Marriage Retreat 2013

Every year Aaron and I look so foward to our church's annual Marriage Enrichment Weekend. We have probably been to five or six of them now (click here to read about last year's), and we are always so glad we went. What a blessing that our church holds this event every year! 

To be really honest, the main reason we go is not for the sessions where we hear a speaker each year (although it is always convicting, encouraging, and helpful!), but for the chance to hang out with a bunch of other awesome couples for the whole weekend (without our kiddos)! This year we only spent one night at the retreat instead of two like we usually do (because I'm still nursing Abel...), but we still did a lot and hung out with a lot of people.

L-R: Molli, me, Tiffany

We left Abel with Nathan and Rachel after our classes were over on Friday and headed down to Indiana with our older two kiddos. My mom met us at our hotel and took Ivy and Israel home with her. It was about 4:00 pm, and we were kidless for the next 28 hours! As much as I love my children...I was very, very excited at this point.

Aaron and I were super hungry (we had skipped lunch), so we went to Buffalo Wild Wings for supper (one of our favorites!). Then we went back to our hotel, talked to some people for awhile, watched some TV...and decided we were still hungry. So, we went and got Applebee's carry-out for dessert and brought it back to the hotel. We had a very peaceful night's sleep without the static from our baby monitor in my ear. :)

In the morning, we had breakfast at the hotel (delicious!) and then went to the conference room to hear our speaker for the day. We also played some games and did other fun stuff.

Here are some of the couples playing the "Not-so-newlywed game."

We went out to lunch with Kent and Brenda (third couple from the left in the picture above...we LOVE them!!!), then went shopping for a little while to pick up some things that we had been needing for awhile, and then spent the rest of the afternoon at Starbucks, reading for some of our classes. It was a great afternoon. :)

We went back to the hotel for one more session with our speaker, and then just hung out at the hotel and talked to people. Then we went with two other couples to Fresh Market (we had never been there...did you know they have free coffee for you while you shop???) 

Zack and Aaron

and then out to supper at 800 Degrees, which was DELICIOUS (again, we had never been there before).

My parents brought our older two kids up to us around their bedtime, and we made the trip back to Michigan late Saturday night.

Even though it was a very tiring weekend (a lot of driving in two days, and we probably got less sleep than we do when we are home), it was very worth it. It was amazing to wake up Saturday morning and not have to fix breakfast for three kids and not have to change multiple diapers, and not have to take my toddlers to the potty, and not have to lay babies down for naps, and not have to clean my kiddos up after meals.

But now we are back, and I am thankful to have to privilege of doing all of those things once again. :)

Thank you Nathan, Rachel, Dad, and Mom for making it possible for Aaron and me to go this weekend!