transitions... I've finished a week of change. Macy began part-time daycare/preschool last Tuesday and Thursday and I started classes on Thursday. I was so nervous taking Macy to the church on Tuesday and although she seemed very interested in everything that was going on once we got there, she began to sense that she would be left and, in the end, had to be pulled away from me, crying, by her teacher. I left in tears and drove across the street to Target and called Mike from the parking lot. He was in an interview but he did take time to talk me down a bit before promising to call back as soon as he could. I sat and cried for a little longer and eventually went inside for some shopping therapy. The whole time I debated stopping by the church and picking Macy up, but instead I drove home, telling myself the whole way that it was probably harder on me than it was on her and that she was most likely having a great time with all the other kids. I ended up picking her up an hour earlier than I had to and was relieved to find that she wasn't crying, although she was very happy to see me. Her report card for that day stated that she played in the "big room," ate "some" of her lunch and "didn't" nap. In the comments section the teacher wrote, "what a sweet girl!!!" I know.

Thursday I took her back and, although she did cry when I left, it wasn't near as bad as the first day. I picked her up only 15 minutes early that day and watched her from the window for awhile before entering the room. She looked so sweet sitting on the floor playing with a little barn and farm animals, looking very intense but content. Another little boy came up and sat by her to watch and I guess I'll never know what she said to him, but he seemed impressed nonetheless.

Later that night I had to drop Macy off at my neighbors so I could take my first class. It was much easier leaving her there with Dawn and her three little ones to play in the back yard and I drove to school realizing right then that I hadn’t had any time to be nervous about class because I had been so concerned about Macy's transition. But I discovered I really wasn't nervous and I actually felt pretty calm, cool and collected walking through campus to the Science Building to find my classroom. It felt good to be amongst peers again and I really liked my teacher. I have already labeled him Texas' version of Mr. Rogers.

Friday night I took my husband out on a date with my slot winnings from last weekend. Macy went to a high school football game with the Hootens while Mike and I ate dinner at Mario's, had drinks at Julians (scotch for Mike, 7-Up for me) and saw “The Village” at the Hollywood Rose Theatre. It was a good movie and Mike and I actually did a little making out during some slow parts. In all my 30 years I had never, ever done that. Not surprisingly, I quite enjoyed it.

And today we mowed the yard, went to the cleaners, bought Ribs at Sam's and beer at Fat Dog for tomorrow's bbq we are hosting for all four of our Nebraska-native friends. Mike is looking forward to smoking the ribs (his favorite hobby) and I’m all set to make corn-on-the-cob, a fruit tray and ooey, gooey chocolate cake…

hello, again... I'm back. Mike and I awoke this morning feeling a need to get away and we decided to take the Schwartz's up on their offers to babysit and dropped the Macester off so we could enjoy a brief getaway to Shreveport. We lunched and gambled a bit at the Horseshoe and were home again in no time but the trip did us both good. I won $82 and Mike lost only $10. Upon returning to pick up Macy we were invited to dinner and, after some succulent steak with crab with bernaise sauce and stimulating conversation, we just got home, bellies and minds a little bit fuller.

And now for the brief recap...

I spent last weekend back home in Nebraska. We arrived Thursday morning and spent that afternoon at my aunt Kathy's garage sale and, later, at a backyard bbq for family out of town guests of the wedding. Friday Macy and I took a drive to the Sterling Cemetery to visit my Dad's grave. Macy acted strangly while there and, as I sat down by Dad's tombstone, she clung to me until we left. I can't help but wonder if she didn't sense some sort of presence that she may have yet to understand. She seemed fine once we left. We drove back to Lincoln and I satisfied a long-unfulfilled gyro craving by stopping by Jerusalem Cuisine for take out and hung out with Grandma and Levi and Hayden that afternoon before returning to mom's to get ready for the prenuptial that evening. I again ate well that night at Granite City. Saturday brought a beautiful ceremony and I was honored to sing. It had been awhile since I've sung publicly and I have always enjoyed doing so. Macy and I had fun with cousins and aunts and uncles at the reception and we finally made it to bed a little past midnight. Sunday we spent the day at my brother's new place in Sterling. They have moved a house onto some family land right next to a pond and are in the process of renovation. They have come a long way with the place and when they are through it will be beautiful. Monday was spent with family and friends and Tuesday was spent with Mike's family in Omaha. Wednesday morning brought us back to Tyler, safe and sound and exhausted and happy to see Mike. I missed him tremendously while away and have found that even happy occasions are more happy with him to share them with.

