Focus On The Turtle

My hubbs and I celebrated our one year anniversary by taking a trip to Orlando. We stayed at the Westgate Resort and Spa, it was so nice!












There were mirrors everywhere, that was a little strange...!








Our room had such a pretty view of the water!




That night, we went to a dine-in theater. It was so cool! We had never been to one before. It's just like a movie theater except your row has a table and servers take your order and deliver your meal. Pretty neat :)








The next day, we went paddle boating. Let me just say, it's a lot of leg work and you only go like 1/2 a mile an hour... But hey, it was free at our resort and now we can say we've done it!












We also went to one of my favorite places- Sea World! We rode some rides, saw some shows, and ate some dippin dots :)








We fed some animals, which is always frightening to me haha.








And went to a sea turtle show! I'm a little obsessed with sea turtles. I think they're the cutest things since sliced bread.
In the sea turtle show, you watch a 3D movie about baby sea turtles, then go through an aquarium with sea turtles that have been rescued. The big guy pictured lost his arm to a shark.








Later, we went to a carnival- type place called Fun Spot. We drove... (why does drove not seem like a real word to me right now? Anyway...) ...drove go-carts, rode rides, and ate slushies :)




My FAVORITE part of Fun Spot, and probably my favorite part about the whole trip was the Sky Coaster! It's known as the highest skycoaster in the world, reaching 300 feet at its highest point. It was absolutely terrifying. Jon and I both agreed it was the freakiest thing we've ever done, but SO. MUCH. FUN!








First, they harness you up in these oh-so-flattering ensembles.




Then they hook you up to a cable, lay you on your bellies, and drraaaaggg you up 300 feet in the air. Up. Up. Up...
There were like 3 different times I thought to myself "Surely this is as high as we're going.... Surely were not going any higher than this"... and higher we went.




So, we're going up and I start getting nervous. Like, really nervous. So I tell Jon "I'm kinda freaking out!" And he says "Look! A turtle!" I look down at the lake below us and sure enough, a little turtle swimming around. Jon says "Just focus on the turtle."
So I focused on the turtle until it turned into a teensy little dot.
When you get to the very top of the sky coaster, a voice comes on over the intercom. It says "THREE! TWO! ONE! Pull the cord!!!" And then you're supposed to pull your own ripcord to release yourself into the abyss.
Needless to say, Jon had to pull our ripcord because I knew from the beginning that I was not gonna be able to. I mean, really? You're about to fall to your potential death and they can't just pull the cord for you?? So yeah, he pulled the cord. And down we went.
Apparently the top half of your body is heavier than your bottom half. I discovered that because we started out on our bellies, and as gravity began to take effect, we were falling head first towards the water below. And I'm screaming. And Jon is yelling "Oh My Gosh!" And then the cable catches us, and we swing forward. Then backward, then forward. I finally stop screaming and release my death grip on Jon's arm. I extend my arms out like a bird. Exhilarating.
We slowly float back and forth until we're close enough to the ground that we can grab the pole that the ride operators hold up for us. Then they lower us down to safety.
See the picture below? The tiny dot? Those are people!




I wanted to do it again so bad! But unfortunately Fun Spot only allows you to ride the Sky Coaster one time unless you wanna pay 20 more bucks per person... And let's be honest, we ain't rich ;)
When we got off the ride, I hugged Jon and said "thanks for pointing out the turtle". This isn't the first time he's had to calm me down... I tend to be a worrier. (Worry-er? Eh, whatevs)
You see, this last year has been the best and worst year of my life. I married the man of my life, and a few months later my parents filed for divorce. Jon got an awesome job as a youth pastor in Florida, which meant I was moving very, very far away from my friends and family.
But through everything, Jon encourages me. He comforts me. He prays with me. When I'm mad for a silly reason, he talks me off the ledge. And when I'm mad for a real reason, he's on my side and defends me to no end. He finds the turtle and helps me focus on it. I love him :)


Happy one year, my love. I'm excited for lots lots more.
Have a wonderful day.

My In-Loves

I've heard people occasionally and affectionately replace the term "in-laws" with "in-loves" because it was love that brought the families together, not just law.

Meh.... Kinda cheesy if you ask me.

At least that's how I used to feel. However, before we were even married, I've liked Jon's family. Although this post will be mostly about his parents, I also love his sisters and his niece and nephew. I'm blessed that I get to claim them all now too :)

I have friends whose in-laws are not very nice people. I have friends whose in-laws weren't accepting of them. I have friends whose in-laws are drama drama drama.

Not mine.

On Sunday, June 16th, we celebrated Father's Day (also our First Anniversary :) but more on that later) After church, the family got together at Jon's parents house and Dan (Jon's dad) grilled out some yummy steaks and his mom made baked potatoes, Mac and cheese, and other lunch time yumminess.

Then we let Dan open his presents and cards. He got an Otter Box for his phone (which was already cracked... He's a little clumsy) ;) He also got lots of Whoppers (the candy, not the burger), and a new golf bag!


As he was opening presents and reading cards, I got to thinking. If you know me very well, you probably know that I'm not very comfortable with expressing my feelings vocally. Aca-awkward.

But as I sat there I thought "I should have given him my own card instead of just signing the one from Jon and me. I'd tell him how thankful I am for him. I'd tell him how rare it is to have a father like him and how truly blessed his wife and kids and grand kids are. I'd tell him that if it wasn't for him, Jon wouldn't be the man he is, and if he wasn't the man he is I wouldn't have married him. I'd tell him thank you for raising the perfect man for me. Thank you for spending time with him and showing him how a man acts. Thank you for investing in him and being involved." I still kinda wish I'd written my own card. Maybe next year :)

Anywho....

