It’s the Little Things: Walmart and the Mail

Some people are complex, difficult to understand and sometimes even difficult to please. Not me. I’m a simpleton. It only took Walmart and the U.S. Mail to make my week a good one.

This past week a Walmart Neighborhood Market opened where once stood my favorite Albertson’s. I think it had been empty for at least 5 years, and my daughter Abby and I never quite got over the loss. But whatever the case, my life just got better. Being a wife and Mom and an elementary school teacher leaves me with the weekend to shop, and now I can even do that quicker, and even on the way home from work, if I want. Life is good!

And that highlight was upstaged by the mail this past Thursday. The Bands of America 2011 Super Regional Finalists DVD arrived! And the stellar performance of my favorite band (with my favorite French Horn player) is on it. For any non-band people who don’t understand, think of it as the crowning moment for a soccer mom whose kid just performed in state-wide finals. A field of 60 teams across the state (and Texas is a HUGE state), competed in the Alamodome, advanced to the finals, and in the finals, placed 9th! Yep. Broke the top ten—a milestone. Now, I can’t share that polished Alamodome footage with you because it’s copyrighted (and I don’t want to go the way of Mr. Dotcom), but you can watch a practice run through of the performance here. The show highlights the emergence of the arts in Paris during the Renaissance. It’s a beautiful show, and we’ve already been put on notice that next season’s show will raise the bar even more. I can’t wait!

The Flower Mound

Everyone who lives here knows The Mound. A bump in the ground that once served as a landmark to guide farmers on their way to the marketplace, and before that, a sacred ceremonial ground for the Wichita Indians. Today, it's a protected, fenced area that offers a nice view of the Dallas Skyline on a clear day and often hosts special events. I've even taken my students there as part of a community field trip. But I think my favorite Mound experience is the annual Easter Sunrise Service.
Watching the sun rise as we worship on a most holy day sets the world straight again. I like being reminded of how blessed we are to have moved here twelve years ago.
And now, with this as my setting, I'll blog about our life here. Or at least, I'm going to try!