We had an unexpected, but wonderful visit from some friends, who had to evacuate from Galveston. Rachel is part of the Rivas family, whom we claim as family, and is in school with her husband Derek in Galveston. Though we were sad about the circumstances of their visit, we were delighted to host them and their two little dogs for a little over a week, while they waited to be able to go back home. Garrett got to know them again, and Scout got to meet them. Scout absolutely fell in love with Derek, even leaving my arms to grab his shirt and hold onto him. When she wasn't clinging to him, she was staring. Maybe it was the blond hair. Light eyes and hair are a little foreign to our kids! Garrett kept them both running plays in our living room or races and giving "interviews" after the games or the marathons.
G was initially a little nervous around their dogs, a chihuahua and a cavalier king charles spaniel - understandable, considering how imposing their size can be. He sat firmly on the couch proclaiming how much he loves dogs. He warmed up within a couple of days, running with them and playing fetch in the backyard. Though he built relationships with them, he insisted on calling them the teeny one and the one with brown spots, instead of by their names. After that day, the fear returned, and he didn't play with them again, though he cried when he heard they were leaving. Scout, on the other hand, was determined to make contact with the dogs, though she was greatly offended at any attempts to lick her. She dishes it out, but can't take it.
Ryan and I took advantage of some built-in babysitters and hit the town for a wild night out of coffee at Barnes and Noble, where I was quickly ditched for running magazines. I took the opportunity to shop without having to continually dish out snacks and bought the kids some clothes at Old Navy. We actually did end the evening well with a walk along Ladybird Lake, where we found a nice spot on a rock along the river and talked without interruption.
We also made it to a UT game that week. It was the first for the kids, so that was fun. Scout pretty much didn't care about any of it, though she was a good sport and clapped when everyone else did. G loved the band on the field, the cannons, and when the players ran out, though he later told my dad they were cows running onto the field. He sang "The Eyes of Texas" loud and proud, and then immediately became bored with the game. He was a little disappointed that they didn't let us play out there, as he is at most sporting events. I think an evening of football at home with Derek and Rachel would have been just as good for him.
We were sad to see Rachel and Derek go, but we're happy they got to return home. They didn't sustain much damage, by the way, though life is far from back to normal. Below are some photos from their visit.
Post-game interview
How close can I get?
G with the ferocious beasts
Rachel and Scout
The Beards cheering on the Horns
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