Monday, May 16, 2011

8 Years | personal

This year marked 8 years that we have been married.  In some ways, it's been a loooong 8 years.  But most ways, it's gone by way too fast.  There have been quite a few speed bumps we've had to travel over, but we've managed to do it together.  And, last year we got to celebrate our victory over those bumps (completely unplanned, and a surprise to us both, I must say) by renewing our wedding vows at church the night of our 7th anniversary.  It was so powerful for the two of us, and so appropriate.

I can truly say that we are better than we ever were before.  After 8 married years, we've still got the goosebumps -  holding hands - sitting close - silly giggles and laughter that new couples have,  but we've also got the best friends - stand by each other no matter what - respect - and love that only a couple who has been married for so many years can ever have.  I feel truly blessed to have found such a relationship.


Truly blessed.

There was so much going on the weekend before and the weekend after our anniversary that we decided to put off our little celebration until the last weekend of April.  I'm so glad we did, because it turned out to be a beautiful and perfect weekend out on the water.

Usually, when we go camping, we try to book a camp site ahead of time, or at least know where we are going before we get there.  This time, since our little trip was somewhat last minute, we decided to just wing it and find a spot that you are allowed to camp but isn't part of the State campgrounds.  We ended up driving about 30 minutes from where we loaded the boat and finding this peak of an island where nobody else was staying.  And it was perfect!  We had our own little space and the sunset and sunrise in plain view with water surrounding us on three sides.  So beautiful!


As we were unloading our stuff from the boat and setting up camp, I was snapping a few pictures of our little island scene.  I walked back over to where Brian was unloading the firewood from the boat and snapped a photo of it.  When I looked back at my camera screen I laughed so hard!  It looks like he was about to get clobbered with his own wood!  Who threw that at him???  It wasn't me!  I swear!




Isn't it so pretty?  The weather was just perfect too.  Just enough sun to keep us warm, and just enough breeze to keep the bugs away.


As night was falling, Brian cooked us dinner on his portable grill that Stephanie got him for Christmas.  That thing can really cook too!





We decided to go to bed early and wake up around 1am to go shrimping.  When the time came, I really did not want to wake back up and get on the boat for another 30 minute ride away from camp, but I'm so glad that I did!  I had never been shrimping before and it's quite neat to be out on the water that time of night.  Plus, it made Brian so happy that I went without complaining.  He just loves doing these kinds of things and it makes him feel good when he gets to share it with me.

When we got back to camp and ready to head back to sleep, we kept hearing this noise and realized the raccoons were getting into our cooler!  So, Brian got back up, shoed them away and set his boat battery on top of the cooler so they couldn't get into it.  Unfortunately, they had already gotten to our brand new loaf of bread that was meant for our lunches the next day.  As he was getting that straightened out, one of those raccoons was rather aggressive and TRIED TO GET IN THE TENT WITH ME!  I yelled at him and he ran away, but my goodness, what would I have done if he got in there?  Yuck!

After all that excitement, back to bed it was.  And man, did we sleep good!  It was so nice.  Quiet, other than the sounds of the wind blowing the trees and an occasional boat on the water.  When we woke up the next morning, it was so beautiful.  I actually should have taken video, because my photo of what I saw when I woke up just does not do it justice.


After getting up and dressed into our bathing suits, it was back on the water for some fishing.  Brian put a nice Trout in the cooler!



We decided since I wasn't about to eat the rest of the bread that the raccoons left for us that we would drive over to Ponce Inlet and have some lunch at one of the restaurants on the water.


There were dolphin everywhere.  Most of the time they were pretty close to our boat and Brian would slow down so I could take a picture, but the little buggers just didn't want a close up.


Brian being silly.


Our only disagreement for the weekend was weather or not we should leave the rest of the bread for the raccoons when we were leaving.  My thought was that they didn't deserve it because they didn't ask in the first place, why give in to them?  But Brian loves animals much more than I do, I guess.  So here's the bread, all spread out for them to eat.  I do love him for his kind heart. 


Guess I was taking too long getting that photo of the bread.  Brian started to leave me! =)





Brian, thank you so much for this little trip.  I had such a good time and have missed doing this kind of stuff with you. 

Funny, that I was pregnant with Gracey the first time we ever camped together and pregnant again this time when we haven't been camping together in a few years. 

Perfect, our little weekend together.

Wonderful, that we are still loving each other like we did in the beginning.

Marvelous, that we are loving each other even better than we did in the beginning. 

Thank you for all the little things that you do.  Thank you for always holding my hand.  Thank you for all the kisses goodbye in the morning, and kisses hello in the afternoon.  Thank you for all the support when I start getting crazy pregnancy brain.  Thank you for always thinking that I am beautiful.

Thank you for being such a wonderful husband to me.  

I love you so very much.  

Every.  

Single.  

Day.


Love,
Jess

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