Happy Anniversary (One Week Early)

This weekend was a first for our family. My wonderful husband surprised me a few weeks ago with a 5-Year Anniversary present. He booked a weekend getaway for just the two of us!!! I remember the day he told me, "Honey, I'm taking you away on our anniversary, and I won't take no for an answer. Mom & Dad are keeping the kids, and we're going to Helen!" Helen?? Like, Dutch village an hour away, Helen? Who the heck wants to go to Helen? Well, not wanting to be a negative Nancy, I skirted around every possible excuse I could find without actually saying that I didn't want to go. (How horrible, right!?!?) Until Friday actually came, and Mimi actually whisked my kids away, and we actually got in the car - I was still trying to find a way to stay home or take the kids with me!

Well, I'm not too proud to sit here and admit that I'm so glad that Josh and I got to spend the weekend together! We don't actually celebrate our 5 Year Anniversary until Saturday (the 24th), but it was a great Anniversary present and I'm so glad that we went.

We stayed in a great little mountain resort that was on the river. It had a great gazebo and playground, and the property was really nice. Friday we just hung out and talked and watched a movie. Saturday we opted not to do the tourist thing, so we decided to get some fresh air and exercise. First we went to Anna Ruby Falls. It was a nice walk to the falls. We held hands and giggled...like we did before we had kids.

This is us a the top of the falls. We met a group of European Men who were there at the same time, and they were celebrating the 0.7 mile trek with a beer toast and a picnic! They were hilarious...like they'd just climbed Mt. Everest!

Josh and I took so many photos. It was just an amazing day, and we just really felt close to each other and nature! I mean, you never realize how beautiful God's creations are until you're right there....and Helen is practically in our back yard!!! Why don't we do this more often? (Don't answer that! My darling husband would have a very smart remark for that question!)

Me at the top of the falls.

Josh at the top! I was the camera man that day, and he was the videographer. So...He's in all of my pics!!! That's a first...Daddy actually in the shot instead of taking the shot!

And the Happy 5-Year Couple. Josh kept telling me all weekend that I was 1/5 of the way to a new diamond ring. I'm going to have to do some negotiating if I want that upgrade sooner!!!

While at Anna Ruby, we saw this tree with a heart shaped hole in it (I'm sure there's a technical name for these types of holes.) There was another on the other side, so we know it was natural...and not man carved....but I thought it ironic to find such a tree on our Anniversary Getaway! Kinda cool!

Next, Josh wanted to go to Rabun Cliffs Falls. It was a 5-mile hike round trip, and I was a little nervous. I mean who wants their husband to see them huffing and puffing up a mountain? I certainly did not. Well, he again drug me along...and it was my absolute favorite part of the trip. This hike was absolutely break-taking. We walked along side the river the entire time, and you couldn't hear anything other than nature. We saw very few hikers and a few campers, and we spent the whole time walking, talking, and holding hands.....I had almost forgotten what it was like when it was just Josh and I.

Here we are at the top. Four or five people ended up coming up behind us at the falls, so we had one guy snap this picture. You can't really see the falls that well, but they were pretty. Not as spectacular as other falls in the area, but the scenery on the way up was far superior!!



We were amazed when we finally made it. It took us over 2 hours to walk 2 and a half miles. We stopped, took pictures, talked, just really took our time. It was amazing. I swear we talked more that day than we have in months.

Here's Josh at one of the smaller falls. We really enjoyed playing around with the camera!!! I'm not a photographer at all!!!

Just another beautiful scene. There were so many places like this. I honestly thought about this being the perfect spot for a group of couples to get together and do an overnight camping trip/bible study. Imagine, being in nature, reading the Word, having fellowship with friends...in a place like this! Oh, I wish we had couple friends!!! :)

I just loved these little "bridges" that we had to cross. And I thought that this would be a funny time to tell you that about half way up I had to tinkle. It was such a dilemma for me....to pee or not to pee...that was the question. Alas, Josh stood guard while I became one with nature. How liberating that was!!!!

Finally, in the last little trek to the top, the paths separated. Again, I started to freak out. Which way do I go?? What do I do?? (Can anyone tell that I'm very anal and scheduled and instructional....there are rules for everything!!!) But of course, the nice Rock Arrow on the ground pointed us to the right...but was this a trick.....finally Josh just took off to the right and I went chasing after him. Ahhhh, we chose the right path. The other was definitely the road less traveled... and someone decided to leave this little Rock Arrow to point us the right direction. Again, How Cool!!!

After two great hikes, we headed back into town, ate, and went back to the condo for showers and a movie. The next morning, Mimi and Pop, Matt & Steph, and all of our kids joined us to celebrate Pop's birthday. His birthday was on Saturday, so everyone came up to cook out and enjoy the day together.

After letting the kids play in the river and on the playground...and after Steph and I almost burned the resort down with a grease fire on the grill...we headed to town. The Music Man was the best entertainment for Olivia and Hailee. They loved watching him play is instruments!



And after we all had ice cream and candy from the candy store, we headed back to the resort for more fun outside. Here is Mimi and Olivia on the see-saw. Olivia loved this thing...and I think that Mimi did too!! But my favorite part was fishing in the river! Pop taught Olivia how to fish....and Zach splashed with Mimi! I love this pic of Pop and Zach. (Oh, and Zach learned two new words while he was away - Dog and Pop!!!! Hmmmm.... I wonder who was at the bottom of those two words!!!

Here is Olivia with her Barbie Fishing Pole. Pop is showing her the ropes. I'm just so excited that she has a pole....and because she didn't even get a nibble in Helen, we're making Pop take us fishing again on his next trip!!!

The family headed back and we started to settle in for the night. By this time, all of the fun had run my whole family down. Josh was getting a cold, Olivia was all congested, and Zach still acted like his ear was bothering him from his ear infection last week...so we packed up on Sunday night and came home a day early. This was taken on GA 400 about 20 minutes from home. These kids were tuckered out!!! And so were their parents!!!
Oh, what a great weekend. To my wonderful husband - Thanks for dragging me up there, Honey! I can't believe how resistant I am, and I'm sorry that it take s a small miracle to get me to loosen up and have fun. It was an amazing weekend, and I'm so thankful for the time that we had together, the conversation that we shared, and the memories that we made. The past 5 years have been spectacular. I'm so lucky to be your wife, and I want you to know,

"Come what may, I will love you until the end of time!"

Forever yours,

-me