Last week, I set off on a plane with my husband and our child in tow to visit family in Texas. It’s been far too long. The trip was restful, restorative, and so, so much fun. I walk away feeling moved by how blessed we are to have the love of supportive families despite the distance. When you have the care and encouragement of people you trust, you feel like you can do and accomplish anything. How thankful we are to possess such a gift!

Here are some photos from our trip to Texas, taken almost exclusively with a Nikon 35mm 1.4 (LOVE this glass – it’s a fantastic walk around lens) on my trusty Nikon D600.)

First stop…breakfast with Aunt Brandy in the beautiful city of Atlanta, where we later caught a flight to Dallas. We got the sillies out here. :)

Austyn’s first flight with a seat of her own! She did a fantastic job!

Visited my family in Lorena, Texas in the home in which I grew up. Such a gorgeous view into the front yard – yes, this is the front yard. I SO took this for granted as a teenager.

KK and Rah Rah (my parents) had a room set up just for Austyn! They even retrieved my old doll house from the attic and hand-scrubbed it to make it gleaming new. Rah Rah even twisted tin foil to make contacts for some of the electrical elements that weren’t working. It’s seriously just like new!

A quiet moment reading with KK. This makes my heart so happy. :)

Antagonizing Peaches the Cat…probably one of the most obese felines you will ever meet! Austyn loves kitty cats (animals in general, really) and since us ever having a cat is VERY unlikely, she got her dose at KK and Rah Rah’s house. :)

Out on the town! We brought Austyn to Cafe Cappuccino, a restaurant in Waco where Dustin and I would go to breakfast during our college years. We had our first official date at this very spot! Dustin still teases me because he says I tricked him into paying for my meal. I say otherwise. :)

Visting the new stadium at the Baylor campus! It’s gorgeous, and so cool to see the city I grew up in starting to develop and become a more desirable place to live in. :) FYI – although I LIVED in Lorena, Waco was “the town” – i.e., “I’m going into town to rent a movie,” … etc. Yep, I’m a small town girl!

Back at the house, we blew up a Wubble Bubble ball, but not five minutes into playing, it blew into the creek behind the house! Never fear…Aunt Cassie ran into the water to save it!

Posing for family photos together. So special to have everyone together in one frame.

Lastly, a VERY special photo to me – this is where Dustin and I said our marriage vows to one another. We got married right here, at the home I grew up in, and the ceremony took place right beneath this oak tree. :)

More photos from our Texas trip coming soon!