A Texan Goodbye

Goodbyes are hard, that's one simple truth that most people can agree on. It is hard to say goodbye to a city that has shown us a new side of life and kept us guessing around every corner. These past few months in Austin have definitely been a journey. One that we will never forget. We have loved exploring, learning, and growing together. So, thanks to Austin for all the tasty eats, surprisingly beautiful nature, hidden gems, and variety of personalities that you have shared with us. 

Plus look at how beautiful and sunny it is here! And check out my hunk of a husband...ow ow!

 

Well there is seriously still SO much that we wanted to experience while living here. But plans change and that is life...so we found ourselves trying to do everything we wanted to do...in one night! It was quite the adventure and definitely a success. (And if you are wondering why we had the sudden change in plans, just keep scrolling!)

Austin is home to the best nightlife, food trucks, Mexican restaurants, and (get this) the largest bat colony in North America!The underneath of one bridge in the middle of downtown is home to up to 1.6 million bats! Is that insane or what! At night you can stand along the side and watch as all the bats wake up and come soaring out right in front of you! It is incredible and something you cannot experience anywhere else.

Last night was "Batfest," a celebration all about the bats. The bridge was blocked off and crowded with crazies dressed as bats, booths of all sorts, all the best food trucks, and of course live music.

So, trying to fit everything in in one night: we hung out with some bats, got one of the "food truck must eats" for an appetizer, walked the streets of downtown, ate the best tacos, and got trapped in a Blue October concert. It was the perfect way to say goodbye to the city and my dearest husband...so stay weird Austin, it was fun while it lasted!

Oh and I must mention Torchy's, that is it and that is all. Simply darn good.

There are thousands of bats behind us...just try to pretend you can see them.

 

Those are fries covered in a bunch of stuff including Korean beef something or other, everything we read said we had to try them...so of course we had to.

My first bite of Mexican street corn...so yum.

So anyhoo...back to goodbyes and the reason for the quick change of plans...

The hardest goodbye is always to my sweetheart. Whether it is for one night or a weekend, I always feel a little empty inside being parted from my husband...So this morning was extremely hard for me for many reasons. I just said goodbye to my boo for the longest period of time we have ever had to face, call me a baby, but it is already killing me.

Kirby has decided to "extend" which means that he will be out here working for the first two weeks of September. When we were first discussing this idea I was like nope not gonna happen. 

Him staying meant me: being away from him for three whole weeks, finding a way back to Rexburg alone, missing a chance to visit Kirby's mission with him, giving up our road-trip/camping plans for the drive home, painting the interior of the house we are moving into, moving all of our stuff from storage into the house, unpacking it all, getting settled, buying our school books, and being completely done and ready to face my last semester of college ALL ALONE until he shows up literally 2 days before school starts. 

You can see why I said no way right? 

Well, somehow that is precisely what we have signed ourselves up for.

Kirby, the responsible, hard-working husband that he is could not pass up the chance to make more money for us...you see he gets paid more up front on the sales he will get during those two weeks, and he is determined to reach his goal. So how could I force him to give up that noble quest to better our lives just to make my life for the next few weeks a little less stressful? I couldn't. 

But things started to look a little better...

Ever since I was little, my family would make a trip to the Oregon coast and stay at a condo on the beach at the end of the summer. This condo is such a symbol of some of my favorite memories as a child that I have longed for the chance to take Kirby there...but this summer job keeps him tied up too tight, and I have not yet had the opportunity to share this special place with him. 

Anyways, my parents found out that Kirby would be staying, and they offered to fly me to Oregon where I can spend the week with them and then my dad would drive me to Rexburg and help with all the painting and moving. 

It seemed like the perfect plan, with only two major flaws... A) flying is number one biggest fear, like I haven't been able to sleep and have been making myself sick just in anticipation of the flight to come...I don't know how someone who hates flying so much has been roped into making so many flights every year! and B) I hate being away from Kirby for one night...three weeks is going to be a major test of my sanity.

But it made the most sense. This way I wouldn't have to drive across the country alone, I have the chance to go to my favorite vacation spot with my family, and I will have my dad there to help me with all the craziness that awaits at home.

So our time together was shortened considerably, and we did our best to fit in the best spots in Austin before the plane took me away.

Just this morning I kissed my sweetheart goodbye as I entered the airport. Waving good bye to my soulmate as I turned to face my biggest fear made it really hard for me to remember to try and be a big girl about all of this.