Us — MY NAME IS COX

How long has it been now, weeks? months? if i post on here at least 4 times a year i'm going to call that a victory. just moments to remember. pictures to look back on. time moves so swiftly (how many times have i said that now?) that if i can just capture a few fleeting flashes of our life at this very second then that will be enough to remind me, to jog my memory, so i can come up with the rest on my own.

sometimes i feel like my brain is made of mush, i have lost the ability to think straight. i am constantly thinking of you ladies, and trying to stay 5 minutes ahead of you, that when i'm not around you, i can't stop thinking/acting that you are with me. for instance, even if i'm able to escape to the grocery store for 30 minutes alone, i still shop as though you are with me and feel i have to frantically make decisions on which type of apple to buy before someone grabs the whole bucket and tips it over. so i'll throw whatever apple is nearest me and move on. then i come home and have the most hodge-podge groceries anyone has ever seen.

heres the kicker though, i'm so good at this multi-tasking thing. i can get stuff done. i often think i would have made a good ER doctor with my ability to problem solve and think on my feet at a moments notice. i have to thank nona(or maybe gigi) full-stop for this. that woman is hell-on-wheels and don't you try to stop her! both you ladies have a touch of this, and though it will drive you insane sometimes (its very difficult for me to sit down and enjoy a movie) it allows you to create many moments for yourself and your family, and for that i am grateful. but in the same vein i have, at minimum, three thoughts going through my head every second. and i can't focus. endless to-do lists. thats what my brain looks like. uncle ben reminded me that the brain is a muscle..so i'm trying to exercise it in new ways. i have downloaded the words-with-friends app in an effort to keep my brain on its toes. use words i rarely use. use my brain for things other than getting tasks done. we will see how this goes. most nights i'm too tired to think anymore and watch reruns of friends or king of queens before falling asleep. haha. that is a little embarrassing to admit.

mush brain or not, this life with you ladies is better than any other life there could be.

dad left for santa fe yesterday and returns tomorrow. so fun. you ladies and i drove to austin yesterday for coach tuck's funeral. it was a beautiful celebration of his life appropriately held at the dripping springs football stadium. he was such a man of love and compassion and patience. he fully embodied those definitions. he was the only coach i ever had that made me feel unconditionally loved. in a field of cut-throat competition and intense discipline, coach tuck was always there to give you a bear hug, tell you he loved you and make some kind of joke.

the three of us played with his grandson on the sidelines for most of the funeral, i was too scared to take you ladies to the top of the bleachers with jane's love of stairs. i saw a few old team mates and then maggie and the three of us got ice cream and chicken tenders at the local DQ (so good!)

we hung out with nona, momo and ollie-boy (who is the cutest boy ever!) the rest of the night. playing at nona's playground and eating a slow cooked pulled pork nona prepared. it was delicious, and can i say that pulled pork on a triscuit is one of my new favorite things. nona spoils you so, she has a new surprise box full of goodies for you ladies. no doubt you will always love going to nona's house, its always a good time. jane tuckered out early and stella stayed up with the big girls, whilst wearing her aurora dress all the while. going on day 3 of full princess garb now. fully clad in the high heeled dress up shoes too. its so cute i could die. and talking about how long your hair is getting. and putting your little arms out to the side so delicately, like you really believe you are a princess. and using big words like, "actually" and "disgusting" and "janie-baby" haha.

we stopped by kelli's house on the way out of town so she could get a good look at you. have i said how much you girls love dogs. i mean you love dogs. stella you are a little frightened of the wee-dogs, i'm not sure you're used to how quick they can jump (roxy in particular) but jane-girl, it doesnt phase you one bit. you just laugh laugh laugh while the dogs about knock you over with their loving. we headed home, driving out 290 instead of taking the usual 71 to I-10 route to escape some heavy duty I-10 traffic, and it was the prettiest drive i've been on since big sur. we so rarely take this way and i will be hard pressed to go back to our usual way the next trip we take to austin. although circumstances were prefect today. driving mid-day on a tuesday, a dreary, wintery day, florence and the machine on the radio, jane napping most the way.

we got home and played with the doggies. i made pizza rolls and green peas for dinner and for the first time in forever you girls finished everything! you played together in your closet, jane pulled out all the clothes in the dresser (her most favorite thing to do) and then we all three cleaned it all up. we took baths and then you ladies decided to spin around in your room with your lion and fox towels on while christmas music played in the background. being dizzy is the funniest thing in the world to you silly ladies. at one point jane fell into the side of the bed and bounced off it like a pinball onto the floor. and just giggled as if someone just tickled her. we drew faces (stella's new thing is drawing faces) on the chalkboard wall in the back hallway, then read some books and fell fast asleep.

i feel selfish on these days when i have you all to myself. your dad misses you so much. he doesnt travel well without us. when he comes home tomorrow we will shower him with hugs.

now please enjoy this slew of photos from the past few months that have no relevance to this post except that they are photos of us.

xo