Looking Back

I have a post forming in my mind that I will write...but it's another month or so in the making. But the mere thinking of it took me on a little trip yesterday. A little trip through the last five years and what was happening in Bekahland on that day in each year.

2010.

January 11th, 2010 found me reading through my yet-to-be-published book. Again. Editing, editing, editing. Reading through familiar words and trying to teach myself to be willing to chop some out. {My main gift is not the revision process.}  That particular day, I was trying to read as a reader, not a writer. I was trying to imagine what my mysterious readers out there would find worth underlining. The book was still a screen-dream that day.

What a beautiful journey has come to fruition on that little book. I have loved each stage of the journey. I have loved the people I've me through sharing it. I have loved the chance to have book signings, the chance to read aloud to audiences, the chance to hear from those who gave and received it as a gift.

2011.

January 11, 2011 found me discussing the never ending E word: exercise. I was a few months on the other side of my unexpected weight loss, compliments of the love life drama I endured in 2010. I was still working at Indiana Wesleyan, and they had a wellness program incentive to try to increase healthy living among the employees. I was trying to introduce some variety into my exercise world...learning I was not a zumba girl and trying hard to find other DVD programs that might work for me.

Welllllll here we are in 2015, and it's still a source of contention! I have no more coordination now than I did then, so I'm pretty sure I'm still not a zumba girl - and I still struggle to find things that work for me. It's even worse now, because we have to factor in commuting, which takes the time I used to spend in the gym when I lived next door to work. This is an area where I have to continue to search for answers and ask God to help guide me to something that works for me in a commuter's world.

2012.

January 11, 2012 was a Q&A day in Bekahland. It was still Bekahland back then. Wasn't even dating on this day in 2012, and who knew that by the end of that year, I'd be married!?!?! I was, by this time, working at WBCL, and we were about to head into our Share fundraiser, and I think my brain was tired from gearing up for that! {Hence the Q&A.} In this little post, I revealed that as a child, I desperately wanted to be named Brittany, and the most unfair punishment my parents ever bestowed upon me was the drama of the peaches.

I still don't know if I ever told you that story, so here it is. We were a clean your plate family, when I grew up, and one night, when I was probably somewhere between 5 and 8 years old, Mom served fresh peaches for dinner. I don't know that I'd ever had peaches before, and I did try them, but I did not like them, so I elected not to finish them. What ensued was a battle of the wills between me and the Mama, and the bottom line became...I would eat those peaches. Period. In fairness to Mom, it probably became a matter of principle because I probably had a little fit about it. After sitting at the table for a couple of hours, stubbornly refusing the peaches, she let me get up, and I thought I won.

I was wrong. When the next meal rolled around, the only thing on my plate was that bowl of peaches, which had been hiding in the fridge since the aforementioned dinner. I cried, but I ate them. She never asked me to eat them again. And I probably haven't eaten them of my own accord, either, unless encased in a pie or cobbler!

2013. 

January 11, 2013 was recap day for our honeymoon!!! We'd been married for over a month at that point, but with all the holiday recaps in December, I still hadn't fully told you all about our honeymoon! This was the day I recounted our adventures on the tandem bike. Ryan so wanted to rent and ride a tandem bike, and this girl, who once broke her leg riding a bike, was a little more cautious. He was fully engrossed in the joy, ringing the little bell twice and shouting Hellooooooooooo! to everyone we passed. We rode into Siesta Key, ate some lunch, shopped in town, watched a sunset on the beach, and then rode home at the edge of the water, which was packed down hard and was something like a road desperately in need of filled potholes. Oh how I miss that honeymoon - and today, those temps!!!

2014.

January 11, 2014 was a Saturday, so it featured the Saturday Six. But in it were some pictures of little Braeya Jo Jo, drinking milk out of a glass. I know we're the crazy cat people, since we don't have kids, but my goodness. That little bundle of fur brings us more joy and more frustration than any one little bundle of fun should. Her little personality is so much fun, even when she's leaning more toward naughty than nice. She will turn nine this year, and I'm so thankful for her little life. {Even though the little traitor is completely a daddy's girl now.} 

A Honeymoon Saturday

Want to hear something embarrassing??

