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Driving away is the hardest part
By adriana_acosta in To venus and back
July 7, 2011

Last week I took a few days off and drove to Austin to visit my family. Just three years ago, my visits to Austin consisted of hanging out with old friends, staying up late and maybe a trip down Sixth Street.

But now, my time revolves around my 3-year-old nephew. He may just be my nephew, and I am not with him all the time, but he is my world. I can’t go to Austin without a visit to see him (and to visit my brother and Jan his wife of course!). I am always so fascinated by this little boy and surprised each time I see him.

I don’t know any other 3-year-olds and I am totally biased here, but he is probably the smartest little boy I know. He can add up to 10, count to 40, he can spell CAT, STOP, CAR, DOG, TRAIN and most importantly, he knows how to spell his name and where he lives.

Believe me he does, I went to pick him up at the daycare this past week and when I took another route home he said, “Tia, that’s not the way to Caleb’s” I was stunned that he knew how to get home.

That afternoon, after a few hours of playing trains with him in his room and helped feed him, it was time for his bath. After that I helped him brush his teeth and read to him before he went to bed.

I am proud to say I gave him a collection of Curious George books, but that night, he wanted me to read “The Whispering Rabbit,” by Margaret Wise Brown. He asked that I read that book to him three times before he went to bed.

After the second time of reading the book to him, and with a failed attempt to read it like his mom (She is the best at storytelling) I wanted to put it down and tuck him in so he would go to sleep, but my mom, who had been standing by the doorway said, “You should take advantage that he wants you to do this, there will be a time when he will be all grown up.”

And that made me sad. Caleb, although I don’t see him on a regular basis, is growing up, and fast. Soon he’ll be driving himself to school, dating (in about 30 years) and have his own life.

And ‘tia’ will be the aunt that comes to visit on the weekends or holidays and brings the cool gifts. (Hey, one can only hope right?)

That got me thinking about life. Everything changes so fast! It was just two years ago that my life changed and I decided to make the move to Bay City. As time has passed, I have grown to admire this county I write so passionately about. I can almost say that the Matagorda Advocate feels like a child I have adopted. I want to make sure it grows; I want to do what’s best for it and I want to make sure (like a proud mom) everyone knows about this newspaper. I sure hope my nephew knows how much we all love and care about him, just like I hope the people of Matagorda County know how much I love and care about this newspaper.

When it is time to leave my brothers, I hug my nephew. Caleb then likes to stand by the living room window and wave as I drive away. This is something he loves to do with everyone in the family.

Before I would wave and drive off fast, because I would get so sad. I didn’t want my family to know how sad I was. Now, when he waves goodbye to me from the window, I make sure I keep looking, smiling and waving until I can no longer see him.