Beginnings and New Adventures

I didn't really give the title of my blog a lot of thought before choosing it. Whether it is a blessing or a curse, I don't spend a lot of time pondering the merits of most of my decisions prior to making them. Obvious exceptions would be large monetary expenditures (over $1000 as a rule); and ...hmmmm, that may be the only one. I find that most of my decisions or first impulses, tend to work out and if they don't, well, they can be fixed--generally.  OK, back to the blog's title. Now that I've lived with "Beginnings" for a couple of weeks, I think it works. 

I may have mentioned in an earlier post, (I could go back and check but I'd probably repeat myself anyway so lets just stick with "may have mentioned"), that I suffer from frequent bouts of wanderlust. We've been back from our "road-trip-on-steroids" for a few weeks and, yes, I have actually taken a couple of opportunities to hit the road for quick one-nighters and/or day-trips.  Most recently, mom and I went to Houston to visit her sisters--my aunts. Mom has two sisters, one older and one younger. The older one (lives near Austin) was visiting the younger one and we decided that they would have much more fun if we joined their party. I love my mom and my aunts but they can be a bit overwhelming...lets just say, it was a good visit.

On the return from Houston, we ventured off to a TINY community: Praha, TX. The word "community" here needs an explanation. Praha is really just the location of a Catholic church (Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary--called St. Mary's church) that was built many years ago by some Czech settlers in the area around Flatonia, TX (not too much bigger than Praha). The church celebrates their annual picnic every year on August 15, the feast of the Assumption (for more information about the feast of the Assumption, visit http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02006b.htm). The Catholic in me finds that fact fascinating, no matter on what day of the week August 15 falls, faithful members of the community and some others, like us, travel 50+ miles to attend the picnic and support this small church. St. Mary's is one of the famous Painted Churches of Texas and is visited by thousands each year.  

While attending the picnic (actual name is the Prazska Pout--no idea why) today, and thinking about my blog, it struck me that "Beginnings" really is an accurate name. We met some wonderful people, we were welcomed to participate in the picnic, enjoy some delicious food, listen to great Umpapa music and just be. There is no question that today could have been a "Beginning" for us to join more fully and participate more actively in this community. Maybe we felt at-home because my mother's paternal relatives settled near Praha (drive Hwy 95 between Shiner and Moulton and you'll pass their homestead) and so many of the people looked like members of our family; or maybe it was the familiarity of groups of Catholics gathering to enjoy the camaraderie that is common at church picnics; or whatever. Regardless, today was another reminder that you really don't have to travel far to see some amazing things and to meet some fascinating and amazing people.