The Texas Relatives

I’ve constantly been thinking about my Texas relatives since my Tía Olga’s death. I figured out and have written before that it had been 24 years since I went to Texas. Since then, occasionally, they have come up to Michigan to see us. The most recent times I have seen them here have been at my Dad‘s funeral and my grandpa’s funeral.

Sean was hesitant to go to my grandpa’s funeral. I understood that because I know that after my Dad’s funeral, I don’t like going to funerals either. I told him that, “The Texas relatives” will be there thinking that would get him to especially want to be there. Sean responded with his teenager response, “I don’t even KNOW the Texas relatives!” Sean was four when my Dad died so he doesn’t remember them.

I was aghast to hear him say this because I hold ALL of my Texas relatives SO close to my heart even though I haven’t seen them in so long. Of course Sean came to the funeral and as soon as we get there, upon entering the room, my uncle Rey looked at Sean and said, “Hey! Sean! Hi!” with a handshake and a hug. He looked at me (after uncle Rey moved on to greet my Mom) and asked how he knew him. I told him that I have been sending the Texas relatives a Christmas card with our picture on it since he was two.

I have so many fond memories of all of my Texas relatives! Their “strange” southern accents, the high temperature, wind that was hot when it blew, staying at Motel 6 is on our way down and on our ride back home, the Coronado motel by the beach, experiencing being in the salty ocean for the first time with my brothers, barbecuing outside on Christmas Day, getting really bad sunburn on my back walking down the sidewalk by the beach in Galveston, and witnessing my Dad being TRULY happy when we were there be it in Houston, Corpus Christi, Taft, or anywhere else.

Because I have been thinking of all of these great memories recently, I ordered a mug with the words, “Everything’s big in Texas” on it. Actually, it says, “Everything‘s bigger in Texas” but I looked forward to having it because I can only drink out of mugs now.

It came today!

I was really excited! Until I opened the box that is…

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I guess you really can’t see the problem with it in this picture. Let’s have a comparison. The first one is with a 14 ounce mug that I like to drink milk out of when eating boneless, honey barbecue chicken wings from B dubs.

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The next picture is with an 11 ounce mug that I drink my 1/2 cup of milk in the morning with my eggs.

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This mug shows that everything IS bigger in Texas! The only problem is that it is too heavy for me to hold because I no longer have the hand or arm strength to hold it up. Sean laughed as I held it and pretended you take a sip out of it and my whole face was enveloped in the mug!

I will send this back because unfortunately, I cannot use it. I will keep a lookout for a m different, normal sized mug to think about my love of being in Texas with my family and my Tía’s words that, “Everything is big in Texas!” and all of my Texas relatives!