a birthday party, a getaway, and the greatest love we'll ever know.

a few months ago i turned 35. i shared my thoughts here, maybe you read them?  at the time, i had really wanted to share what my husband had done for my birthday.  i have a post that i started and never got around to finishing because life just got the better of me.  i tell you what friends, that husband of mine is setting the bar pretty high lately with his creativity and gift giving. first, he threw a progressive dinner surprise party.  it was awesome!  at each location there was a host of new people and food and drink and fun. (i believe he had help on this one!)

then to top off the night, he gives me one last present.  inside was an itinerary for a weekend away set for february.  he informs me that he has arranged for us to go away, kidless, with 3 of my best friends & their husbands.  at this point, i begin bawling.  i couldn't even speak.  when i was finally able to get words out, i explained to him that secretly what i wanted for my birthday was to go away with some of my friends.  i never told this to anyone because i figured it would be too difficult to try to arrange schedules and make it work, so i just didn't even bother putting much thought into it or bother bringing it up.  as i sat there with tears streaming down my face, all i could think was "only God".  only He could arrange the details and prompt my husband to initiate such a gift.  i was in total awe!

so, last month we finally had our weekend away (minus one couple because in the end, schedules did not quite align).  it was such a sweet retreat, and God provided the most glorious weather that weekend!  we didn't have much of an agenda other than eat good food, drink some wine, play cards and enjoy the fact that we would have a whole weekend where we could live right next door to each other!

sadly, we did not get a group shot

these friends of mine? they are some of the good ones.  my friend jess and i are big shauna niequist fans and got to hear her speak at the influence conference back in september.  during her talk she shared how important it is to get things on the calendar.  if it doesn't make it to the calendar, then most likely it will never happen.  as someone who i feel has written the book on community and how to do it well, i heed her advice without second thought.  we decided that weekend at the conference that we would schedule monthly dinners with our respective families and our friend Jen's family.  it's something we have done for years and years now, our families having grown over those years, but more recently they have become much more sporadic.  when we are together though, gathered around the table sharing a meal and catching up, it just feels right.  it feels like home.  it's such a rare, beautiful thing that i cherish so deeply.  i think there was one month since october that it didn't work out, but this gorgeous february weekend made up for that!

and of course, having time for just mike and i, strolling hand in hand down cobblestone streets does a little for the soul too.  we don't get too many opportunities to go out just the two of us, and honestly, sometimes when we do get an opportunity, we allow eli to tag along because we love being with him so much!  but this weekend was so refreshing for us as we got to talk and dream and soak up togetherness.

as we strolled along the river, and i stared out at the horizon where the river appeared to blend with the skyline, i was reminded of a song we had listened to on our drive down to virginia.

(here is love // matt redman)

and i just thought, thank you, lord, for knowing me and loving me.  because there is nothing on this earth that compares to His love.  He knows us, like really knows us, our hearts' desires, our deepest longings, our innermost thoughts, our heartbreaks, our sorrow, what brings us joy, what brings us peace, our deepest needs.  He knows. He knows it all, and it's a beautiful reminder to stare into the distance knowing that the God of the universe, the Creator of all things, knows me and loves me with a love vast as the ocean.