God chose to take a strong-headed, arrogant lady, shaken and changed by HIS mercy, and put her together with a truly God-fearing, pure-hearted, fun-loving, and brilliant man. And as I learn to live the grace gospel and be able to actually hear it from my husband...we thrive more and more year by year.
Some of our closest friends had encouraged us many times to bring our kids up (5 hours away) and take a night away. We finally took them up on it for our anniversary. It also helped that they had just opened a brand new Hilton in their town, on the edge of towering mountains and overlooking a vast lake.
We woke up early on Friday, drove out of town as the sun woke up. We ventured on the brand new highway, which took us up and up, winding a bit backwards before if finally went in the direction we were going.
Through the blur we are headed on the green about to turn the S curve backwards...crazy. But at least it is a smooth highway, way better than the previous road.
We made it by lunch time, hugged the kiddos and left on our own adventure.
We went to old town to get some really good hamburgers and happened upon this HUGE dog in an unfinished shop.
Our friends had called the hotel and told the manager we were coming, and it was our anniversary. He met us in the lobby, had impeccable English, and had arranged a gift in our room.
niiiice.
wine, fruit, and a huge plate of Tiramisu.
We ate well, watched movies, and talked about our adventures and growths this year.
The next day we met back up with our kiddos and friends....
How did it go?
I should now mention that the Thursday night before we left, Tobin threw up. Our local friend had taken us out to a new noodle shop and bought each of our kids their own can of soda, which Tobin drank up. The noodles were oily and spicy. Clearly this was the reason, and he felt fine afterward. So we kept our trip on and forgot about it.
Then as David and I drove to lunch on our own I called our friends and told them when we remembered, 'but we really think it was from the soda' (this because we do think Tobin has slight reflux issues, he has been known to chug a drink and then throw up 2 seconds later, and be fine, we thought this was what we were dealing with).
This was not what we were dealing with (or they were dealing with since we were in ignorant bliss).
Tobin was fine at lunch, fine all day, fine at dinner. Our kids had a blast! That night he did indeed throw up on his pallet on their long-haired rug. Gross. It may have gotten cleaned up by midnight.
Next, at some other hour, Bella woke up and tiptoed to Mrs. Erica's bedside with leg pain, something she had been doing on and off for a month with us. She ended up on the couch and Mrs. Erica ended up with very little sleep.
We didn't hear about any of this until we were seated and chit-chatting in their living room the next afternoon.
What friends, I tell you.
We stayed that night with them, had great talks and laughs, and continued to apologize profusely. And seriously this was so beneficial to our kids. They LOVED their time with this family. Even Gabrielle became good buds with E, their two-year-old.
But ours was a gift that kept on giving. That evening, as we headed home and back in our own beds, Our friends' stomachs went woozy. And the virus went viral, and circled right back to our family with Bella and Tobin again on Tuesday, Sophia and me by the following Friday.
I canceled hosting Easter since I was incapacitated on the prep day. We stayed away from everyone that week and into this one.
Despite the sickness, this trip was amazing.
We are so blessed by deep friendships that expose us, grow us, and show us very sacrificial love like what we experience with these folks. I mean. They cleaned up our kid's vomit --in the middle of the night! And they did not even hint that it bothered them at all, no complaints.
True friends.
Blessed Anniversary.
Amazing Marriage.
One quote that David and I often say to each other, whether it has been a day of non-stop training kids to share (ie, not pull each other's hair out), a night of wake-up calls by ailing children, or an all day village visit...is this:
"I love doing life with you."
and we absolutely mean it.
No one else. I choose you. And I would do it a million times again.
It may sound sappy, but we like to remind each other in the daily grind, in the life we are living, the death by living we hope we are doing well, we would have none other by our side.
