Marriage Retreat

My dear hubby and I spent a weekend away last weekend camping ALONE!!

As in, no kids.

Just us.

It was wonderful. We went up to Victoria Bryant State Park about an hour-and-a-half from our home with our camper and enjoyed a weekend away. We had not been able to do this since getting our new camper back 3 months ago. Lots of trips with Tori-bug and we love going with friends and family, but we soooo needed some time away to renew our relationship.
Victoria Bryant State Park is a beautiful park in North Georgia. Since we don't have a TV in the camper, the weekend was filled with relaxing, hiking a nature trail, reading, cooking out, and listening to the radio. I loved having this time to spend with just Kevin.

This weekend, we were able to attend a Love and Laughter marriage retreat with Dr. Gary Smalley and Ted Cunningham at a local church. Friday night and Sat. morning until lunch we learned how to put the laughter back in our marriage. Boy, oh boy did we laugh and laugh. The seminar was awesome. Kevin and I have been together for 19 years and married for 12 years. Like so many other couples life gets in the way and we are busy raising children that we sometimes forget about each other. We didn't know it at the time, but several other couples from our church attended the same seminar. We sat on the front row with two of the other couples and got "called" out a few times b/c we were laughing and agreeing with what the speakers were saying. One of the couples ended up getting a free book b/c Dr. Smalley was "picking" on them! It was hysterical. We love sitting up front where all the action is. Plus, with my OCD and Kevin's ADD, we have a hard time paying attention sitting in the back. Ha! It was neat getting to spend alone time with my hubby last weekend and learning at the marriage retreat the following weekend. Great week indeed! We bought a few of the books and some of the books on CD and even a study book so hopefully we can keep up the laughter for months and years to come.

The rest of the home front is going good too! Tori-bug is in full-swing of gymnastics practice and 5th. grade. She has a really good teacher this year so we are happy about that. Business is good for Kevin right now since it is still mid-90's in the middle of Sept. in Georgia! Pretty unusual for us in Georgia, although you just never know. A few years ago, it was so cold on Labor Day in GA that we nearly froze. When you own a heating and air company you are thankful for the extreme temps. whether it is too hot or too cold. We will take what we can get. I am still working 32 hrs. a week. I changed my schedule a little to a half day on Wed. and a half day on Thursdays so now I am able to co-lead a middle school girls small group bible study on Wed. nights. I was not able to do this in a long period of time (mostly b/c of my severe back pain) so it makes me feel great that I can get back involved. Since I only work a half a day, I am able to come home and rest before going to church on Wednesdays if I need to.

Well, that's about it for the Whiddon's. Happy Birthday to my daddy on Sept. 20th! I love you daddy!!

Note to hubby:: Let's balance the budget this week! I love you!!