Every Day Together is Wonderful

There is a saying in Texas. There are those that live here that were born here. And there are those that live here that got here as fast as they could. I fall into the first category. And my darling husband falls into the second. I am a proud 5th generation Texan, and when we talk about retiring, I consider other states, but it is really hard for me to contemplate ever leaving my beloved Lone Star State.

Steve has lived here with me now for 27 years, and has come to love my state as much as anyone can. If you were to meet him, you'd never guess him to be a native New Yorker. One of the reasons that he loves Texas so much, I believe, is because of all that the state has to offer in the many regions it has, the warmer climate it offers, and the many types of food you can savor. From the gulf shores to the piney woods to the northern plains to the hill country, there is more to see and do than you can take in.

We first discovered the Texas Hill Country together when we were in our first or second year of marriage. I have pictures of us traveling to Brenham to see the bluebonnets, bearing our little Cocker Spaniel puppy, and I know that was 1988 or 1989. What I don't know is if we had traveled to the hills before that trip. As a child, I am certain I traveled to the area with Girl Scouts, with a grade school friend Trisha to her grandparents' house, and almost certainly with my own family. 

When Steve and I lived in Houston, the Hill Country was a fun 2-3 hour getaway. When the four of us moved to San Antonio, we were blessed to be living in the Hill Country. {These remain some of my favorite years.} When we moved to McAllen, we were 3-4 hours south of the Hill Country, and now, from our home, we are about 4-5 hours. It seems we move farther and farther away from an area we grow to love more and more. I guess that makes visiting it all the richer, and we have always tried to visit it every chance we get.

In 2014, with just one son still at home, who was working most evenings and weekends, it seemed like Steve and I could plan a little getaway for two. We set a date and secured my mom to come babysit Truman, and be on hand in case of any emergency, and set about to find a place to escape. The Hill Country seemed like a natural place to consider, and I was focusing on the Wimberley area. A Google search and some reviews on Trip Advisor led us to the Sage Hill Inn. 

Even though it had rave online reviews, until we stepped onto the property, we couldn't imagine how much we would fall in love with this simple property tucked into the live oaks among the hills south of Austin. It seemed like the misty, fog-wrapped weekend was conspiring with us, inviting us to unwind and relax. The chilly weather kept us indoors, camping out near the fireplace in our room, or the fireplace in the common library. We read, we watched movies, we each had a massage, we sat on the porch and watched rain fall, we had superb meals, we went to bed early, we slept in.

We unwound. We reconnected. We escaped from the tough, in the middle moments between our two back to back graduating seniors. Just looking at these pictures I can remember so many little moments about the trip. While we have been adapting to sending our boys off to college, and adjusting to them not being in our every day lives, it is moments like this that remind me how much Steve and I enjoy each other. How every day together is wonderful. 

I am hopeful that we have at least another twenty years together. I'd really love to beg for thirty. Or even forty. Whatever time we have together is enough. Whatever time we have together is never enough. But, no matter how busy or stressful work can be, or what lies around the corner of life, we are committed to taking each day as it comes, making the most of our story, looking for beauty around us, working to make each one a happy day, knowing that we are adored by the other, reveling in the richness of our love.

Yes, a hill country weekend is wonderful. But, every day is wonderful when you are married to your best friend. We've had 27 wonderful years. Here's hoping for another 27 years, full of wonderful weeks and weekends, be they at home or away. 

Hill Country Weekend ~ Sage Hill Inn, Wimberley, TX ~ March 2014

Sketch Credit: Scrapbook Generation

Paper: Echo Park

Title Font: Ballerina Script