marriage

Breathing easier in the mountains

August 20, 2019 by Kristin 3 Comments

I’ve been unpacked for a couple of weeks, but I’m still thinking about Colorado.

For my 40th birthday in May, Greg planned a trip for us to go to Colorado. We postponed the original June plan a couple of months because the beginning of summer was hard for me. But we flew out three days exactly after I turned 40 on what was also our 17th anniversary to see some friends and some mountains. I’m grateful for the way Greg knows me and knew I needed this trip at this time.

While I love planning trips, part of the joy of this gift is Greg mapped out our route and planned the general itinerary. We sat down together one night to book flights, hotels, and some activities for our four days in Colorado. I’d never been and was happy to go this way!

Monument / Colorado Springs

After breakfast at Snooze in Denver, we headed to Monument, just north of Colorado Springs, where my high school friend Dustin & Shelley (well, Dustin and I have been friends since middle school …) live. They fed us at a delicious, local Mexican restaurant called La Casa Fiesta, where I learned about calabacitas, before giving us a tour of Garden of the Gods.

Pikes Peak

Greg drove up to the summit at Pikes Peak, which is 14,115 feet high. The drive between mile markers 13 and 16 was particularly tense, but we parked at the last shuttle lot at mile marker 16 and took a shuttle to the top, where there was construction happening for a new visitors center. Even so, the views were amazing. We were at the top around noon and it was 50 degrees, compared to 80 degrees at the same time in Colorado Springs.

Breckenridge

The drive from Pikes Peak to Breckenridge might have been my favorite stretch of highway. The meadows and little towns between the mountains were lovely. I kept taking pictures of this drive (and all the others) and the images just don’t do the reality justice.

(But you can see all my attempts at capturing this lovely state here.)

We stayed at the River Mountain Lodge in downtown Breckenridge and really loved the hotel. The location was perfect and the room was spacious yet cozy. We didn’t get to explore downtown Breck as much as we had hoped because it was raining by the time we got there. We did eat a delicious meal at Blue River Bistro.

The next morning we had breakfast at Columbine Cafe and then rode the gondola up a mountain to where there were summer activities on what would otherwise be a ski slope. We took a chairlift up farther and an alpine slide down.

Idaho Springs

We didn’t get much time in Breckenridge because we had an early afternoon whitewater rafting reservation with Colorado Adventure Center in Idaho Springs. We did the beginner trip and really enjoyed the trip in the creek that’s fed by snow runoff and was still 38 degrees.

Estes Park

After rafting, we headed toward Estes Park, mostly on the Peak to Peak Highway, which was a gorgeous drive through and around and up and down mountains. We got there in time for dinner at The Grubsteak and dessert on the strip of downtown shops. Greg had ice cream in a homemade chocolate chip cone from the Danish Cone Factory and I had the best taffy I’ve ever tasted from Purple Mountain Taffy.

We stayed at a quaint hotel called Nicky’s Resort at which I wish we’d had more time to eat and relax. In the morning, we ate cinnamon rolls at a Cinnamon’s Bakery and then headed into Rocky National Park. Greg drove us along Trail Ridge Road, which is the highest continuously paved road. The highest point of this road that meanders right through mountain tundra is 12,183 feet. Once again, the temperatures on top of the mountain were about 30 degrees colder and prompted us to put on sweatshirts.

We spent some more time walking around downtown Estes Park. We lunched at Bob and Tony’s Pizza before I discovered Cliffhanger Used Books, where I could have spent even more time than I did. We drove around Estes Park taking in some more lovely views before we headed back to Denver, where we visited with our college friend Sarah before heading to the airport to fly home.

Conclusion

The road trip really worked for us, giving us time to take in views, listen to music, and talk about whatever came to mind. I really loved Colorado and already hope to take my kids back someday, perhaps even spending more time in each location.

I’m a details person, but the great big mountains and views of all these different places in just four days were good for my soul. I felt like I could breathe easier (figuratively, hello, altitude) and remember my place in this great big world while enjoying the adventure with my husband.

Seventeen years

August 3, 2019 by Kristin 4 Comments

Seventeen years of marriage. That seems oddly significant. Really, every year of marriage is significant because this world doesn’t value faithfulness and ordinary. But I sure do. Especially from my husband who works hard to take care of us and so many other people.

I was naive when we got married, have had to walk through some hard seasons, and am thankful for where I am. I didn’t expect most of this life to look like it does, but God has a way of surprising us with we didn’t know we needed.

Many years ago Greg told me to stop saying I didn’t like Asian food if I actually hadn’t tried it. (Turns out it’s a favorite!) He’s eaten many meals when I was figuring out how to cook and we’ve certainly landed on regular favorites. He’s shown me the beauty of country living and taught me more than I’ve ever cared to know about turkeys and deer.

We’ve been on trips around the country and even the world. We’ve been scared and surprised. We’ve laughed and cried. We’ve grieved and dreamed. He’s always ready to jump into a new adventure! And he quickly got on board with my desire to have a big porch and a pool.

We both grew up in houses where our friends gathered. And now that’s we want to happen here. We want to host gatherings, raise our kids to keep their eyes open, and build community starting with two ordinary people who have been a team for 17 years and pointing to Jesus.

I’m thankful Greg continues to choose me, walk by my side, and teach me about myself. I don’t even want to imagine my life without him.

Happy anniversary, husband.

*****

Read other anniversary posts: Five years. Six years. Seven years. Nine years. Ten years. Eleven years. Twelve years. Thirteen years. Fourteen years. Fifteen years. Sixteen years.

Celebrating 15 years, practically.

August 2, 2017 by Kristin 28 Comments

This seems like a big anniversary. Tomorrow Greg and I officially celebrate 15 years of marriage.

I’m grateful for where we are as I keep hearing about marriages not making it. I’m relieved I’ve managed to grow up since the hot day I said, “I do.” I’m certain God gave us this life together for reasons I know without a doubt and those I don’t even know yet.

Fifteen years reminds me we are rooted and committed. We have rhythms and inside jokes. We don’t have to talk about everything because we know how each other think yet we want to talk because we’re in this together.

We have a babysitter tomorrow night so we can go to out to a local Japanese restaurant and then buy a new mattress. We may even go to Lowe’s to pick out tile and countertops for a partial kitchen remodel. Oh, and Greg scheduled a professional to clean out my minivan – and I’m giddy about it!

Perhaps that practicality mixed in the date is what fifteen years is about.

We’ve got to do what we need to do,
and doing it together is my favorite way.

{Tweet that.}

You see, Greg has seen the worst of me but believes in the best of me. He’s helped me become a better version of myself because he’s in tune to what God wants for us. That’s what fifteen years of marriage has done and what the years to come will do.

*****

Read other anniversary posts :: Five years. Six years. Seven years. Nine years. Ten years. Eleven years. Twelve years. Thirteen years. Fourteen years.

Earlier this week, I shared about one of my favorite fiction reads of the year, if you’re looking for your next book.