Good Saturday morning, friends! I hope all of you are doing well at the start of this weekend. It’s been a couple of weeks since I last wrote, as the hubby and I were on vacation the past two weekends. Today I thought I’d share a little bit about our trip and catch up on life here in the blogosphere!
Overall, our trip was a wonderful time away, filled with adventure, new sights, and beautiful, warm weather. We flew to Las Vegas on Saturday, January 17 and stayed there until the following Thursday morning. This portion of the trip included my husband’s six college students being with us as they presented in the NAHB International Builders’ Show Residential Construction Management Competition and attended the show itself for that period of time. While they practiced and prepared for their big moment, I took advantage of the downtime to workout, sit by the pool and read, swim, and nap in our giant king-size bed that felt like a cloud! Once the work was done (and I was refreshed from my beauty sleep), we headed out to enjoy our evenings on the strip, revisiting some of our favorite places and venturing into a couple of new ones for dinner and even some dancing this time around. It was great fun and the students were an absolute hoot to be around. I’m glad I got to meet them after hearing so much about them from my hubby over the course of the previous semester.
When the students left Thursday morning, the hubby and I road-tripped our way through the desert to Southern California to take in some different sites. We made our way to the Pacific Ocean, visiting Dana Point Harbor where we caught the most incredible sunset. Pink and purple. Gold and Amber. Blue and then black. It was MAJESTIC. I was in absolute awe and wonder as I watched the sun gradually descend upon the huge expanse of sea. It’s definitely something I will never forget and will always cherish sharing with my man.
From Dana Point, we then drove down the coast just a few miles to San Clemente where we treated ourselves to a fantastic fresh fish dinner on the pier. Again, incredible! To be on the ocean in January … PRICELESS! Loved every minute of our time seaside.
Our last full free day was Friday, January 23 and we decided to cross Disneyland off of our bucket list. We’ve seen every park in Florida (more than once), but had yet to visit the parks in California, so we made sure to fit this in so we could finally say, “We’ve seen all of the U.S. Disney Parks!” LOL! As expected, it was magical and brought out the kid in us as we rode rides and walked to the beat of those cheerful tunes playing throughout the three parks. We were both so tired after a full day on our feet, but it was worth every minute of it. After all, who can resist a chance to visit “the happiest place on earth?”
We woke early the morning of Saturday, January 24 and drove back through the desert to Las Vegas, where we got on our plane and flew directly back to our home state of Michigan, still basking in all of the excitement of the past week.
This trip was definitely busy with activity and driving, but it was so good for us. It was a great way to begin the new year. Getting away together in the dead of winter and taking in the sunshine and warm air was refreshing and uplifting in and of itself. Being in the car just the two of us, talking and laughing over things together, was also a blessing. The time I spent by the pool reading Make It Happen and working on my 2015 Power Sheets over Starbucks each morning was also one of my favorite aspects of the trip because it gave me time and space to really dive into what’s on my heart for this coming year and put my focus on what matters. Processing my dreams and goals and vision for the months to come in this time away made me realize how distracted I can get when I’m at home, and even at work; how easy it is to get off track, make mountains out of mole hills, and forget my purpose entirely. And for this new year, I’m really praying to be intentional with how I spend my time and my days so that I can truly be in tune with God and have all that I do, say, think, feel flow from a place of resting in Him.
I thought I would have a hard time jumping back into real life following such a wild and free time away from the constraints of home and work, not to mention the three-hour time difference (oh, and the 50 degrees warmer temperature, just saying), but it’s been quite the opposite. This trip gave me a renewed passion and zest for the every day, mundane, real life stuff. Having the opportunity to be away reminded me of all the good things going on all around me, at home and in my workplace, and with my family and friends. Stepping away from the demands, giving myself the grace and permission to rest and unwind, trying new things (like dancing the night away at a fancy Vegas venue), and letting my inner child come out at Disneyland showed me that life is happening RIGHT NOW. This is it. The time is NOW. To let go. To say “YES” to the adventure God has in store for me this coming year. To make my IT happen.
There is no better day than today. And every day that I have here on this big beautiful planet is the day to live bold, brave, wild and free.
Before I close, let me say this: I absolutely ADORE travel. Traveling is one of my love languages. I need it like I need air. It’s a very important part of my life … BUT here’s something I also know and believe with all of my heart …
Real life is where it’s at, friends.
Your real life, wherever you are, in whatever season you may be in. Right here, right now. This is where it’s at.
Our real life is the good life.
As I get back into the swing of things post-vacation, I’m keeping these revelations in mind and moving forward with intent to follow hard after God and go for ‘life to the full’ with everything that I have inside of me. I want every day to be a grand adventure, an opportunity to be a part of something bigger than myself, and a chance to shed light wherever I go.
This is what real life is to me. This is what ‘living the good life’ means to me. And this is where it’s at for me.