Vacation Recap.

Happy Tuesday to All!

I returned from vacation late Sunday night but since yesterday was the book swap link up, I'm using today to recap not just my weekend but my vacation.  I departed very early Thursday morning to  head to Myrtle Beach, SC for a few days with my family.

(this is my sweet niece, Noa June...borrowing my fedora)

The first two days of my trip were spent with views like this:

I sat out on the porch doing my bible reading, some pleasure reading, and on the beach finish my book from the swap (which my sister also read while we were there).  It was glorious.  To relax. To wake up without an alarm clock.  The veg with my family.  I didn't realize how bad I needed that until I stopped moving long enough to enjoy and even understand 'down time'.

We came in from long beach days for dinners out.  Delicious seafood and conversations with my favorite people.  It was glorious.  And I now have some tough workouts ahead and probably some hungry days as I get back into a busier, healthier routine again.  But it was worth it.

(Daddy, Noey, and I before dinner)

 (Just Noey and I - same night)

(my favorite of my pics with my niece from the weekend)

We also got to celebrate my older sister, Rachel (affectionately - Rae)'s birthday while we were there.  A little late but all together.

I'm so incredibly blessed to have her.  My hearts been aching since I left her Sunday night to be reunited.

This might be my favorite picture of the weekend.  My Dad (Noey's 'paws') snuck her out of bed for an early morning play-date.  I don't think her parents minded.  It was so sweet watching him spend the quiet morning playing with her and telling her what each and every item in the condo was.  Paws sure does love his granddaughter.  Noa will never hurt for love in this household, that is for sure.

I got to spend a great amount of time reading and writing.  Getting a plan and some direction for the rest of this year and possibly the next few to come.  I was grateful for the chance to clear my head, and remove outside influences and really think clearly for the first time in a while.  My new life plans are here:

Perhaps the greatest blessing of all was that through some odd circumstances, I ended up being able to spend a night in Rachel, Chris, and Noa's new home!  It was so fun getting to see it and be an over night guest there.  I was able to do church with them, eat frozen yogurt, play with Noa a little longer, and be part of their life and their household for 24 hours.  It was truly a treat.

It's been a little hard to come back from this trip.  While I came back with a better attitude, better perspective, and a head full of big ideas and plans ... I also came back sad to go a few months without being with my family again.  Living away from them has been truly the only drawback to my life in Florida.  But I am incredibly thankful for the effort each of them makes to be part of my life here and to stay in close contact as well as the effort my whole family makes to be together as often as possible.  God is so good and that continues to be easily evident in my family.

I hope you all enjoyed your weekends.  As hard as the return has been, it's good to be back here with you.

Love,

B