Back from a Break

Just got back from a couple days off. LuAnn's mom came and stayed with the kids and we went to Ft. Collins and Estes Park. This June was our 15th Anniversary, so we'd been planning a trip to celebrate. With camps and a summer full of youth ministry stuff, this was when we finally got to go. I am an incredibly fortunate man, to have been married to someone so great - and to have gotten married so young, saving me from the awkward freshman dating roulette (and college cafeteria food)!

It was cool to be back in the area where we lived for a while and see how much it's changed and what's stayed the same. We ate Sunday night at Smashburger (I know, I know... a very romantic spot, huh?!) - you probably should not die until you've had their 'smashfries', just sayin'... On Monday, we got to Estes just in time for the first snow of the year! There wasn't a lot, but it was pretty chilly - not premium for wandering the streets, but bearable.

One of the funny themes of this trip was how, on our kid-free getaway we were so often surrounded by kids. At Bob & Tony's (great pizza in Estes, but sadly, no more on-tap-root beer) a couple from Texas sat down next to us and apologized for sitting so close with their kids - LuAnn said, No big deal, we have four at home... The lady was surprised and told LuAnn she didn't look like she could have four kids... Didn't have the heart to tell her the oldest was almost 10 and we'd been married 15 years!

The theme was repeated when we showed up at the Loveland Chic-fil-A on what turned out to be the 'oldies/family night' sock hop! It was insanely full of kids dressed in poodle skirts and plain white t's.

On Tuesday, we hung around Ft. Collins. We went to a running store, where I found a pair of really good shoes for $30 - nice to have an extra, thank you to whoever delivered the wrong size to Runner's Roost! We wandered the old downtown and checked out some local galleries and the art museum, then headed home, with a detour through Laramie to say hi to my family.

It really didn't matter what we were doing or eating, or even where we were. It was nice to just get to hang out for a couple days with LuAnn. I'm very thankful for the years God's given us together. I love my wife and the family God's created through us. (I like them, too, so that makes it that much better!) Thanks God.