It felt like summer again

Eight years ago, I packed up a 2000s Dodge Durango — a four-door vehicle that has a history reigning true from my husband’s family to mine — to head two hours on IH-35 southbound to Texas State University. It was college move-in day.

My mom was next to me in the passenger’s seat and my dad was trailing behind in their car; I was actually going to have my own car on campus. Moving in the peak of the Texas summer heat in August, especially riding around in a car with no air conditioner, is not for the weak. But we managed. You get used to having to adjust what clothes you are going to wear that day, while also literally feeling the wind in your hair (thanks, rolled down windows).

An emotional day with bittersweet goodbyes and long, squeeze-filled hugs from my parents was the first step of the next four years. The first to meeting my lifelong best friend, hanging out by the river and getting natural exercise from walking up the hill to class, all while earning my degree that led me to my current job.

It’s a summer I will never forget.

When I was a kid in middle through high school, I remember going to the local water park with my brothers almost every single day. They were lifeguards and I was lucky enough to get a discount on a season pass. I proudly wore my tanned skin after a long day of going down the water slides and floating in the lazy river.

We would also take road trips to my aunt and uncle’s house in New Braunfels, or my other uncle’s house when he lived in Houston, often during the summer. Those were fond memories of catching up with family, shopping and more.

We would also go visit family at the old log cabin in Salado for the annual summer reunions. I remember the sound of the car’s tires hitting the gravel rock when driving up to the house. I remember the vast spread of home-cooked food that people brought for the giant potluck, the competitive nature of the volleyball tournament and cornhole and the sweet sound of kids running around just having fun.

Those are the sights and sounds of my childhood summers that I will never forget.

I loved summer growing up. I loved hearing that last bell ring at the end of the school day because I knew that meant the next two months of doing whatever I wanted (for the most part and within reason).

But when you become an adult, summers are different.

You hit the working age and your after school job shifts to longer hours in the summer to raise money for college, new clothes or whatever else. You no longer spend the entire day at the pool with your friends playing mermaids, but you take the evenings to catch up with your old friends for a couple of hours over drinks or dinner.

I haven’t been to the Salado family reunion in years. That is until this past June.

It was just after my husband and I moved back to Central Texas after living in our little desert town for what felt like forever. We were getting our bearings and trying to unpack everything from boxes to what would be our new life.

We were constantly being pulled in different directions those first couple of months after the move from family and friends. We weren't used to it. When we lived five hours away, we lived vicariously through scoial media posts with photos from birthday parties and get-togethers.

We finally got to go to the family reunions, breakfast, dinners and birthday parties, share popcorn while watching the latest movies in theaters with family and see our nephews for multiple weeks in a row. We even got to host our own celebration, inviting all of our favorite people into our home.

This summer finally felt like that childhood summer again. We were incredibly busy and our weekends were filled on the calendar, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is what we have been dreaming about for the last three years.

I will never forget you, summer of 2024. Thanks for welcoming us home.

Navarro is editor of  the Hays Free Press and News-Dispatch. She can be reached via email at [email protected].