Publisher's Letter
For all fifteen years of our marriage, my husband Fred has wanted a camper for traveling. I grew up camping, and I loved it, but because of my experience, I know how much work goes into owning one. It is not like a hotel where you arrive and immediately start resting. After pulling into your destination, a camper then requires you to hook up all the pieces, set up all the things, make everything level, and do a good amount of organizing before you can relax and enjoy yourself. Then you get to do it all over again when you are ready to head home. Nevertheless, Fred’s wish has finally come true. We have purchased a 2009 camper from my friend Tammie Luthringer, whose family made many beautiful memories in it. So, despite the extra work, I feel privileged we will get to do the same thing.
Our boys both play golf, and like most modern-day parents with kids in youth sports, we jumped in with both feet. What that looks like for us is spending every other weekend on the road so the boys can play in junior golf tournaments. The funny thing about this is that I did not let my kids play baseball because I refused to spend every weekend at a game. Who is laughing now? Not me; I should have kept my mouth shut about what I was not going to do.
So, in theory, every other weekend, we will pull this camper to whatever town is hosting the next tournament. Basically, we are going camping in the deep woods (near the closest country club) of DFW… you know… really roughing it. To take this experience to the next level, I thought it would be fun to renovate said camper and make it our own. It was fun the first week, but a month later I am ready to be DONE! It was fine the way it was; why did I think I needed to do this?
Oh, and because I am just a little “extra,” I have started an Instagram page for our new home away from home, which we are affectionately calling the “19th Hole.” We are taking the 19th Hole on its inaugural trip as this issue is hitting the stands. I will report back on the reality of how this all goes down. Say a prayer for us as we attempt backing the camper in and hooking up all the stuff for the first time. We will need it. We are convinced the extra effort will be well worth it.
This month’s cover story features Bowie County Assistant District Attorneys Kelley Crisp and Lauren Richards. These two incredible ladies exemplify the importance of never taking shortcuts, and they take the idea of “extra effort” to the next level. Every day, they are rocking the courtroom and ensuring local justice is served. They are humble servants who are making our community safer, and we are lucky to have them fighting on our side.
Other great stories this month include an update on our previous Pitch It Texarkana winner and what is new for this year’s entrepreneurial competition, excellent career advice from Sonja Hubbard, a feature celebrating a Texarkana native who recently competed on the national baking stage, our beloved monthly staples, and much more. I hope you enjoy this season as our days are getting longer (thank goodness) and everything is coming back into bloom!
