EVERY MOTHER'S WISH

Saturday was a big day for the Lane family. First up was the housewarming party for Lex and Nate.

It just tickled me no end to see Nate leading group after group on a tour of the house, and to hear the obvious pride in his voice as he pointed out all that Alexis had done to make the house their own.

Unfortunately, I only snapped a few quick pictures at the beginning, before most people had shown up. Then I got caught up in the fun, and a special little project.

Lex had mentioned several times that she would love to have a spiral herb garden in her new yard, and maybe grow a few veggies and some berries. So, as a housewarming gift, we gave her several books on growing food and herbs, plus a gift certificate to Natural Gardener, to help get her started. John even threw in an ergonomic shovel for good measure! I also picked up a copy of my gardening bible -- the little booklet about native and adapted plants for central Texas, which the Ag. Extension puts out and updates periodically. Then I grabbed a package of plant tags and, while at the party, went around labeling most of the plants in her front yard Agave Garden, and hi-lighting them in the booklet so she will know what she has and how to care for it.

Afterwards, we took son Austin and fiancee Areej out to dinner to celebrate both their birthdays. Can you believe my baby is about to turn 30?!! Wasn't it just a few years ago that Hubby threw that wake in honor of my own 30th birthday, and little Lexie was a mere babe in arms. So how can it be that just about everyone at the housewarming party had a couple of kids in tow?

We spent most of the dinner gabbing about the upcoming trip to Sudan, and hearing rib-splitting stories about a few of our son's Shameful-Sudanese-Etiquette-Blunders, the thing I fear most about this adventure. (Remind me to tell you the fist-bump story sometime.) I'm sure most of these escapades have already made their way back to Sudan, and that the relatives there just can't wait to meet these crazy Texans. I can only hope that their sense of humor is as wonderful and as forgiving as Areej's, and all her relatives that we've met here in Texas. 

All in all, it was quite a day -- a day I've dreamed of ever since that time when I first held Baby Alexis in my arms. What mother doesn't dream of her children someday finding someone who will love them just as she does -- wholeheartedly and unconditionally? Not in spite of who they are and their shortcomings, but precisely because of who -- and exactly as -- they are.