulk Returns” and “The Trial of the Incredible Hulk” twice!! I never would have thought…lol. She is definitely her father’s little girl. I am pretty sure Alex can recite both movies word for word.

I love my family so much and enjoy every moment with them. I reminisce over this trip while I perform my prescribed physical therapy and lay across the foam roller trying to work out this darn tight piriformis muscle. I will definitely be throwing on the SI belt for the rest of this week. Despite the negative physical sensations within my body at this time, I focus hard on all the positive experiences of my life.

Life is worth Living!