It has been 5 years since we have set foot on the hallowed ground of the great state of Texas (you cannot be married to a Texan and not say Texas without the preface of “Great State of”). Texas is where Super Rockstar is from and all his family still resides. It’s also where I went to college and where he and I met shortly after I graduated. We decided it was time our boys finally got to see all the places that are important to us and our beginnings.
Day 1: An essential first stop. As soon as we landed we sought out a Whataburger. You simply are not allowed to visit Texas and not go to Whataburger–I think it’s a law or something.
Day 2: Waco, TX. Waco is where I went to college, where Super Rockstar had his first real job AND most importantly where he and I had our first date. He surprised me by finding the site of our first date on October 15, 1992. It was a French restaurant then called La Petite France, but it is long gone. We met for a blind date arranged by my friend, Tara (his co-worker) inside this building. I still remember what we ate for lunch and how nervous I was.
We also got to visit my alma mater, Baylor University. We walked through the whole campus seeing all the sights that were an every day part of my 5 years there including the dorm I lived in my freshman year. My roommate Chelle and I were known for having the messiest room in the whole dorm–other girls even brought their parent by to show them. I’m sure my parents were so proud. My boys were impressed with the beauty of the campus and especially liked the bear pit (the mascot headquarters). But, my Colorado boys are not accustomed to Texas summers. We were all drenched in sweat from the blow dryer like heat and the humidity that makes you feel like you’re melting. Thank You, Lord, for air conditioning and swimming pools.
We also drove around the city seeing all the other places we remembered–the suspension bridge, the tv station where Super Rockstar worked (remember the Branch Davidian Compound fiasco back in 1993? That was this station and he was in the thick of it all), a bar that was the place of our first actual meeting (several months before we went on a date), and a restaurant where I worked for several years. I know many of you hear Waco, TX and think all things Chip and Joanna Gaines. Their restaurant Magnolia Table used to be known as The Elite Café and is where I waited tables and “survived the circle” for many years.
Day 3: Schlitterbahn!! They have several locations now, but we went to their original water park in New Braunfels, TX. What a great day–lot’s of fun rides, slides, cold water and enjoyment. The only down side was finding the beginning of the long slides that you ride down on inner tubes. There is no signage and even the employees had no clue. I think they anticipate that their visitors are mostly locals that have been there hundreds of times. We were exhausted by the end of the day from all the running around, but it was worth it. A perfect solution for a hot as hades Texas day.
While Super Rockstar and the boys enjoyed a relaxing evening in our hotel room, I got to have a “girls night” with my friends Chelle and Tara at a nearby restaurant in Gruene, TX. Gruene is an old time tourist town and there is a great restaurant called the Gristmill River Restaurant and Bar. If you are ever in the area–I highly recommend it. Just be warned that in the summer it’s a bit warm (understatement). The building is all open window–so it’s like you’re outdoors with a roof over your head. At one point, I was visiting the bathroom frequently since it was the only air conditioning I could find. But, it was worth it for several hours of girl time with my bestest friends. I’ve already told you about Chelle (read about her surprise visit for my 50th) and Tara was the one who set up (nagged us both for months) the blind date between Super Rockstar and I. We missed having our Stacey with us–but she had something come up at the last minute. I love these girls so much!
Day 4: A day of bitter sweetness. Three Rivers, TX is where Super Rockstar grew up. I’m sorry to say that most of his childhood memories are not happy ones. He was orphaned by the age of 7 and though his grandmother (Nonnie) tried her best to keep all 5 of he and his brother and sisters–it was just too hard. So, Super Rockstar and 2 of his sisters were placed in a children’s home not too far from Three Rivers, another sister was taken in by an Aunt, and his brother was raised by Nonnie. We got to see his childhood home (this is the place he remembers his Daddy the most and also sadly where he passed away), the “big” hill he rode his bike down, and the baseball field where he learned to play ball. We also visited his Daddy and Nonnie’s graves. It was a tough part of our trip, but so good for our boys to see this part of their Daddy’s family history.
Our next stop was the South Texas Children’s Home (STCH). This is where Super Rockstar and two of his sisters were sent a few years after their Dad passed away. He stayed until he graduated high school and STCH even helped him go to college. We got the VIP treatment for our visit there–a full tour of the grounds and even got to go inside one of the cottages (these are the homes where the kids live while at STCH). Each has a Mom and Dad who serve as full time parents to the children that are placed in their care. The trauma of losing parents or needing to be separated from them is never easy for any child, but STCH does a wonderful job of creating a stable home environment for the children they care for. If you’re looking for a ministry to give to, I’d highly recommend it.
That night we drove back to New Braunfels and got to enjoy seeing Super Rockstar’s brother, Gary and his beautiful family. Gary has his own country band, Gary Glenn & the 20X Band. He also sings in an acoustic band called Fast Movin’ Trio. We got to go listen to him sing an acoustic gig nearby–Super Rockstar even sang a couple of songs with them too. I only wish they would have sang together– Gary is a little bit country and Super Rockstar is a little bit rock n roll. Together they are like Donny and Marie–only different. Haha!
They were gracious and let us stay in their home for the night too and my boys LOVED getting to play with their young cousins Troy and Tray.
Day 5: A Day at SeaWorld. We got to spend the whole day enjoying SeaWorld in San Antonio and had an absolute blast! There were awesome roller coaster rides and several animal shows to enjoy. I loved the dolphins and orca’s the best and the boys loved a fun roller coaster ride called Riptide Rescue. Gary and his wife, Stacey and their two boys Troy and Tray joined us later in the day. With the age gap of our kids we didn’t get to do much together, but there is a nice sized little kids area that has a Sesame Street theme with small rides and a splash playground. We got to enjoy the sea lions show with them and our boys all enjoyed one of the play grounds before we headed out for the day.
Stay tuned for Part 2–A long awaited Glenn family reunion at the beautiful YO Ranch AND the cherry on top tour of the Cowboy’s (America’s team) AT&T stadium.