Myrtle Beach Trip 2011

“I was dreaming last night when I got the notion to pack my bags and head out for the ocean.” -The Fantastic Shakers

David and I decided to work in a quick, semi-spur-of-the-moment Myrtle Beach trip before he started his new position that he had accepted. We left on a Saturday morning at the CRACK OF DAWN. MOST of the trip down was TERRIBLE weather. It alternated between overcast with a light drizzle to the raining-so-hard-you-can-see downpours pictured below. It did clear up as we got close to Myrtle, though.



We stopped at Shoney's in Rockingham, NC, for breakfast (one of our traditions)...



And stopped closer to the beach for gas and a stretch break at Sparky's, a colorful establishment that has also become one of our beach-trip-traditions over the past two years...



During our 3 days down there, we spent most of the mid-morning to mid-afternoon sitting on the beach and playing in the ocean. David and I both LOVE swimming in the ocean, so we have a ball!!













The sand crabs were unusually vicious on the ocean floor this year, and I was tired of getting pinched so many times. So I did what I said I would NEVER do and wore some "water shoes" so they couldn't get to me. At least I got them in Carolina Panthers colors. Take that, stupid crabs!!



We had a great oceanfront room with a straight ahead view of the beach...





One late afternoon/evening we drove North about 20 miles, back over the NC border, to Calabash NC and Sunset Beach NC for shopping and dinner. We got to see some beautiful scenery as well as walk out onto the beach there, which was of course less crowded and commercial and than Myrtle.







We stopped at an awesome group of shops, including a HUGE Christmas store in Calabash...



And ate dinner at Dockside Seafood, arguably the most popular of the authentic and famous "Calabash Seafood" restaurants in town.



After we ate, we walked out to the little dock on the inlet outside of the restaurant...very peaceful.





And yes, I know we are not centered in this one. This is what happens when you use the timer on the camera, and set the camera on an uneven surface!



Of course we also had to go to Barefoot Landing one evening, one of our favorite things to do in Myrtle. We got to see the tiger attraction, pose as "bad pirates," and just enjoy the beauty of the area...









Each evening we ended by sitting on the balcony. The moon reflected over the ocean, and there was a great band playing at the oceanfront bar at our hotel. It was great to sit out there, watch the water, and listen to the music!



And this is the 2nd Myrtle Beach trip in a row that David has snapped a picture of me sleeping. He says I look "cute" but I think he really just wants to gather material to blackmail me! ;-)



I am so glad we got to take a little summer getaway together! :-)

3 Years Since Our First Date

"And I wouldn't change a thing, I'd walk right back through the rain, back through every broken heart on the day that it was breaking...and I'd relive all the years, and be thankful for the tears I cried with every stumbled step that led to you and got me here." -Rascal Flatts

Tuesday, August 9th was the 3 year anniversary of when I had my first date with David. I can't believe it! I cannot believe that in just 36 months I have met an amazing man, fallen in love with him, and now been married to him for almost 2 years! WOW!

It's really amazing for me to look back and see how God orchestrated everything. Three years ago, I had just gotten out of a 2-plus-yearish relationship and was reeling with hurt, sadness, disappointment, and the thought that I would I would be "starting over" in terms of finding a mate. Several of my friends prodded me to try online dating, although not to find a husband. They said I simply needed to "remember" how to date other people - to get "back on the horse" so to speak so I wouldn't just sit around having a pity party. I had always been pretty weary and skeptical about the online dating idea, but signed up for Match.com just to see what would happen. I met David on Match.com almost immediately, and after 3 weeks of talking on email and a little on the phone, we had our first date - a lunch date at Natty Green's in downtown Greensboro. I remember thinking before this first date, "Well, I'll probably get there, and he'll end of being weird." Or, "this may be a fun lunch, but won't turn into anything." After all, I was literally 3 weeks out of a long relationship and couldn't imagine that this would be a date with my future husband. HOW WRONG I WAS!!!! :-)

The first words David ever said to me, the first time he saw me, were "WOW, you look pretty!!!" Major points for him from the very beginning!!! We had a WONDERFUL first date, and David says he knew on our first date that God intended me to be his wife. I knew shortly thereafter, and after 6 months of dating he proposed to me and we got married 8 months after that. WOW!

So of course, we had to do something to celebrate the 3 year mark from "where it all began." So on August 9th we went to Natty Green's for dinner. :-) What a great time of reminiscing!!! Although we sat inside this time because it was HOT HOT HOT that day (on the day of our first date, we sat outside).








I don't think I've ever shared the story of how David and I met before on this blog. For those of you skeptical of online dating - give it a try! For some of us, it ends up being God's way of leading us to our soulmate! :-) David, you were totally worth the wait!!!

A Big Blessing and National Night Out

“I have an affection for a great city. I feel safe in the neighborhood of man, and enjoy the sweet security of the streets.” –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Well, as usual, I have been a delinquent blogger. Like a month delinquent. Oops.

But the good news is that I have some AWESOME news to share. David got a new job - again!!! And this one is - get this - PERMANENT. FULL TIME. NOT GRANT NOR CONTRACT FUNDED. WOO HOO!!! He is the new Environmental Health and Safety Regional Manager for LabCorp in Burlington (only about a 25 mile commute each way). So now each morning, I go 25 miles West to Winston Salem and he goes 25 East to Burlington. We couldn't be more happy about God's gracious provision. He has been on the job for over a week now and loves it. Loves the job and loves the people he works with. WOW, what an AMAZINGLY big blessing for us. Praise God from whom all blessings flow! I'm so proud of my husband!

At the beginning of August (just a few days before David got this job offer) we went over to my parents neighborhood for their annual National Night Out Neighborhood Celebration organized by their Community Watch organization. It is held at a park at one end of their neighborhood. Our neighborhood sadly has no such get together, but we enjoy partaking in theirs (AND we always bring food to contribute!)







This year the Remax balloon was there to give people tethered hot-air balloon rides! You know we had to do this!!! :-)











Here is what everyone on the ground looked like from our perspective. When we got pretty high, the crowd started yelling at us to kiss each other at the top. So we did of course! :-)



And a view of the trees...



What a hot but fun way to spend a Tuesday evening in August!!!