Deep in the Heart of Texas

This is where Melanie lives. 

She's my friend because we both know what it's like for people to be jealous of us. 

Source

That's a line from the movie Clueless, we aren't really that full of ourselves.

Last week I was having a really hard day and a thought popped into my head. I needed a trip to Texas. Every once in a while I just need to see my Melanie and her cute boys. I went online, booked a ticket and left a few days later to spend the weekend in Dallas.

Melanie and I grew up around the corner from each other in high school, we worked together at "The Crack" which was a greasy spoon cafe in our hometown. We were roommates for a while after high school and about a year after Melanie moved to Hawaii I moved there too. We became sisters there, we weathered a lot of storms and experienced the happiness of life together. We even survived an earthquake together!

Going to Texas to do nothing and hang out with the kids is the best. Mel makes motherhood look so good. She inspires me and sets such a good example for me. Her job as a mom is not easy and I can see how hard she works but there's nothing like those sweet little boys. 

As we ran around Walmart, racing shopping carts full of children up and down the isles I was reminded of the times we raced around Paradise in our cars full of high school friends. As much as things have changed since high school, we are still the same.

I usually end up making biscuits with the boys for breakfast when I visit and this time they were begging me to whip up a batch with them form the moment I arrived. Bently took his job very seriously, he loves being up on the counter dumping things in the bowl and mixing. I have updated my biscuit recipe with some more pictures here if you're interested.

By the end of the process B and Ri were both covered in flour from head to toe, there was a batch of biscuits baking in the oven and an extra batch in the freezer.

I remember when this little boy still looked like a baby and wasn't talking in full sentences.

I remember this boy when he was just a little pistachio sized baby in his mama's tummy all those years ago in Hawaii.

And I remember as clear as day the moment when Mel first told me she was pregnant with this little bee.

Bently organized his babies (stuffed animals) on the top bunk and performed a rock and roll show for them. Riley put on his rapper outfit (a hoodie, ball cap and louvered sunglasses) and busted some sweet moves alongside his brother.

On Saturday we spent over 4 hours swimming in the pool at Mama Rosa's house. I am not sure why we call Mel's mom Mama Rosa but we all do. We ate ice cream in the pool, talked and splashed all afternoon long. Rosa showed me some of her crochet work and I taught her a new stitch. It just feels like home there in Texas even though I have never lived there.

Ri brought his box of treasures and did an animal show for us. He had bearded dragon lizard skin, a bear claw, sharks tooth and a book about lizards. He explained in great detail what each item was and all about the animal it belonged to. This boy is incredibly smart, he is the next Crocodile Hunter.

He also really loved the carrot juice his grandpa made for him.

These boys are so dang cute, they rarely stop wrestling around and they're loud as heck but I sure do love them. They put on a cooking show, a ninja show and a science show for me in the back yard. We swung on the swings, rode bikes and played games. I could hardly believe how big each of them have gotten. Jaylen is talking in full sentences, Riley is a brilliant scientist and Bently is both sweet and wild at the same time.

I love being able to sit in church with Mel and take the Sacrament with her. I love helping her clean her house and run after her boys. I loved watching Clueless with her and quoting lines from our favorite movies together. I loved eating with her, I think it's what we do best together.

I left Dallas with a little more perspective, feeling more grounded and seeing more clearly. 

I can't wait for the day that Mel and I can live in houses next door to each other with a shared back yard for our kids to run around in. We'll spend our days eating delicious food dipped in ranch dressing and letting our husbands watch football without us. 

Someday Mel, someday.