Last week, Dave and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary with a trip to Boca Raton, Florida (feel free to scroll through the wedding post and the 1st Anniversary post). My sweet Nana has a little condo there, that she let us take over for the week, so we only had to pay for airfare and food. Budget-friendly vacay? Check. We had 2 sunny days and the surf was too rough to swim, so we spent a lot of time at the community pool and reading on the screened in porch, listening to the rain spray on the palm fronds. By the way, I'm slightly addicted to Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. Historical fiction. Riveting suspense. Not to mention a kilt-wearing, sword-swinging, Gaelic-speaking Scottish hottie. Yes, yes, most definitely yes. I digress...
We celebrated our Anniversary with a shopping trip to Mizner Center, where I discovered Francesca's and immediately set up a tent inside in hopes they would let me live there...kidding. But I did end up spending much too much mula on earrings and dresses, one of which I wore to our fancy schmancy dinner at CHOPS Lobster Bar. Pricey, but it was one of the best meal's we've ever had, and the service was out of this world. It was pretty dark, and I wanted to be completely unplugged during our dinner so I didnt take any photos, but just imagine a two pound radiantly red crustacean, and then imagine me slipping into a melted buttery dream with every blissful bite. And let's not even discuss the banana creme pie... TO. DIE. FOR. It was a perfect celebration of the past two years, complete with clinking wine glasses and reflection on what we've accomplished in our marriage thus far.
That said, there are miles to go before we sleep. (I mean, it's only been two years, we have at least another hundred to go, right? ) That's one of the things I love about marriage. The idea that there is so much yet to learn about each other and to experience side by side. I'm learning that we are not supposed to be in control of everything, and have our lives completely figured out. It's such a comfort to know that God has my life safely in the palm of His hands and my story has already been written. I think that also holds true for building and refining a marriage as time speeds by, goals are accomplished, hearts are broken, and simple joys are celebrated. We aren't supposed to know how it works right away. This marriage thing is hard work. Almost like when you plant sunflower seeds in the ground and you guess how high they will grow. We can't predict the potential that comes out of our own growth, but we can muster up enough strength and grace to go through the life sucking droughts and seemingly unceasing storms. There will be sunny days, and water to drink. There will. And someday we will be able to cut those sunflowers and put them in vase from Anthropologie and realize how those storms and droughts helped make these flowers so beautiful.
I can't imagine planting this garden with anyone else.
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The next day, in between downpours, we were able to go over to the Gumbo Limbo Wildlife Center, where we were fortunate enough to watch a turtle scarf down a HUGE salad, that would probably cost $15 at any restaurant, not including a mid afternoon cocktail. We also made friends with the biggest parrot fish I've ever seen, who should probably star in a toothpaste commercial.
On Friday, the sun finally emerged and the rain stopped long enough for me to get to go to Butterfly World, a magical place where butterflies flutter around and land on your hair, or nose, or tooshie, and hang on tight while you walk through the actual Garden of Eden. Seriously, if you ever have the chance, do your inner child or your actual child a favor and go. I'm certain that there were fairies napping peacefully in that dreamy sanctuary.
Our week in Boca was filled with rest, revival, laughter, lobster, hand holding, and butterflies. I'll take it.
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