Folks are really nice in Texas. Like, really nice. Cars pull off to the side of the road to let you speed past when you are racing to the airport, vendors will tell you all about their kids while you shop their antiques and receptionists will kindly guide you to the hotel with a welcoming Southern drawl and an attitude as sweet as the local iced tea. Take Jules for example, she not only left her car for me to pick up at the airport, but directions to her casa and full permission to kick it with her brand new puppy til' she got home several hours after my flight got in! Now that is nice. And, I was humbled.
Why Texas, you ask? Good question. A small gathering of adoption-blog-cyber-friends decided to meet up in Canton, TX to visit this place:
This is the East Entrance to the self-proclaimed "Largest Flea Market in the World" otherwise known as First Monday Trade Days! Who knew?
Jules and Michele organized BobbiJo, Virgina, Angela, Michele's cousin Melissa and I for a full-on shopping extravaganza. There were promises of amazing Chinese Buffets, dirt cheap vintage fabrics and all the funnel cake your heart could possibly desire. Here we are walking in with empty shopping carts and early morning energy:
I wish we would have gotten an "after" picture as the dusty shoes, sore feet and bursting wire carts were a sight to see.
Here is a pic of the coolest thing that I purchased:
A bracelet made from antique tab typewriter keys! How cool is that? The letters spell out "1 Lucky Girl". Jules and I chatted with Andrea, the woman who makes these cool things, and decided that we most definitely would have been friends with her had we known each other in high school. Click here if you'd like to see Andrea's online shop.
Care to guess what Angela & I are drinking here? Milkshakes? Rootbeer Floats? Nope. These are actually cappuccinos. Texas-Style, I suppose. In a HUGE cup and topped off with a LARGE dollop of Ice Cream. We really had no idea what we were getting into. Unfortunately for us, Canton is both a dry county as well as one without Starbux...and we were dying for some caffeine.
All things considered, the flea market shopping at Canton was a'ight. I got a couple interesting things and ate the most delicious 2-inch high funnel cake. Best part for me was the getting away, the being with and the coming home. It was great to come home and that is a good feeling to have. A reminder of how fortunate I am. I'm very thankful for that.
The "being with" that I refer to is all about spending time with other moms waiting in this adoption limbo like me. It is normalizing, grounding and something that I desperately needed. The best part of the weekend was spent with my roadtrip-mates, the compadres that we met up with at Canton and just one on one with ol' Jules. Here she is:
Now this is a woman who LOVES a good monogram. Just take a look at her online shop Pink Polka Dots for proof. I got to see her Big White Machine in action and it was amazing!! Thanks, Jules for making this trip to TX so memorable! It all came at just the right time.
Now that I'm back, I will work at reconnecting. I've been offtrack a bit and way beind in my email/bloglines/phonecalls and etc....more later.
xo
29 comments:
What a lovely time! Good for you for getting away a bit. The picture of ice cream cappies in a cup is making me drool! LOVE the typewriter keys bracelet. Again, glad you are being good to you. =) PS Thanks for all the cool links!
Love to hear you so positive (again)! I have a typewriter key bracelet that says "I LOVE MY DOGS" Heh.
Glad you're back and really glad you had such a wonderful time. You deserve it.
dry.... until you find the Winery!!!!
Also, I beg to differ on "amazing" chinese buffet..... amazing was more the fact that we all survived!
Love, love, love the bracelet!
Looks like you had an awesome time. :)
Brilliant that you all met up and that you got away. Looked good--(and WARM). But i don't go anywhere without a Star*bucks...
Girl.......I love ya. It felt like I had known you forever, and I already miss you:)
I had a great time with you, and can't wait to see you this summer. I am so glad we found Andrea and her snarky treasures. You are one lucky girl.
Hope J is feeling better, that Iris was glad to see you, and hope you know that Miss Sophie misses her Auntie Buttercup:)
You are welcome anytime at my casa. thanks for coming
I'm so glad we got to meet and hang out. My only regret about Canton is that we didn't get to hit the linen tables together! At least I got to sit next to you at my beloved Chinese buffet!
Aha, it was Canton, TX after all!
Ok, I'm almost wishing that we'd stayed on another day to hook up with y'all... Damn.
Glad you were able to make it out our way, sweetie. You are indeed 1luckygirl.
Sounds like a great time. Sorry I missed it. Glad you had the chance to go and get that much needed change of scenery.
Whoa! You met Mortimer's Mom? Way cool. Of course, she she met you which is way cool for her.
Hey! I found you!! Glad to meet you and I'm bummed we didn't have more time together. Keep in touch. xoxo
Well, dayum. Sounds like as much fun as you could have had in daylight with your clothes on...
Glad you made the waiting-moms-connection, and glad it helped...
Welcome home, tho.
There is NOTHING better then a getaway... mine is set for May (Vegas) and August (Denver)... cannot wait... will have to head off to Texas one day...
Wow! am I sorry I missed that! Looks like an awesome time! I LOVE LOVE LOVE the bracelet!!! How fun! Glad you all had such an amazing time!!!
Glad your back - was worried about you. Sounds like you had a great time in Texas. I will send you some pics of little Theo with his new peach, Daniel.
Boy, I am glad you are back! I have missed you. But, glad you where rejuvenating! Your writing style is beyond engaging! Sounds like fun to spend a period of time with women going through the struggle of waiting.
Lea
Great way to add some smiles to your face and wonderful memories!
xo
FUN!! I've always hear great things about the Texan hospitality. LOVE that bracelet...off to check out her store.
Love the pictures and how you descriptively explained everything! I didn't realize that you had taken that many photos, I thought all of our cameras were buried somewhere.
It was wonderful to have met you along with all of the other girls. It's amazing how all of our journeys are so different yet the same in many ways! Hope we can keep in touch. I've showed your coffee cup holder to many people already....really cute!
Looking forward to getting some music from you :)
Sounds like you got just what you needed! I wish we could get some of that good ol' Southern hospitality here in California.
I am JEALOUS!
What a good time!
I've been telling the hubby lately, that if he ever goes active duty, I'd love to live in San Anton, TX.
Love that bracelet. Very cool. Glad you guys had a great time!
Hey girl! Looks like a great and much-needed get away. I've been thinking of you.
The bracelet is flat-out groovy. I just love truly unique creations. That qualifies.
WHAT FUN!!! I fully intend on cyber stalking y'all until you let me into this cool Tx/waitng Mama/flea marketing clique!! We are moving up to Michele's neck of the woods in a few months.
Great Post! Welcome Back!
I want one of those cappuccinos. It looks way better than anything Starbucks serves!
Ohh, sounds like fun! I'm glad you had a good time.
Texas is great although I'm not really keen on going there during late July and all of August. It's too darn hot!! But we're lucky enough that we visit fairly often as the in-laws retired in San Antonio and SIL & hubby live in the Dallas area. Plus it helps that currently we live 5 hrs from Dallas.
The bracelet is so very cool!!! Who would've thunk to make jewelry out of old typewriter keys!!
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