2012 January | Growing Up Austin

Monthly Archives: January 2012

Not Too Cold, Not Too Hot, It’s Just Right

January 9, 2012

Kids at Mayfield Park in Austin

Blue Eyes, the girls and I have loved Austin’s winter so far, cold-but-not-too-cold mornings for bundling up and warm-but-not-too-warm sunny afternoons for playing outside. The girls and I discovered trails behind Mayfield Park, with an outdoor set of stairs to a small pier overlooking the lake. Mayfield Park wasn’t too bad either, with real live peacocks, ponds with fish and funky old buildings.

Kids at Mayfield Park in Austin

(Someone might expect a picture of one of the real-live peacocks, but they were in the trees when we were there, with their feathers folded down. Who knew that peacocks could fly into the trees? I didn’t know that.)

I’m working on yet another new set of pages for y’all, so I’m going to take a break from posts for a while. I hope you have a nice winter and enjoy the lovely weather. I’ll be back soon.

By Carol | Posted in Austin Kids Hike! | Comments (5)

An Orchid on the Doorstep

January 2, 2012

Dreams for our children.
The end of the year can be a time to reflect on mortality and dreams that may or may not come true.

I have a dream for my family.

To be 90 years old, on the front porch in a swing with my husband, watching my kids and grand kids play on the front lawn, all healthy and happy.

My kids will learn to read, run, play and make friends.

My kids will graduate high school, college and get a good job.

My kids will find someone to love and get married.

My kids will have kids and they would have this dream for their kids too.

It isn’t my dream really, it is everyone’s dream.

I wish there could be a guarantee of some kind, to make sure that all of this will happen, but there isn’t. And I know that there are parents and kids who don’t get all of this and who live great lives and there is love and value and hope in their lives too. But I still want the dream.

When Blue Eyes and I were in crisis several years ago, some one left us an orchid on our door step without a note. It seemed like it was from everyone, that the universe was thinking of us in some way. Today, I left an orchid on the doorstep of my friends who are in crisis now. I hope they feel the same.