you know you're a houstonian when...

I thought the rain would start pouring late last night but it wasn't until around 4 am that it woke me up... I left my shade open on purpose so that as I woke up I could watch it with Kenai. We got out of bed and I made a coffee but right away noticed Kenai wasn't jiving with my "ohhh, I'm sooo chill and slow moving this morning, this rain makes me want to cuddle and hunker down..." She was at the front door, tail wagging violently and ready to go scope out the neighborhood.

I rarely walk Kenai on a leash - YES, I'm aware of Texas leash laws - but she does so well off a leash and stays close, I never have any trouble with her. (Unless there is a squirrel involved, that's another story.) I put on my rain jacket and my rain proof shoes and we took off down the street. I'm walking nonchalantly, she's zipping and zooming back and forth all around me, splashing through puddles and flipping out, as though she knew something was different and that something big was happening.

And it's so interesting the things you notice when the air changes... a familiar place - your neighborhood street - where things rarely change, but when the air shifts and when a new wind breezes through town, it totally transforms the look and feel of something so familiar. We soaked it up.

Now we're dry and on the couch in the sunroom. Kenai is sitting next to me and watching vigilantly out over the front yard through the window behind us and I'm thinking about getting ready for work. Stacey is at home today hanging out with Jeff because they got the day off due to the Tropical Storm... also her family is leaving for vacation by plane tonight and we're praying that flights will be ok!!

Speaking of flights, a quick update on dad's wedding... it went well. DK and I had an awful time trying to get there because of missed and overbooked flights all day Friday but made it and had a blast with my new brothers and sister once we arrived. Pictionary REALLY brings out true character!! It was David and Kim, Andrew, DK and then the new family: Brittany, Joe, Brent, and Nate... And then there were 7.

The wedding on Saturday was held outdoors next to a river in Mt. Clemens and the reception was in an old public library turned art gallery, totally cool. I'll post photos soon. Got to see all my dad's side of the family (he has 7 brothers and any Kaiser event is always one to remember!)caught up with cousins, my great-uncle Ralph and of course, Mary's family as well.

In this photo l-r: kim, joe, david, nate, me, brent, brittany, mary and dad. 

For the ceremony I was asked to do a reading and for the longest time, nothing struck me as being good enough to read aloud at my father's nuptials. It wasn't until the morning of the wedding, after much prayer and having spent awesome time in laughter with her kids did it come to me. I left my notes in DK's suit pocket so I'll post it a little bit later. Everyone was pleased and it was so fitting for Dad and Mary.

I have to get ready for work... poor Kenai has to brave the rest of this day by herself but somehow, I think she will be ok. I hope you get to meet her one day :)

Oh! And you know you're a Houstonian when you get excited about hurricane sized storms coming to town!