A Weekend to Remember

I truly can't describe what an incredible time the Hubs and I had at the Family Life Today Weekend to Remember. Our experience was a trillion times better than an Oreo Blizzard, I can tell you that much.

The conference focused on God's design for marriage and our individual roles within marriage, and it was like a bowl full of encouragement for the Hubs and me.  One of the things the speakers said was that most often, married couples go through life on instinct and let the chips fall where they may, but God designed marriage as a gift and a blessing to us, and He's given us directions to show us how to make it work forever.  The entire weekend was spent picking apart God's design for marriage in a way that left the Hubs and I feeling so encouraged because we have a road map to follow when it comes to building a marriage relationship that will last forever. For ever ever.

It's amazing how much we learned from scripture and truth we already knew.  We have always sought to build our marriage according to God's design, but it was so helpful to have it outlined so clearly by the FamilyLife speakers. To be cleverly cliche, our marriage needed a tune-up like our car could use a trip to Valvoline, and we got it this weekend.  (Side note: Am I the only one who is always embarrassingly over the appropriate mileage when I pull in for an oil change? Eep!).  It was awesome to get away for a weekend and focus on "just us," and even more amazing was that we walked away feeling like we've got a game plan to guide us through a successful marriage in a culture where marriage is often tossed aside when the going gets tough.  We always knew without a doubt that we were in this for the long haul, but we weren't entirely sure of all the details that empower a marriage stay in it for the long haul.  This weekend did that for us, and we are so happy to have the know-how. 

KA-POW!

It was fabulous.  Have I said that yet?

The Hubs and I talked about how every marriage, no matter what, could so deeply benefit from attending the conference.  There were couples there that had been happily married for over 60 years.  There were couples there on the brink of divorce who attended as a last-ditch effort.  There were couples there that had been married a few months, and there were couples there like the Hubs and me, somewhere in the in between with a kid or 5 under our belts just looking for a breath of fresh air and some wisdom. By the end of the weekend, there were several testimonies from marriages at various points in the journey, expressing gratitude for all they had learned and how much they had grown as a couple over the weekend.  It was just that revolutionary.

And the best part? The best part was the conference wasn't touchy feely warm fuzzy stuff.  It was funny, laid back, better-than-a-date-night-good, and a ton of fun! It breathed life into our marriage in a way that only God can, and it. was. Amazing.  Check it out here. Or live out our new dream and go on this cruise because oh my yes please.

We're so excited about what we learned that we're chomping at the bit to start digging in to some of the resources they shared with us this weekend.  They had a resource center set up just outside the ball room where the conference was held. We spent a good chunk of time there, and I seriously wanted to buy every book in the place.  Here are a few items on my new book list. Yes, each one of those words is a link to a different book, and yes, I've got a great deal reading ahead of me. =)

One of my favorite quotes from the weekend was by Harlan Miller, which was printed on one of the pages in the manual they gave us: "Often the difference between a successful marriage and a mediocre one consists of leaving about three or four things a day unsaid."  As the Hubs would say, "Put that on a t-shirt and sell it!" The quote really resonated with me because I have what we call a BIG mouth. I actually laughed out loud when I read that quote because it is simply some of the best advice a chatty Kathy like me could hear. =)

After spending Friday evening and most of Saturday at the conference, on Saturday night they let us out early, and we took off from the ballroom for a fun date night and then spent the night at a hotel.  Such fun!  I really appreciated the crisp, clean white sheets and the lack of baby monitor static fuzzing into my ear from my nightstand. =)  It was a refreshing break from our routine, and we loved it.

The Hubs took me out to Olive Garden (my fave!) for dinner and surprised me with this pretty rose...aww...

Don't think we didn't buy some playing cards at the hotel souvenir shop and crank out a game of rat race and a few rounds of poker because that happened.

I love hotel coffee mugs.  Seriously.  They might make my birthday wish list this year.

Our view from the hotel was beautiful...I'm a sucker for pretty city-scapes out of hotel windows.  =)

Sunday afternoon it was back to our extraordinary ordinary, and we snuggled Newbie like we hadn't seen him in weeks.  He was happy to see us, which always warms my heart. Opie even got loved on after our weekend away.  I'm telling you, we are changed people. =)

We are really excited to start practicing all the things we learned this weekend as I work to shut my mouth (ha!) and we work together to love each other like we mean it and continue to allow the Lord to build our house on His foundation.

"There are lots of things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it." 
-C.S. Lewis

Hoping you all had a blessed weekend and see some almost-Spring-sunshine today! Happy Monday, friends!

[A HUGE thank-you Mom and Daddy for sending us on this weekend getaway and housing our circus while we were gone!!!  You guys rock our socks off. Love love love.]