Many people take a vacation right before they give birth, and call it a 'babymoon'- sort of a last chance at sleeping in, taking quiet time to yourself, and just being a couple.
Walter and I are taking a different kind of babymoon, but it's also a lot the same. After we found out our IVF had failed, as we were healing Walter and I talked a lot, and we began talking about round two. In passing Walter told me that he kind of felt we have been 'trying' our whole marriage (we have) and that it's because almost a little obsession with us both (it has). "Wouldn't it be nice, to just go away for a couple of days and completely not care or not talk about babies?" he said (it would). It was then I realized I had put having a baby before having a marriage so many times. I stopped what I was doing and looked him right in the eye and promised we would have a vacation to ourselves before I would even consider another round of IVF.
The date has been moved around a bit, but we've finally settled on one. Walter is taking off work June 13th-June 18th. That is Wednesday to a Monday. The 13th is also our 3rd wedding anniversary.
But how do you save for vacation when you're saving for a baby fund, an adoption fund, and trying to keep up with bills?! By the grace of God. We've thought of vacations from Disneyworld (me) to just sitting at home and telling everyone we're on vacation (him), but we finally sat down and talked about what was important for us for a vacation. He said he wanted quiet, to chill, and read, and nothing ridiculously fancy. He didn't necessarily want a 'road trip' or a place with a lot of children. I wanted Disneyworld! Mine included LOTS of things to do, and the road trip experience, and the hotel, and the fancy dinners... but then he told me to think about what I really
needed in a vacation, and I thought. What I
need right now is to be away in a quiet place with my husband. To sit and talk and have not a lot of distractions. I wouldn't be broken-hearted if we didn't see one pregnant lady... and so the idea of little company was nice. Most of all, I wanted to go into a room and be with him, and be able to make a mess and not have to clean it up! Ahhhhh vacation.
A friend suggested Pier Marquette, and we looked there, and it began some really great conversation for Walter and I. He wanted this, and I wanted this, and so we finally stumbled on the
Illinois Bed & Breakfast Association website. There is a place to check amenities you want and it finds you on in the state. We narrowed it down to four out of hundreds, and then found one that blew it all away.
We decided on
Oakridge Manor in Creal Springs southern Illinois:
Isn't it absolutely beautiful?! It looks like a little piece of couples-getaway-heaven and I seriously cannot wait. It's a bed & breakfast, so of course the rooms have cute little themes. There's 'Grandma's Room', and 'The Kokopelli Room', and 'The Dragonfly Room'... but the remaining two rooms have been re-done and modernized beyond belief. They are totally mine and Walter's style, and we're deciding between the two.
'The Loft'
and 'The Nine Dragons':
Walter and I also have a vow renewal every year on our anniversary. We take turns planning them. I planned the first with friends in front of our first home with candles and music at midnight, before I had to leave for Bigstuf camp to teach in the morning. He planned the second, a gothic renewal in a quiet park section of a cemetery. The third will be here, but I've got more planned. ;) Each year we write vows and talk about our next year of marriage, what we hope to accomplish, and what we vow to work on. Each year we like to have a moment thanking God for this wonderful blessing called love and marriage. Come What May we know we have each other.
Please be in prayer for us financially, that we can make this happen and that we are wise with the money God gives to us. We want to learn to be good stewards of all His Blessings, and that includes finances and our marriage. Thank you so much.
Also, which room would you choose? :)
