A Monumental Memorial Day in Texas

When we plan things, it usually goes something like this.
Naomi - "What do you wanna do?"
Brandon - "I don't know. Whatever you wanna do."
Naomi - "Okay, I was thinking... we would go here and then here and then this place opens at this time and it takes this long to get here and then we could do this... etc."
Brandon - "That sounds good. Let's do it."

Basically, I am the planner and Brandon is the driver. Together, we are the perfect enthusiastic tourist couple (plus a sleeping baby in a baby carrier). :D


We decided to spend Memorial Day taking in some Texas history.  It took about an hour and twenty minutes to get to the monument, which we spent chattering like squirrels in their home trees. The baby was asleep in his morning nap.

Side note: Our baby has a special song or two with magical napping powers. We discovered it on the roadtrip from PA to TX. I don't usually play music at home, but when you're in the car and don't wanna pull over unless absolutely necessary, ya know what they say... desperate times and all that. Devereaux would be "protesting" (as we call it) instead of sleeping, and so I get out my trusty iphone and turn on Come Thou Fount by Jimmy Needham. Devereaux immediately silences, smiles and starts bopping his little hand. When the next song rolls on (Great Is Thy Faithfulness), his little head tilts to the side and he nods off into dreamland. This happened about seven times over the course of our roadtrip and this little historical jaunt was just another notch in the musical napping belt.


Since I am sharing funny family stories, here's a couple favorite #quotesfrommyhusband.

Brandon on the size of Texas:
"Being governor of Texas is like being governor of half of Europe."

Brandon, the thrilled petroleum & natural gas major:
"I gotta say, seeing refineries does not evoke the same kind of disgust in me as the Fern Gully lovers. I'm like, oh, that's beautiful."

What can I say? I think he's hilarious.


Our destination: San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site. Where Texas independence was won. As someone born in Texas (though my Texas accent is mostly still hidden in my childhood), I find Texas history fascinating and I do possess a small sense of loyalty to this state/former independent country.

San Jacinto Battleground is anchored by the San Jacinto Monument. It's a monument that looks curiously similar to the Washington Monument, including the reflecting pool that anchors it... except this monument possesses a very distinct symbol on the top. The Lone Star. It is a Texan monument after all.

The monument tells a summary of Texas independence... in big Texas-size letters.



It was a super-windy day, but I will take that over ridiculously HOT and muggy anyday! And ps - I love my new hat! I found it (don't laugh!) at the dollar store. It cost maybe two dollars and I wear it every time I go outside. Gotta protect this porcelain skin of mine. Sun rays feel nice, but they are awful in the long term... says the girl whose first job was at a greenhouse, watering outside and never wearing a hat or sunscreen (#badidea).



There is a museum on the ground floor of the monument that tells the entire story of Texas, from the beginning. We loved reading the whole thing (okay, Devereaux made it through about 3/4s of it before expressing his lack of interest, so we went outside to walk in circles and sway until he fell asleep again. It was morning nap time). But I loved the parts that I saw. We could've watched a 35 minute documentary but no, not with a baby. Also, could have gone all the way to the top... but maybe another time.

The museum was cool enough for us.


The best quote (besides "remember the Alamo!") was the Texans' response to the Mexicans' demand for a cannon to be returned to them: "Come and get it!" Ah, I do love some good old-fashioned bravado for a cause.



Monument selfie while putting the baby to sleep... multi-tasking mommy-style!




Just across the road from the monument is a retired battleship called the U.S.S. Texas! After a little picnic lunch in our car because those beautiful clouds in the sky decided to spit about twenty raindrops and then stop, we headed over to the battleship.



We strolled around the ship, and then decided to not go on it... because a) it cost money and we were doing the "free" thing, and b) it was just about time to head home. But our stroll along the port was fun and we loved watching people running up and down the deck of the battleship. Truly an awe-inspiring size of a ship!


It was a wonderful historic touristy day, and we are so glad we did it!