Since we've been back, we've adapted back into our schedule, only to change it once again next week when Macy will start part-time preschool and I will begin graduate courses at UT. I'm excited because, frankly, Macy and I have both become a little bored with spending every day at home. The Texas heat has kept us from doing much outside and it will do us both good to spend a few hours per week with peers. You will surely be posted with our successes or lack thereof.

tubing fun... In more energetic and creative times, I would have a lot to write, but because I'm very, very tired, I will sum up my week in a short, boring manner...

Last Wednesday Macy and I drove into Dallas in search of the Gallaria Mall that we've heard about. We found it after stopping at a smaller, but very nice, little mall and asking directions. It was a great mall, but it was under a lot of construction because they are renovating the ice skating rink in the center. I didn't buy anything for many reasons - the main one being that I'm very huge right now and who knows when or if I'll be my normal size again. But we felt accomplished after making it home unscathed and later that night we cashed in the raincheck with Geoff and Edie and took a little cruise on the boat, after stopping and eating at Pepper's Pizza first.

Thursday night I went to The Notebook with my neighbor, Deann. She has been dying to see it and I've just been dying to get to the theatre. It was a sweet movie with a likeable cast. (What am I, a movie critic?)

Friday I spent the day packing in anticipation of our trip to Austin. We met five other families at a LaQuinta Inn and the next day we drove to New Braunfels, rented tubes and floated down the Quadelupe River. If I had more energy, I could go on and on about how wonderful and beautiful it was. Macy was so good and rode with me or Mike in our tubes for most of the time. She did visit Ron's and Ashley's for awhile. For the most part, the river moved at a leisurely pace, but there were spots of small rapids and tiny little waterfalls that you had to go over in your tube. On one little waterfall, Macy and I lost our tube. Luckily, the water was only a couple feet deep, but our tube got sucked into the waterfall. Mike got out of his tube to help and wouldn't you know, his tube and the cooler tube attached to it tipped over and floated right away. He was stuck holding the cooler as the water washed on by. He and another friend put Macy and I back into our tube and we floated helplessly away. Luckily, another friend caught their tubes a little way downstream and walked them back.

After four hours of tubing fun, we all grilled out hotdogs. Most of the group went back to the river, but our little Macy was tired so the Miriovsky's went back to the hotel where we all took naps. Later that night, we all went to Chuy's for tex-mex. We waited for an hour and a half for, quite honestly, a pretty disgusting meal. Alas...

We awoke this morning around 8:00 and returned home at 1:00. At 6:00 tonight Mike left for a business dinner, Macy went to bed soon thereafter so here I sit, longing for my bath and my bed and, hopefully, some crappy T.V. to take me into dreamland...

hot, hot, hot... Despite the heat, we had a nice little weekend once again. On Saturday we went swimming all afternoon with the Schwartz's at The Woods swimming pool. We pretty much had the place to ourselves so we had a lot of fun. That is, until it started raining on us. At first that was kinda fun swimming in the rain, but once the thunder started, we decided it would be a good time to leave. We had planned on taking some other friends out on the boat later that night, but we had to re-schedule because of weather.

On Sunday, we went to the Lanes Methodist Church for the first time. We're still "shopping" for a Church we like down here. I really liked Lanes, and I think Mike did too, although it was quite a bit different than what either of us are used to. They are going to be doing "Forty Days of Purpose" beginning in September and, from what I heard about it, it sounds like something I'd like to get involved with. More on that later...

Later on Sunday we once again joined the Schartz's out on Lake Palestine in the 95 degree heat. Macy and I took a ride in the tube and we all spent a lot of time in the lake. It felt so good to be in the water. After a few hours, we all called it a day and we returned home. Mike made the best-ever hot wings. Oink, Oink.. I ate 17 of them!!! Maybe I shouldn't have admitted that...

And finally, we can say bye-bye to Ju-ly. One more hot month down. I'm such a baby about it, I know. I'm looking forward to August, though. Not for the heat, but for other fun things that we've got planned. This weekend we are going with a big group of people to New Braunfels to float down the Guadelupe River all weekend. And the weekend after that, Macy and I get to fly home for my cousin's wedding. Mike will stay here to save up vacation days. We'll miss him, but, as always, I look forward to those trips home...