Trip to West Texas

The Smith crew headed to Lubbock, Texas last weekend to see my family and to go to our undergraduate Alma Mater's homecoming. They were honoring all the past Miss Wayland's and since we knew we probably wouldn't make it to another homecoming for a while and since we hadn't been back in 8 (gulp!) years, we decided to make the quick trip.

It certainly was so fun reminisciing about old times. Wayland is where Mike and I met. (And, yes. I still remember the first time I saw him. Cue the violin music.) It is where I made him wait six months before I said 'yes' to a date. (Long story, I was scared. He waited. Praise the Lord.) Wayland is where Mike and I dated. It is where we fell in love. It is where we danced. It is where we stayed up way too late in really cold temperatures sitting on the bench in front of his dorm talking about anything and everything - just to stay up and be with him! It is where we walked around the campus and where I felt extremely excited that I was holding onto the arm of the Mr. Mike Smith. It is where we dreamed about our future. It is where we dreamed of what God had for us, as a couple, as a family, and as peace-workers in the world. It is where we made lifelong friends who shared in the joy of our wedding day.

Wayland is where so many of my "thanksgivings" come from - mainly because God gave me someone so perfect for me as Mike. So, WBU holds some very, very special memories for us. I definitely got nostalgic (well, maybe it was really giddy and girly!) as we walked around campus. We also had the privilege of seeing some dear friends. (Celeste, why did we not take a picture together!) And some professors who were very formative to us as individuals and as couples. Sometimes, it's good to simply remember what God did 8+ years ago and what He has done since then. Our trip was certainly full of that!

Speaking of great friends...I had coffee with two friends who are also bloggers. Ashley and Georgia are just two of those people who are precious and hilarious. You could be crying with them at one point and then peeing your pants from laughter at the next. The three of us are currently prego so we enjoyed our decaf coffee at a fun shop in Lubbock. Don't worry though. We didn't deprive ourselves! We got the snickers coffee, full of yummy-goodness! Georgia is 22 weeks, Ashley is 28 weeks, and I am 32 weeks. Fun!

Sweet Bella had great grandparent time with my parents and Grandmother. She wanted to play the piano with her Granddad every chance she got. (This next picture makes me tear-up just looking at it.) They would play all sorts of songs. She would either play with him or sing along and dance in his lap. One night right before bedtime, he started playing a lullaby. So she sat in his lap, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and laid her head on his chest while he continued playing. Those moments are holy! It definitely melted all of us and I was scared to move because I didn't want to "pop" the moment.
We also let her drive for the first time in the golf cart. She was actually pretty good at it too - well, she had some help.
They had slides and fun games at the WBU homecoming one morning. My parents met us there in Plainview to play too. I think Bella went down the slide 50+ times!
"Look mommy! Look!" Over and over and over again. Little cutie!
This was my mom's baby bed. Bella enjoyed putting her beddy bear to bed. And then she decided to get in it for a little nap while watching "Elmo".
This was my mom's little table set that her grandmother gave her when my mom was about Bella's age. And the little tea set has been played by ALL of us grandkids and now the great-grandkids. When did I become nostalgic about this stuff? Notice the yellow refrigerator to the right of the picture? That was my mom's too.
Putting her baby to bed.
Thanks for the fun weekend!