Back to our First Anniversary... it was also Sunday the 16th. One whole year baby, whoo hoo!!

You know that tradition where you eat the top tier of your wedding cake on your first anniversary? Well we were totally planning on doing that, but we knew we'd be driving for two days during our move to Florida. So we took our little wedding cake tier that was sealed up nice and tight, and we put it in a cooler. We put ice in the cooler so that the icing wouldn't melt and the cake would stay nice and yummy. Once at a gas station about half way through, I checked on the cake and it still looked scrumptious and pretty. We put fresh ice in the cooler and figured it'd be good the rest of the trip.

Well.. We get to St Pete and start unpacking. We open up the cooler to discover that the ice had mostly melted. I didn't think much of it until I pulled out the container that held the cake... And it had water in it. Upon further investigation, we discovered a good portion of the icing had fallen off and the cake had soaked up water like a sponge. Sad sad sad!!!

I was just going to go ahead and forget about the tradition, but two days before our anniversary I got really bummed that we wouldn't have any wedding cake to eat. So I used this handy dandy website called "google" and found a local bakery. I asked them to make us just a Plain-white-top-tier-of-the-wedding-cake Cake and they happily obliged. We picked up the cake the next day and it was so cute! I was happy that we'd at least have some kind of cake to eat.

So the next day, we go over to my in-laws for the steaks and Father's Day fun. Of course it's our anniversary, but I didn't really expect that occasion to get much attention because it was Father's Day. But the next thing I know, Pam (Jon's mom) pulls out this little box, hands it to us, and says "happy anniversary!"

The box was from a little bakery. The top tier of a wedding cake. Decorated with our wedding colors. And it said "Happy 1st Anniversary".

How. Freakin. Sweet.


So we ended up getting to cut our little wedding cake and share it with our family on our First Anniversary. Perfection :) and the other cake? Um we ate that one as well. Can't have too much cake, right?!





I seriously got teary eyed and I don't like people to see me cry... But honestly. How thoughtful is that? How considerate? I hadn't even told her that I wanted a replacement. She seriously just put herself in my shoes, felt the disappointment I felt, and took it upon herself to get us the cake. And on Father's Day! It was not supposed to be our day! But that's honestly the kind of people they are. Selfless. Thoughtful. Considerate.

And now when I use the term "in-laws" it sounds distant, kinda cold and void of emotion or relationship. Yucky.

So... I forever will consider them my in-loves. Because it's true, it's not just a law that binds us together and makes us family. It's not a law that makes Dan a fun, devoted father. It's not a law that makes Pam sweet and thoughtful. It's love. Now.... will I go around calling them my "in-loves" all the live-long day? Ehh... It's still a little cheesetastic. But just so you know, that's how I feel and I'll call them that in my head ;)

Anyone else love their in laws? Anyone have any fun stories of hatred towards their in laws? Just kidding... But if you do, please share ;)

Thanks for reading.

Have a wonderful day.

Half-full Penske Truck

Two weeks ago, Jon and I packed up everything we own and stuffed it into a Penske truck.... Ok maybe it wasn't exactly "stuffed"... Maybe it was only about half full. But we're newlywed/college kids so we're not SUPPOSED to own a lot... right?! All of our property was either given to us, found on ebay, or bought from a flea market. And we have approximately 4 large pieces of furniture. But anyway.





Please excuse my greasy hair and lack of make-up!

Thus began our two day drive to Florida. My mom and two youngest brothers helped us out by driving one of our cars the whole way, and we towed the other car. Jon and I were in the Penske truck passing the time with music, eating, the alphabet game, etc. Oh and selfies. Can't forget about the ever-entertaining selfies :)








We stayed in a motel over night and continued driving the next day. We finally arrived in St Pete, Florida on Wednesday night. It took us a few tries to find the house in which we're staying, but once we did, it was time to unpack.






My mom and brothers were staying for 10 more days, so we turned it into a family vacation of sorts!

We went to the beach. My mom and I may or may not have a strange obsession with palm trees.





We got to meet cutie pie, Grayson Carmichael.





Hung out at WonderWorks in Orlando.








Mom and I got our hair did ;)


She's a hottie.


And we went in-shore fishing! I caught 5 fish, more than anyone else that day. Just sayin ;) 2 trout, a mackerel, a catfish, and a ladyfish.














Then it was time to drop them off at the airport. I cried, mom cried, brothers stoically said "see ya". Hugs. Tears. Good byes.






And then I was alone. Of course I have my amazing husband, for whom I'm incredibly thankful. But the realization that I was 22 hours away from my friends and family was a little overwhelming. I don't have friends here yet. I don't know the streets. I don't even know how to get to church or my gym. I'm not longer able to drive two hours if I decide on a whim that I want to see my mom or friends. Everything is foreign.

But guess what.

I'm so incredibly blessed. If you don't know already, the reason why we moved to Florida is because my husband accepted a full time position as a youth pastor. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have wanted, dreamed about, and prayed since I was 16 years old that God would put me in a ministry position. Now we're here. We're doing it. I'm terrified and excited and anxious and thankful. I hope I connect with the youth girls. I hope I'm a good example. I hope I make good friends. I hope I hope I hope!

Anywho. Those are my thought as of late.

Thanks for reading :)

Have a wonderful day.