Girls' Beach Getaway

A small group of friends had the tradition of meeting at the beach once a year in January for a girls' weekend.  This group consisted of two ladies I knew through our church college ministry and campus IVCF ministries and two of their local friends.  This year, they invited more people, and I felt so blessed to become a part of this annual tradition. (Gift #898)

Girls' Weekend Getaway at the Beach

With two other trips planned this month and with lesson planning consuming almost every waking hour of every weekend, I did not know how I would find the time to attend, but God gave me the stamina to work late hours each night so that I could get ahead a little freeing up my conscientious mind to fully enjoy the weekend.  (Gift #899)  Words cannot fully express how refreshing and freeing it felt to have a carefree weekend without the responsibilities of caring for a family, doing chores, and checking off items from the never ending to-do list! (Gift #900)  I'm so thankful for my husband's willingness to take over those responsibilities and grant me this opportunity. (Gift #901)  He even made sure the kids did their chores, washed a load of clothes, and helped the kids bake me a pan of welcome home brownies while I was gone. (Gift #902)

Before I left for this trip, I recited something word-for-word that my husband had said to me while I was away the last time I went on a girls' weekend approximately five years ago.  My primary love language is words of affirmation, so when he says something that touches my heart, I do not easily forget it.  So I told him that receiving a few sweet texts over the weekend would mean the world to me. He doesn't easily speak that love language, so I  suggested that the girls may possibly compare the number and quality of texts they receive from their husbands (making it a bit of a competition to inspire him).  Since he is a computer guru/geek who doesn't speak "words of affirmation" very easily, he joked that he might just have to write an app that grabs thoughtful sentiments from the internet and automatically texts them to me periodically in his name.

I shared his app idea on Facebook and then received inquiries from several people wanting to buy that app!  He did not write such an app (although he may be working on one now given the interest and impact it could have on strengthening marriages), but he did send me some very thoughtful texts (some quoted from famous poets and others from his own heart) that weekend.  (Gift #903)

"Doubt that the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt my love for you." - Shakespeare

"For it is not into my ear you whisper, but into my heart... It is not my lips you kiss, but my soul."

I told my friends how I had asked him for these texts, and they thought that was very shallow and lame, but then I asked them how often their husbands had sent texts to them that weekend as an expression of how much they were missed.  After considering the content of their texts ("did you buy tomatoes?", "Where is the mustard?", "Hope you don't mind if I keep the kids up extra late tonight."), they realized that telling your husband how to fill your tank isn't necessarily a bad idea.  I think a wife should help her husband out instead of expecting him to read her mind and automatically know what she wants.  When a man wants to please his wife but does not know how, she may go looking for that need to be met elsewhere.  So, I am coaching my husband as he is coaching me, and our marriage is stronger for it. He speaks my love language more to me, and I automatically want to reciprocate by speaking his love language to him. (Gift #904)  It's a win/win in my book.  Those idealistic notions presented in romance novels and chick flicks set up unrealistic expectations.  Let us love passionately while accepting the limits of reality. (End of soapbox rant)

After weeks of miserably cold weather and dreary rainy days, the sun finally came out last Friday just in time for our beach trip! (Gift #905)

The resort our friends booked was extravagant but came at very affordable (okay, dirt cheap is more like it) off-season rates (compared to the $8K-10K weekly rental fees in the summer).  (Gift #906)

Our home at the beach for the weekend

We stayed in a 3200 square foot, five bedroom ocean front condo with five baths, fully equipped kitchen, full size laundry facilities, breakfast nook, dining room, large family room, and a separate TV lounge / living area.

 

8 out of 9 of us in the family room

The master suite was gorgeous with Ralph Lauren decor and regal furnishings.  

The resort featured an upscale spa, at least four hot tubs, several indoor and outdoor pools, and a lazy river.  There are some funny stories I could tell about our adventures at the hot tub involving young but grown men who forgot their swim suits, a bunch of old drunk men who nauseated us with their obnoxious flirting and one whistle, and three respectful and mature teenagers from our capital city who would be attending our alma mater in the fall and majoring in engineering as I did.  Shame on Beth for taking this picture of us shivering as we ran into the jacuzzi.

Jacuzzi in January?  Yes we did!

 

The condo even had the exact same furniture piece in the foyer that we have in our foyer which made me feel even more at home.

The views from the extra long balcony were spectacular.  (Gift #907)

We ate out each day for lunch and dinner.  Since we did not have our kids or husbands with us making the dining costs so high, we splurged.  No fast food for us!  We enjoyed delicious, high quality seafood, Italian cuisine, quiche, and a wide variety of menu items I could not pronounce or do not usually allow myself to order because of the cost or caloric density.  What a privilege to taste and see that the Lord is good without breaking our budgets. (Gift #908)

Friday Dinner (I'm hiding behind Heather.)

Selfies after lunch

While dining, we noticed that three gals, each living in three different corners of two states four hours apart, just happened to all have the same NCSU clings on their phones.   

Van full of crazy women after another fancy dinner

Most of the ladies went to the very expensive and exclusive resort spa which just happened to be featured on the golf channel the following week.  AAs much as I already spend on chiropractic care and physical therapy, I didn't want to spend that kind of money on treatments unless collagen was involved. I'm only kidding.  So, the the friend I had invited from Charleston who did not know many people and I there went on a different adventure.  We had planned to walk on the beach, workout at the resort fitness center, and ride the Sky Wheel, but we spent so long walking and talking on the beach, that we had to skip the fitness center.  Miracle of miracles....I did not work out that day and had no withdrawal symptoms. (Gift #909) She has been wanting to ride the Sky Wheel for ages, so since it was her birthday weekend, and she had to leave on Saturday after lunch, I treated her to tickets.  The views were excellent, and we had great fun as we giggled like school girls.  The photo of her with her tongue out says it all.  (Gift #910)

The birthday girl and me right after boarding the Sky Wheel

What middle aged glee looks like at over 20 stories above the Atlantic Ocean

Here are some of our views from the Sky Wheel:

The Sky Wheel was fun, and shopping for souvenirs for the kids afterwards was a must, but the best part of any beach trip is walking on the beach and soaking in God's glory on display. (Gift #911)   Some of my greatest spiritual breakthroughs have taken place while walking or running on the beach.  It was during beach trips like this one during college with our college campus ministry and our church's college ministry with some of the same people on this trip that I made the greatest memories.  I enjoyed long walks and great talks on the beach with my sisters in Christ and forever friends that weekend.  (Gift #912)

Before we left, a good friend of mine from college and I tried to recreate a picture we took back in 1993.  It's been over 22 years since the beach trip shown to the left, and we've only seen each other two other times during all those years, but we picked up right where we left off as if no time had passed.  Her friendship is such a gift. (Gift #913)