A Grand Adventure

Recently my husband and I traveled down to Amelia Island, Florida for the longest trip we’ve ever been on. Growing up, my family didn’t take any long vacations, maybe a week to go somewhere in the summer, but that was about it. So in my whole entire life, this was the longest I’ve been away from home. I. Loved. It. Okay, I was sad to be missing the kids, but I know to enjoy time without the kids when they are gone and enjoy time with the kids when I am with them. I also started to enjoy someone making the bed, switching out old towels for new, and taking out the trash. I felt spoiled! I looked over at my husband why he wasn’t perplexed by this and realize I do this for him. So he lives in this luxury daily.

We did explore the island a bit before our big conference (more on that later). I loved seeing all the Spanish moss growing on the trees there (as seen in the picture). We headed up to the top of the island and explored Fort Clinch at the Fort Clinch State Park. Gorgeous trees laced with spanish moss upon the few miles of road before the Fort. The Fort itself is kept up very well. It was built from 1847-1869 out of nearly 5 million bricks. It was impressive. It was nice to be outside and walking around on one of the nicer days we had (though we didn’t know it at the time).

Afterwards, we checked out downtown Amelia Island where there was a big game going on, so it was quite busy. Of course we ate some amazing sushi and people watched. We also spent a lot of time checking out our hotel the first few days we were there. The resort property was huge, over 1,300 acres. So there was a lot of walking involved. They have a chapel at the resort, a spa, several restaurants, a gift shop were we picked up things for the kids. The resort was also the nicest place I have stayed based on the fact it was on the Atlantic Ocean. My first time to see the ocean! Though most days, the ocean was grumbly and grey, I enjoyed the time that I had to look at it, walk in the sand, and search for seashells for the children.

Though four of the days were traveling in the car, it was just such an amazing time. We traveled through Tennessee & Georgia, states I had never been in before. I think just the fact to be doing something we don’t normally do was thrilling, even though it involved about many hours of driving. Josh doesn’t seem to laugh at many funny things I say, but I had him laughing a lot on this trip.

Time away with my husband was gold. I am with the kids day in and day out. There aren’t too many quiet breaks in our house and there are many interruptions. So to have a conversation or be together and not be interrupted, was just amazing. We have been used to this on a weekend getaway, but 12 days, puts it in a whole new category. It was really refreshing for the mind, body, and soul.