Vacation Journal, Part 2

Monday, May 19th

Our first full day of vacation turned out to be much more than I expected. There is sense of freedom here that is so foreign to me. I am quickly learning to enjoy it! Not having our time filled with things we have to do, but just being able to enjoy each other is not something we get do very often. the kids slept very well last night. I have to admit that I got a little spooked at bedtime. Jeremy and I agreed that we had both seen too many scary movies with old haunted houses! :) The bed was so comfortable though, that it didn't take long to forget my silliness and drift off to sleep. We awoke this morning to a chilly house. Jeremy started up the fireplace in the sun room, and he and I and Caitlyn ate our breakfast in chairs around the fireplace while we watched birds on the lawn. We spent the afternoon at the Luray Zoo and the owner was nice enough to tell the kids some stories about the animals, and even coaxed the tiger out of its den for John David. We did some fishing to day too. We decided the river bank was a little too steep and muddy for the kids, so we took them down to a small pond not too far from the house. Caitlyn beat us all catching a total of nine fish today. I caught four, all of which were no bigger than my hand. One I even caught by accident when I hooked it in the eye! Jeremy caught the biggest fish, a nice size bass, but still not big enough to keep. The highlight of my day had to be when John David cam and got Jeremy and I, and told us to come see the bird in his room. We thought he was talking about a picture or something, but he was so excited, so we headed up the stairs as he's telling us all about the black bird with white spots. Sure enough, there the bird was when we got up to his room, sitting in the fireplace! Luckily, there was a screen on the fireplace. The bird hopped around for a minute or so, then flew back up the chimney where it came from.

Tuesday, May 20th

This has truly been the best birthday I have had in a long time, from playing Scrabble with Caitlyn and Jeremy, to fishing, to watching Kylie scare away a woodchuck in the backyard (You should have seen that thing run!), to my birthday dinner at Mindi's Mexican Restaurant. It had been an awesome and relaxing day. There is definitely something magical about this place! I looked in the mirror this morning, trying to determine if I looked as old as my now 29 years. I couldn't decide, but did decide that it doesn't much matter as long as I'm happy with the way I'm living my life, and that I am. I never dreamed I would ever be so blessed! My birthdays have become less about the presents, and more about the gifts people give of themselves, their time, their friendship, their love. A simple text or call to say "happy birthday and I love you" means so much more these days. My favorite birthday gift today? The few minutes that Jeremy and I got alone to fish together down by the river. Standing next to each other in silence, I felt so at peace. It's such a blessing to "hear" all the words in the silence spent with the one you love. Yes, I know, it's extra mushy even for me, but standing on that bank with Jeremy this morning is something I'll never forget. Jeremy is pretty much the only one who caught anything while we were fishing today, unless you count all the grass and weeds that I caught! John David did catch one completely by himself. He cast his line and everything. I didn't really think he was serious when he calmly said, "I got a fish", but as he reeled it in I realized he wasn't joking. Jeremy caught one at the same time, so I took a picture of them together with their fish. In the background of the picture you can see Kylie about to fall in the water! We kept telling her to stop climbing on the railing. She didn't fall in, but it looks funny. Happy Birthday to me!