Back to the beach – and a couple of firsts

Nick and Ke enjoying the peace an afternoon at the beach can bring.

(Written Saturday evening)

Seven weeks post-op and we can finally be (kind of) spontaneous again.

We’re getting pretty wild this weekend, boy! We are visiting a Buddhist Monastery tomorrow for a “day of mindfulness.” I’m not sure what we’re searching for, but it just feels right, so we’re going to check it out. The catch? Getting to Escondido by 8:30am. Ouch.

So when Ke texted Nick that he needed to get out of the house, we said, “So do we,” and an impromptu ultra-mini vacation was conceived.

Nick having a longer leash now is liberating in a way only new parents and injured people can appreciate. At noon we were tossing around the idea of meeting Ke at the beach and getting a hotel near the monastery, and by 2pm we were on the road.

This was Ke’s first trip to the beach since his accident, and Nick’s first time since his surgery. The dark skies made the temperature bearable for the boys, but the sun did peak out for a moment before falling off the edge of the Earth.

After Ke treated us to sushi and conversation, Nick and I used the hotels hot tub, a rare treat indeed. This was his third jacuzzi session since the accident, and only the first one in which he’s been able to comfortably sit on the cement seats.

Laying in bed now, Nick says he feels “really good” after soaking under the stars. (edit: He slept soundly too!)

I am so grateful for all the love in my life and my keen ability to create beautiful moments like the ones we’ve shared today.

“Our breath is like a bridge between our mind and body”

“Girls Gone Mild” trip. Florida 2012

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from my “Girls Gone Mild” trip to Florida…

Florida bound for 6 days with Amanda.

Happy Birthday Kim! Floating in the lazy river at Wet & Wild water park in Orlando, Florida.

I love that you can drive on the beach in Daytona. That means the ice cream man can too! Now all they need is a mobile cocktail service.

Self timer photo shoot on the dock just before jumping in.

Airborne! Jumping off the dock and into the lake at Kim’s house.

Jumping off the dock. Can you tell I love self portraits?

We saw Magic Mike on opening night… and so did half of the women in Daytona Beach.

Screen shot from Magic Mike!
Yeah, I couldn’t help myself.

Look how beautiful Blue Springs is! This is where the Manatees should have been, but my mating call didn’t work.

Huntin’ for gators at Cracker Creek. I’m in a kayak, Kim’s on a floating spin bike that doesn’t turn around. No alligators were hurt, killed, or even spotted during our hunt.

Beer and egg sandwiches for breakfast at a “fun zone” arcade on the beach. There was no other option.

The ocean was calm and warm at Daytona Beach.

I loved my Florida vacation. We completely missed the tropical storm “Debby” and had unusually perfect weather. Only a few cat-fights, one pair of ruined glasses, a lost bathing suit, no hang-overs, a mere $60 worth of unused rented SCUBA gear, a new turtle named Sampson, one mild sunburn, a few karaoke duets, six days of poppin’ bottles, and an alligator head souvenir… I’d say it was a good trip!

Video of Sedona Vacation

To me, this video is a breath of fresh air. Most of my videos are about Nick’s recovery; this one is just us having fun! I think I laughed harder making it than I did living it. Enjoy!

Saturday December 10, 2011

My birthday has always felt magical, even into my adult years. No matter how I’ve chosen to celebrate, it’s always my day, filled with love and laughter. This year seemed different though. I was afraid to be around town, not wanting any special attention or limelight, as this year has been a constant spotlight on me naturally. So, here we are, on a mini vacation, trying to escape it all, get some rest and recharge our batteries yet again.

I’ve never been a patient person when it comes to gifts. If you’ve been reading along this week then you know Nicks been torturing me with the vague knowledge that “the best gift he’s ever given me” was awaiting me this morning. I can’t believe I made it until today without going absolutely insane, but I did. And it was worth the wait.

All of his hints made me think I was getting an electronic device of sorts. My first choice is a MacBook Pro (extravagant and ambitious thinking, I know), or maybe a PlayStation to have RockBand and NetFlix. I was pretty sure I was getting a gaming station. He led me on about it! Driving away from home yesterday he said he forgot to grab the gift and didn’t want to turn around to get it. Of course I came out of my skin! How could he forget MY present? I didn’t load it into the car, so he couldn’t possibly have it with him. Yet he assured me he would simply tell me what it was. Oh, and I couldn’t use it on vacation, so why give it to me here? My blood was boiling! I’ve wanted my damn present since Tuesday. Why couldn’t he give it to me a day early? And yes, for the better part of a week my entire world was sadly revolving around the excitement of getting a silly birthday present from my boyfriend.

This morning I woke around 8:30 and discovered that Nick was in terrible pain and had hardly slept all night due to the pain. “Yeah, okay, hope you feel better, but it’s my birthday. Where’s my damn present? You promised I wouldn’t have to wait any longer.” Definitely not my finest moment, I’ll admit. But there was a present, the best he’s ever given me, waiting, just waiting for me.

Laying in bed in our hotel room, he said ok, he’d give it to me now. But I’d better open the curtains for some light because I need to see this thing clearly. I handed him the Man Purse as he instructed. “Great,” I thought, he got me a gift card for a Play Station. That’s hardly the best gift ever!

The next thing I know he’s opening a small square box and showing me a beautiful diamond ring.

“WILL YOU BE MY WIFE?”

I’m not sure what happened after that. Somewhere between my tears and my confusion, I guess I had an angry look on my face while I tried to make sense of the weirdest moment of my life. Nick just asked me to marry him! He went out and bought me a ring and surprised the shit out of me.

I said yes. Of course. I never thought we’d get married, especially since we decided six years ago that we wouldn’t. I wanted to though, and he knew it. He would say things like, “maybe in another ten years” or “yeah right!” So I really was blind sided by this out-of-the-blue proposal.

Engagements, weddings and marriage have always seemed silly to me. It’s about the bond, the commitment, the relationship. I have felt ‘good as married’ since the very beginning. So I am shocked at how special this gesture is to me. Something changed between us this morning at 9AM. Yet at the same time, nothing changed. I’ve known for years that he loves me, and ditto for him, but now, with this expensive and sparkling symbol, the love we share is somehow immortalized. It’s tangible now, I feel it on my finger, glistening with every movement I make.

I tease Nick all the time about what a softy he’s become since his accident. And today it’s come to a head. Maybe over the last six months I’ve proven myself as truly loyal and worthy of a marital commitment, or maybe he sees life differently after his brush with death. Either way, we couldn’t be happier and more in love than ever before. It’s true when they say that whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. And maybe it can make you a little softer too!