A Little Bit of Texas

We. Did. It. Yes, we finally, after 2 years of marriage, took the leap, and took a vacation away from our chaotic lives! You would think we would go to our beloved California, or our dream vacation to Boston...but we didn't. We went to Texas (it's okay if you gag, I had the same reaction at first). The truth is I have always ragged on Texas as my least favorite state, except for a few cities within. But we chose Texas, and turns out it, it was great choice!


Our epic journey began with the drive. The drive from NM to TX is usually quite boring, but we were coming in on the tail end of the huge storm that was washing Texas away...so it was anything but boring. We had sunshine, then clouds, then blackness, rain, HAIL, winds, and radio warnings for a lot of it. But, alas, we made it to San Antonio, where Bobby's best friend and soul mate, Eric Asel and his lovely wife (whom I adore) Amanda preside. We had so much fun staying in their A-mazing apartment, and eating at random places with them. I think I ate tacos for almost every meal in San Antonio, but totally worth it. We ate dinner in the yard of a house, posing as a restaurant. We even ate breakfast from a gas station (but before you say gross, let me explain). This is not an ordinary gas station, it had a mini grill in it where a spanish speaking only mexican lady made us amazing breakfast tacos. It gave Santa Fe Grill a run for it's money. After our meal we went to Six Flags, and I felt like a kid again. I'm pushing 30 this year, so I did notice some logical fears entering my mind at the highest points of some of those roller coasters, but we had a great time and the Mr. got his Slurpee Boot (we walked ALL over the park to find it). It was a blast! Our time in San Antonio was finished in the morning with Eric and Amanda at a great brunch. It was a much over due reunion, but we had places to go and people to see!


So on we go to Dallas, home of the work airport in the US (in my opinion). We found our way downtown to our swanky hotel, the Hyatt Downtown. It was pretty impressive, not to mention it was connected to the Reunion Tower, which was awesome. Our favorite thing was the black out curtains in the room, as we took a nice long nap as soon as we arrived! The fun continued with a Texas Rangers vs Boston Red Sox game (which Boston being our team, see above mentioned dream trip). The stadium, the seats, it was great! The Red Sox losing...not so great! But we didn't let it rain our parade, and continued our night on to an odd but amazing restaurant recommended to us by a stranger on Reddit. The place was called the Blind Butcher, and they served unique foods that tasted out of this world. We had duck poutine, fried pig ears, and a ratatouille tower! Sounds gross but my taste buds disagree! I would eat there everyday if I could. The next morning we rose, got some coffee and pastries, and hit the road for a grueling 9.5 hour drive in the hot son.


Texas you may have changed my mind about you.

         XOXO The Fricks

In thoughts

I guess, today, I am frozen in thought. In fact, Bobby has asked me a few times if there was something wrong with me. I just can't seem to get out of my head. Questions and some answers are flowing through my head, but I cannot seem to arrive at a resolution. "Is this right? Am I doing this right? Is something wrong, does it feel off?" These and many others are plaguing my thoughts as I can't move or accomplish anything. I am just sitting here on my couch, with the dogs, thinking.

When we were first married, we were on point. We had such a clear and open channel with God's voice and urgings. We were, I was, ready to go whenever He called. I was waiting for that call to GO, to MOVE, to SERVE. I have been waiting, and waiting, and slowly stopped listening. The years following my time overseas, I felt passion and an urgency to get back over; to take my husband, the necessities and go somewhere else. I thought maybe God would change his mind, that the words He spoke to me in Australia may not apply. I'll never forget that message, "You can't do it overseas until you can love and serve those in your own home." I often thought maybe that meant God wanted me to love my mom and brother better? Did it extend to my church and my community? After 1.5 years of marriage, I'm certain that God meant more than just my immediate biological family. So why is it so much harder here? I've been told even Jesus had the most difficult time in his own town. That the peoples's ears fell deaf to what He was saying. Now I wonder, have my ears fallen deaf, have I been listening?

No, I have not. I have been busy working, trying to be a "good wife" by comparing myself to other wives, fantasizing over Pinterest ideas, occasionally volunteering at my church and slowly growing roots of complacency. That flowing channel of conversation, it seems to be dammed up. This is hard, a lot harder than I planned. It is one thing to be broken, and for God to show me who I am, what my gifts are, and to deal with my insecurities and fears as an individual...but a married woman, these are uncharted waters for me. I feel like I've been trying, fighting, and desperately swimming to keep my head above water spiritually speaking. As I read the blogs of my friends who discovered the same relationship and way of living that I had, that I thought I would still have, everything seems blurry. This is not the life that I thought it was going to be. I can feel the jealousy rising in my heart. Why do they get to pack up their cars and move across the US because Jesus told them to? Why are they overseas, discipling and fighting for justice? Why are they not held down and held back? Because they hear HIM. They are talking and listening, and they are following.

All I can think about is why have I not been talking, listening and following? What was I so busy doing that was more important than that? How do I get back there? As my fears rise, I can't help but think "What if I can't hear HIM like I once did and what if the gifts He gave me once, are no longer available to me?" Did I miss it? Bobby is serving God beautifully, and I am often in awe of the way he leads others and leads at the church. He hears God, and he follows. What happened to me? "Where do I go from here?"

Today, on my couch, I am frozen in thought.


                                                                  XOXO Mrs. Frick

Death and Grieving

Disclaimer: This is not one of those hopeful, preach the Gospel in the time of sadness, and shed light into the after life and the hope we have for the future blog. It's an outpouring of my heart. Take it or leave it.

This year, and more recently, I've been thinking a lot about death. Not in a morbid way, but in a genuine pondering of the subject. Life is so fleeting. People we have met, spent time with, and even loved, just leave us. I remember smiles, times spent together, and when I open my eyes, I realize, I will never see them again, or hear their laughs. It's surreal, it's sad, and it is hard to come to terms with.

 I am surrounded by death often at work. Suicide, death, trauma and tragedy, it is very matter of fact at my job. I often wonder if my job has made me numb to death and tragedy...but today, I realize, it has not. I feel like I have been in a state of grieving for the past few months. I grieve for my friends who have lost their loved ones, or who have miscarried...and I grieve because I miss my loved ones. This year, I have known more people who have died an untimely death or have taken their own lives, and it is taking it's toll on my spirit. I'm not talking about eternity, salvation or what happens after death, I'm just strictly talking about this life. I do have hope in my relationship with God, and I do know what comes after all of this...and in some instances that gives me peace, and in other instances, it breaks my heart.

I do believe that God has a plan, and that He is in control, but sometimes things just seems unfair. I just wished I understood his plan.

How I Miss Reading Rainbow

How many people who were the product of the 80's like me, or even had kids in the 80's remember the wonderful theme song to Reading Rainbow?

"Butterfly in the sky 
I can go twice as high 
Take a look 
It's in a book 
A Reading Rainbow..."

I used to LOVE that show, and the books they would read were always so good! As a kid, the summer was always full of excitement because there was the Library Reading Program, and the worm I could color in every time I read a certain amount of books...I was pumped to be able to advance to the next stage. I just LOVED reading as a kid, even teenager. I don't what happened in my adulthood, maybe it was all the self-help/christian/relationship books we read in college but I got a little burnt out. Now there were an occasional few I read that really stirred something within me, but that wasn't the case for most. I've decided I'm done feeling that way.

So I've decided (thanks to inspiration from our friend Kendall) to read the top 100 list. Some are classics and some are newer, but I want to fall in love with reading again. If you are looking for ideas, feel free to take a gander at my list on my Pages. #Fortheloveofreading

                                                             XOXO The Fricks