Last week, we celebrated our five year anniversary. Looking back, I don't know where the time has gone. I wish I could remember every moment but what I have collectively is the feeling that we're doing something right.
Life is demanding more often than not so we decided that in celebration of our half decade of marriage we would spend a long weekend at a secluded cabin in North Carolina. We debated about where to go and had grand visions of going back to Negril where we would relive our honeymoon but in the end, we decided that what we really wanted was just to be together and to have peace. Anyone with two small children can attest that quiet is worth more than you could ever put a dollar amount on.
We stayed just outside of Asheville, N.C. in a little town called Fairview. Our cabin was called the Sharon Springs Wellness Retreat. We had laughed at that name a few times before we arrived and thought it sounded pretty pretentious but by the time we left, we both agreed that we most definitely felt "well" and it was most definitely a "retreat." On the morning of our anniversary, we got our day started with one hour massages and ended the day with a long sit in the wood burning sauna followed by dancing to the soothing voice of Neil Young coming through the surround sounds speakers crooning "Harvest Moon." I had never thought of Greg and I having a "song" before but the words to that one and dancing with him that night brought tears streaming down my face and I'll never again be able to listen to those beautiful words without thinking of him.
Asheville was an interesting town, full of local restaurants and bars and the most unique art galleries I've ever been in. It reminded me of a combination of Ironton and Louisville; small town feel with big city fun. The locals seemed pretty comfortable in their own skin with not much need to pretend to be someone they're not. And HIPPIES....they were everywhere. Let's just say the people watching was spectacular.
Just outside of Asheville, is the Blue Ridge Parkway where we took a long drive and stopped for a picnic near a scenic overlook. We also went to this place called Craggy Gardens which I'm sure is beautiful when the plants are in bloom, but when we visited the weather was rainy and the sky was gray which made it feel extra creepy, if you ask me. Greg also felt it important to inform me that Asheville has been a place known for it's extraterrestrial activity which I did not find one bit comforting.
On the last day of our getaway, we crossed the Eastern Continental Divide and visited Lake Lure. I had never heard of it before this trip but I very quickly found out why National Geographic voted it one of the top ten most beautiful man-made lakes in the world. Lake Lure also happens to be where Dirty Dancing was filmed. It was a really cool place to visit and as I looked around, it was surreal to recognize landmarks from the movie. The drive to the lake and the visit there was not part of the original plan for our trip but I'm so glad we went on a little adventure and ended up there. It was easily one of my most favorite parts of our weekend.
Now, we're back home and the peacefulness and quiet of our trip has been replaced with the sounds of our babies laughing (and sometimes fighting) and our barking dog but I wouldn't have it any other way. This too is peaceful but in an entirely different way. This is home. This is where our love story began and this is where our lives are unfolding as perfectly as God intended.
Our cabin--Sharon Springs Wellness Retreat
Creepy, Craggy Gardens
Lake Lure, home of Dirty Dancing
Us at a burger joint called Juicy Lucy's
