Carolina For Real

So back in FEBRUARY! (yeah, that long ago) I went on a trip down to visit Amber and Kiara.  I picked that particular weekend because Kadence was going to be in town visiting at that time as well. Wonderful. More family within driving distance!  Trust me, if UT were within 11 hours of here I would be home a lot more often than twice a year.  :)  Those 11 hours went quickly, and it felt great to get out of Columbus.  I was leaving another polar vortex (aka freeeeeezing weather from up North) and heading to warmer weather and warmer associations--driving away from the city and all the stresses that had been plaguing me here.  It's crazy. The further I got from Columbus, the more and more I felt a literal burden lifted and the more and more like myself I felt--free to breathe and free from the binding stresses I had and associated with Columbus at the time.  It was freeing and cathartic.  I left a frozen city and slowly drove to places where I could see for miles,  I drove through cities nestled on rolling hills and over small mountains and felt a small thrill at the beauty I was blessed to see.  Everything felt like a new opportunity and I felt more and more okay with the work I had to do, and able to do it. Sometimes, just getting away does that.  Being in a new place reminds you of life outside the small world you sometimes limit your vision to.  And it was so nice.  :)  Amazing how such a physical representation can parallel and help with an emotional experience.  Loved that.

I got in pretty late--Amber was good and had tried to stay awake waiting for me.  She and Dan set up a nice place for me to have my own lil' room in their office.  I woke up early the next morning (leeet's just say I'd gotten used to sleeping in, so having a 2 year old in the house meant I quickly learned to wake up MUCH earlier again..hehe)--and woke up to Kiara coming into the room and crawling all over me with her Minnie mouse doll to say hello. Can I just say how much I love waking up to little children smiling at you and loving you?  Ugh.  So wonderful.  

That first day we drove through BEAUTIFUL Wilmington, past just stunning old homes and quaint streets--a mixture of the old South, a beach-y atmosphere, the bayou, and a pine-y mountain feel. All rolled into one.  Yeah, loved that place.  Could so live there.  We first went to a park, because Kadence wanted to go to "the forest."  Looked more like a swamp, and was awesome. 

I loved the Spanish moss hanging from the trees, and from K-K's face. :)

Kadence posing with her old-man beard

The next day we went to some pretty famous aquarium in the area.  We drove through many little beach towns to get there, and I just fell in love with all the colorful beach houses.

From there we drove to a beach we'd passed on the way.  It wasn't super hot out (keep in mind it was still February, and East Coast was all suffering some from that polar vortex) but it was about 50 degrees, so it was still nice to stop and enjoy the gorgeous coast.  We ate dinner at one of the few places actually open this time of year in this total beach town, and then walked to enjoy a gorgeous carolinian beach.  

I was kind of obsessed with this pier.

We had fun running around on the entirely deserted beach...

Um, cute.

...playing chicken with the waves...

Kadence bargaining with the tide

...and I mostly just enjoyed the view of this gorgeous beach we had all to ourselves.  I was grateful for the slightly over-cast sky that lent a sense of serenity to this gorgeous place, and had a hay-day taking pictures.

The next day we went to anOTHER beach, this time in Wilmington (where Amber currently lives).  The day was warmer, and the sun was out, so we let ourselves get our feet wet.  The beach had a wide area where just a small coating of water covered the sand like glass and left the view looking like you were walking on a glass globe.  It was beautiful.

Kiara walking on water.  Obviously.

Last day I convinced Amber to drive out to see more of old-town Wilmington with me, because I had fallen in love with it at first drive-through. :)  We had planned to do a river walk, but by the time we got there the cold weather had finally caught up with NC, and it was freezing out.  Luckily there was a Mardi Gras  party going on at some local art galleries and shops near the river, so we ducked inside there, ate some free food, and checked out some of the local art scene!  My first experience with anything Mardi Gras, and it was mild enough for a 2 year old to be at...so I'm thinking it was pretty tempered. ;)  

Love me my sister! 

Seeesters on the riverwalk in Wilmington, before running inside to escape Winter.

It was a great trip! So glad that I went and got to spend time with Am-bug and her bugs. So glad Kadence was able to come visit, glad I was within driving distance, glad the sun was shining, glad I got to see the fun place Amber had been living in, and glad my car made it without dying on the side of the road.  (Old whitey has now made his way all over this country, and is still goin'.)

Thanks Am-bug for the great visit!