The Great Getaway of 2015

Hope  you're ready for a virtual vacation, because I took 1000 pictures on our vacation. DO NOT WORRY. You don't have to see them all.

This was our first full-week vacation away from home since our cruise the first year we got married. WHAT!?! How did that happen? {It happened because the full week we both took off work in our second year of marriage was our much-loved staycation.} Anyway. This started out as just a long weekend to visit friends, but our dreams grew along the way, and we ended up being gone eight days, during which time we saw 7 states and 2 countries. We {Ryan especially} needed a break from life and work, and this turned out to be a pretty perfect week!

We left home last Friday morning, after MUCH protest from someone in our house:

But, you know, the show must go on:

So we set out...coffee in hand, and began our 738 mile drive. Destination? Virginia Beach!

You guys, we had the most perfect day to drive. I've never seen anything like it before or since. The weather was superb. We did not hit rush hour anywhere. We did not hit construction anywhere. We did not get lost anywhere. It was so weird. So very not Shaffer. But here is the picture of two people who were NOT complaining about the ease of the trip.

We played games, and I read to Ryan while we were in the car. {He has now heard my entire written book of our first year of marriage - AND he said he liked it, so that's a wife/writer win!}

And here are some peeks at our lovely day. From a perfect sunrise...

...to lovely lakes and rivers...

...to the fun of driving in mountains...it was so perfect.

We drove through Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and finally...into Virginia! {Which, apparently, is for lovers. Who knew??}

When we finally got close to Virginia Beach, we had to drive through a tunnel. {An under WATER tunnel.} You can imagine the prayer that went out of me during that excursion.

After eating breakfast on the road, stopping briefly for lunch {we won't discuss that stop as it is not a restaurant we would EVER recommend, and I don't want to be ugly about it on the internet}, and a couple of other quick fuel/coffee stops, we made it to our destination at 8:07 p.m. That was about 2 hours sooner than I ever imagined we would arrive.

We actually stayed with my best friend, Lynnette, and her husband, Mark. I hadn't visited Virginia Beach in five years {I was mid-personal-desert during my last visit} and it was so good to be back and to get to visit with them again!

And guess what?? I MADE A NEW FRIEND!!!

That's Charlie...and he wasn't part of their family last time I visited {or at our wedding, for that matter}. He was my little buddy for my visit, starting with the very minute we walked in the door. Couldn't you just DIE over his cuteness?? I sure could.

So that was the great getaway, day one. All driving, but much fun. Ryan is the best car travel partner EVER.

{Car karaoke}