It's Friday...I'm in Love

Friday after lunch, we gave the boys' stuff over to Shawn's family and kissed our little ones goodbye, leaving them in safe, capable hands as we traveled across the state to the east coast. Our final destination for the next several days would be Boca Raton, a very Ritzy area that reminds me of King of Prussia. On the way to our hotel, it poured. And I mean POURED! The heavens let loose to the point that we couldn't even see, and everyone crawled on 95. But, once we got close, the rain let up and thankfully we were safe and at our destination. We were both exhausted from the long day of travel but excited to be alone. It doesn't happen too often!

We checked into a lovely king size room at the Marriott that Shawn had picked. The bed is heavenly, other than the down comforter being a little too warm for my liking. We have the AC cranked to 65 degrees, and it feels nice. The couch and TV area are also comfortable, and it's nice to have a fridge and a desk to work, etc. My favorite part of the whole place, though, is the shower. WOW! The shower head is powerful (an understatement) and huge so that it's massaging. Both Shawn & I have been impressed.

When we got here, we both decided to take a quick, refreshing cat nap. When we woke up, I took a shower and got ready for dinner. Shawn picked a restaurant nearby called "Brewzz" that makes their own beer. We split a small pizza (that ended up being huge) and fries in their nice outdoor dining area. Then we explored the area a little bit, seeing what was near us, which included a HUGE shopping mall that again reminded me of King of Prussia - Nordstrom, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and more loomed in front of us. We agreed that if we had time, we wouldn't mind checking it out.

We came back to the room and read for awhile. I had started my book "Unspoken" by Francine Rivers about Bathsheba that was EXCELLENT! I would highly recommend it. Unfortunately, I was only a few pages from finishing it - DOH! I should have brought more to read. Shawn agreed to look for a bookstore in the morning as we both devoured our books. Even to sit and read quietly without interruption is a treat for us! We also took the opportunity to call the boys and say goodnight. Neither really wanted to talk, but it made me feel better to hear them playing with their airplanes (thanks!) in the background. They were having a great time and not sad or missing us, which is great. As a parent, it makes you feel better to know that your kids are having fun.

After awhile, Shawn asked if I'd like to go down and explore more of the hotel. Sure! There is some group of old folks (part of a Squadron of some sort) staying here, and it was 'pirate' night. We laughed and laughed as these people barely able to walk were dressed to the nines in pirate garb. It was hysterical. We checked out the pool area and fitness center and then headed to the bar, which had a nice atmosphere both inside and out. Shawn ordered a drink for him and a piece of chocolate cake to split. YIKES! When we got the bill, that small slice of chocolate cake ended up being $10!!! We laughed - this entire area is EXPENSIVE! Fun for vacation, but not "realistic." While it was enjoyable, needless to say we have not been back down there since. We still chuckle about our $10 vacation cake. Joshua's birthday cake, in perspective, cost us .50 and a few more ingredients to feed an entire house full of people. (Do I sound like my parents or what?) Even on vacation, though, this is a season of life where we need to be careful.

When we came back to the room, it was later than normal for bedtime, at least for me. I think Shawn turned on the TV, but I don't remember. I nodded off before too terribly long, thankful for my husband, my boys, and our chance to vacation. We are truly blessed! It had been a long day of traveling, but we were safe and in the hands of a loving and faithful God.