A Week-Long Staycation

This week has been extra marvelous.  On Monday, B and I spent the day shopping while Aunt Mary Sue kept Ella Kate.  We were happy.  Ella Kate was happy.  And I'm certain Aunt Mary Sue enjoyed herself too.  It was a win/win situation for all parties involved.  We enjoyed the day together, but felt like we were forgetting something every time we got in the truck.  

We grilled streaks on Tuesday with the family.  B grilled in between hail storms.  Literally.  Wednesday, we struck out bright and early for the beach with B's brother, Garret, and his fiance', Courtney.  Ella Kate was pumped about the "beach" and about the company.  All looked well until we arrived and the thunder began.  And continued.  And continued.  So we caught up on Kendra re-runs until it quit raining enough to get out on the beach.  We stayed several hours.  Ella Kate loved playing with "G and Corney".  Thank you for entertaining her.  We're taking you from now on.  We had dinner and started home with hopes that Ella Kate would be out for most of the trip.  She did go to sleep but it was somewhere between Opp and Elba.  

Thursday, we visited with old friends in the friendliest city in the South, Luverne.  Oh, how I've missed The Chicken Shack.  And my friends.  Dinner was great.  And I thoroughly enjoyed riding around town before we came home.  It made me a little sad.  I made some really good friends while I was there so visits are always bittersweet.  I could do a whole post on how good those people were to me when I moved there fresh out of college, knowing not a soul...My first year of teaching was one big blur and I felt like my kids were a science project of trial and error.  My administrators were the BEST.  And my colleagues were way fun...(is that a phrase?)  We also loved our church family.  So going back, even if only for dinner, brings back so many memories.  Life was definitely simpler then.  But life brought changes, most of them for the best.  Still, I am grateful for my time spent there.  It was just what I needed at that time in my life. 

In closing, a little shout out to my "husband of the year" who snorkeled around the pool until he found my missing pearl earring this afternoon.  They're just earrings, but they were his gift for me to celebrate Ella Kate's arrival.  I was slightly upset when I realized I'd lost it.  But he snorkeled until he found it.  I think I'll keep him.  

I'm off to camp next week.  I'm certain I'll have good stories to share when I return.  Until then...