I accidentally never blogged the last day of our honeymoon.

I discovered this a couple of weeks ago when I was directing someone to the "Our Love Story" tab on the old blogaroo and discovered we apparently never came home. Apparently we DID though, because we've been doing a lot of work at our jobs and at our home.

So, without further ado...the last day of the honeymoon. And thank you for indulging my OCD in completing this story.

In case you don't remember from the time I started this story back in December or January or whenever it was...we spent that last night out in a B&B down in Georgia called The Overlook Inn.

We awakened to a magnificently FOGGY morning on Saturday. We made our way out to the dining area, and while the B&B folks cooked breakfast, we sat at this massive picture window and peeked at the mountains as they disappeared into ever-thickening fog. 

It's an interesting combo to have fall foliage, Christmas decor, and short sleeves all in the same day!

Ryan took advantage of the binoculars...perhaps to see the fog better?

A sampling of our breakfast...a bit of fruit in these tiny glasses. Breakfast was scrumptious and so much food.

Why on earth I think it's a good idea to post a pre-getting-ready picture is beyond me. But we're in love and I didn't care.

Across the street from the B&B was an overlook {hence the name} and even though you could not see a single thing...we felt it was important to have photos there, because, well, it's what we do.

It was the honeymoon. There has to be a kissing picture. {Who are we kidding? Today would be no different!!}

More photo opps around the grounds, before we had to take off for our last leg of the journey. Shorts in December. Sweet corn.

Photo opp on rock, is what I have titled this one.

We started out in Georgia and ended up in Indiana, all in one day. We were bound to get loopy along the way. Like here...when we found the Payless Homes. Is that like Payless Shoes? Just curious.

And the Classic Cleaners - which also doubles as a garage sale - or perhaps sells the clothing of customers who fail to return for it?

Ryan kept asking me if I saw the sign for the Old Fart Porkway. {Old Fort Parkway.} He wasn't trying to say it wrong...it was just one of those things that got twisted up the first time he said it and then he couldn't get it to come out right no matter how hard he tried. Good laughs over that one.

Passing the time by playing games...which included some car karaoke!!

I WOULD WALK FIVE HUNDRED MILES....

We were desperate. Seriously, seriously desperate.

SUCCESS at last!!!! {Taken after our visit to the Starbucks where I may or may not have used the men's restroom.}

After what felt like forever....

The honeymoon was over. We were exceedingly sad about that part, but so excited to be home and ready to start our everyday life together!

A Honeymoon Friday

Friday morning, we had to face...going home. Sigh.

We'd packed up the car the night before so we could maximize our morning...one last trip to the beach. Our wonderful, precious beach, where we were married.

One last walk through the sand where I became Mrs. Shaffer...

One more look down the shore line...one more morning coffee while the sun came up....

We also had one last breakfast from the food cart guy who fed us so well all week! And then Ryan really had to say goodbye to the sweet little bike. We had to return her.

Then we crawled in our car and prepared to drive north.

I tried to cheer us up by pulling out another round of travel games. First up? Movie trivia! Ryan answered questions about How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and I answered questions about You've Got Mail. We won't talk about who won. {Cause it wasn't me.}

I entertained myself by writing our Christmas letter. {I'd ordered the cards poolside earlier in the week.}

And then...oh be still my beating heart...S.O.N.I.C.

Even Ryan was impressed with the strawberry cream slush. How he ever lived a full 33 years without having one is truly beyond me and mine.

Ryan's demonstration of my car dancing.

We stopped for our first Starbucks as a married couple. A moment that deserved no less than full documentation.

I really appreciate so many things about Ryan and the way he loves me. And one thing he does so well is that he always does everything he can to make me feel loved. He wanted the trip home to be special, so he surprised me with reservations at a B&B out in the middle of nowhere in Georgia. We arrived kind of late (8ish)....

...and checked into the most darling room...little gas stove in the corner...big comfy bed...

...eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!! A hot tub!!!!!!!!!!!!!! {I love these so so much.}

And he even ordered dinner to be served in our room so we could relax and eat. We added the sparkling grape juice his parents gave us for our honeymoon...

...and I said if we had to come home...this was a pretty perfect last stop to our trip. That's for sure!!!

A Honeymoon Thursday

So I think you might get a chuckle or two out of this post. Hang with me!

Thursday was our last full day in Florida {sigh of deep sadness}, so we started as anyone would: drinking coffee.

Okay just kidding. I mean not about the coffee. But about that coffee maker. We borrowed that from our church so we had a way to make coffee for our guests at the reception. We thought it would be funny to have our picture taken with it. :)

And then...you know...went down to the pool for a while. It was seriously such a rough life.

And I actually got IN the pool. This was major for me. I wasn't really in to getting all frizzy headed in front of people I didn't know.

As we left the pool for the last time, we read the rules for the first time. Let's go through them, shall we? #1. Shower before entering. WOOPSIE! #2. No food, drink or glass. WOOPSIE, WOOPSIE and no problem!

We did manage to leave our animals at home and as far as we know, the pool itself did not break the rule of becoming hotter than 104. {Seriously - how is that a rule?? Do people pour great quantities of boiling water in the pool while laughing the evil laugh and watching the temp climb over 104??}

After we left the pool, we headed back to the store where we'd rented our kayak earlier in the week.

And oh my dear people...this time...this time...we fulfilled Ryan's dream of tandem bike riding.

Read: RYAN'S dream.

This man was so happy in this particular moment that you just can't even possibly understand. See that smile on my face?

I really meant this:

See, I broke my leg falling off a bike when I was 11. I did not get on a bike again until a year before the wedding, when I rode my sister's bike very slowly around her neighborhood for about 20 minutes. I'd never been on a tandem bike. And I. Was. Freaked. Out.

We took a few laps around the parking lot to get the feel for the thing. It's weird to be on the back of a bike when you can't see much in front of you except the back of another person. Then we got in a bike lane {and let the record show, I think my PERSON was wider than the lane} and rode right next to the cars.

I had a literal death grip on those handlebars and as we pedaled down the road {much faster than I would have liked} I was chanting "What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee. Psalm 56:3." Anytime I quote Scripture WITH REFERENCE, it's serious. Ryan called back over his shoulder, "What are you saying?" I said "I'M QUOTING SCRIPTURE."

They say opposites attract. They would be right.

En route, we found some decorations for our first yard together.

We rode our bike down to the Siesta Key Village {about 3 miles away from our hotel} and had a late lunch/early dinner together. Then we took a tour of town, where we found this:

WHY, OH WHY didn't we stay there??? Why are we back in the snow??

It was almost time for the sunset, so we rode the bike down to the beach and walked through that amazing sand for one last sunset....

We. Were. Here.

Just thought I'd throw this one in so you could see that self-portraits don't always go well for us.

We'd failed to bring our tripod, so some nice lady took pity on us and took our picture.

Ahhh....waterfront sunsets...how we miss thee.

After the sun went down, we headed back to the road and so carefully followed MORE rules.

And if you're going to break one...why not break them ALL?

We rode back to town and found a little local coffee shop to have a date. Parked our bike. {Cracks me up.}

Very yummy date and then we had to leave....

On the way home, we decided to ride the bike on the beach. The bike didn't have reflectors and our clothing wasn't bright, so we hated to be on the main road. But let me tell you about riding on the beach after dark.

There were NO people on the beach AT all. And that beach was really, really dark. Not a lot of stars, no moon...and the tide was much higher than we expected. We were trying to see how much space we had...avoid holes in the sand...and worst of all...

...I had watched Sleeping with the Enemy right before we left. The worst thing for after-dark beach riding is a recent exposure to that storm scene. I was very nearly in tears by the time we arrived back at our resort.

So to console me...we walked around to enjoy the sights one more time.

And this is how we felt about saying goodbye to our precious wedding/honeymoon trip.

And it's also how Ryan felt about saying goodbye to his tandem bike.