The BIGGIE area for this trip--MONEY!! Matt planned this trip. His one contingency in doing the planning--that I didn't complain about the money he spent!!! You see, Matt is very LAID BACK regarding spending money. I'm NOT. So I had agreed (gulp) to not complain about how much he spent on the trip. This meant letting him make all the arrangements, deciding how much we would spend on everything. It made me a bit nervous, but I know its a way God wants to show me how to LET GO of control in that area of our marriage. My first "test" came on the drive to our hotel when I discovered a purchase that he had made (around $100) that I deemed "completely unnecessary"!! When I found out about it, I sat in the car and sulked for about 15 minutes before I finally released the bitterness to God and LET GO of it. Seriously, these are the things Satan uses to try to ruin us. I was--I AM--determined not to let that nasty monster steal my joy! Especially on this trip, which Matt had worked so hard to plan.
Now that I've given you a little background, let me say that my husband did an AWESOME job of planning this trip! Thanks to Uncle Sam and his Economic Stimulus, we had the money to take this trip, and Matt didn't have trouble spending every penny of it! He arranged for us to stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota. This place totally lived up to the Ritz's reputation! I must say I felt a little uncomfortable at first being waited on the way these people do. I have never seen such service! At many places you feel like an employee is very irritated that he has to wait on you. Not here! These people made you feel like it was their absolute pleasure to make sure we had everything we needed and were comfortable. If you're ever in Sarasota with money to burn--I'd recommend staying here!!
I know pictures don't do justice, but here are a few anyways.
Our room looked exactly like this whenever we came back from somewhere--no matter how messy it was when we left it! 
The view from our balcony.
The pool and access to the beach was located at the Ritz Carlton's Private Beach Club, a few miles away from our hotel. Shuttle service was provided to get us there everyday.
At the beach and the pool we were waited upon with the same great service. They brought us ice water every hour or so and of course one could order from the drink menu--which Matt did several times, while I (the cheap one) happily sipped my ice water. (Note sunburn in this picture)
Most of the pictures we have of the two of us together involve severe neck strain on my part as I held the camera out. I think this picture is funny because of the color difference of our skin. What can I say--I'm fortunate that the sun turns me BROWN! My dear husband only turns RED!
The view from my eyes for two glorious days. (The third day it poured rain most of the day.) I will say that experiencing God's magnificent ocean is one of my top 3 pleasures on this planet!
Wednesday evening the rain cleared for a little while and we walked around the marina and enjoyed the gorgeous sunset.
A kind stranger agreed to take this picture for us. It's the only one we have of the two of us together without my neck strained!
While we had two WONDERFUL days on the beach in the gorgeous Florida sunshine, on our final full day we had to get more creative and find other things to do, as apparently Florida needed rain more than we needed another day in the sun! We tried walking around the mall for awhile, but I just wasn't into it, as I didn't come to Florida to shop! (REALLY!) In the afternoon the downpour slowed to a drizzle and we drove to Siesta Key Beach a few miles away, which is a beautiful, HUGE, white sandy beach, and collected shells for our munchkins at home. It turned out to be a really fun afternoon, meandering along a nearly deserted beach enjoying each other's company.
The final morning we had to switch to going-home mode. I missed my children terribly by that point, but besides that, would've loved to have been able to stay awhile longer. It was actually a bit of an emotional day for me. I truly had enjoyed being alone with Matt without the distractions of life we experience at home. Part of me wanted to stay in that fantasy world and not come back to all my responsibilities waiting for me at home. As I took some time alone out on the balcony that morning, God reminded me of the LONG list of things I have to be thankful for--which is far too extensive to list here, but a few highlights:
I'm thankful for a husband who was willing to plan this trip for me and who'll spare no expense to please me!
I'm thankful for family and friends willing and able to care for our children so we could take time away to be alone.
I'm thankful that Matt and I sincerely ENJOY each other's company. I know this isn't something to be taken for granted in a marriage.
I'm thankful I have a home to go back to--even with all the responsibilites that come along with it.
I'm thankful to experience being away from my children long enough to miss them! :)
I'm thankful to enjoy a relationship with my Savior, who gives me strength for today and hope for tomorrow.
I'm thankful.
