2nd annual

A couple of weeks ago, I texted Ben when he was in Idaho and said, "Do you want to go to Charleston the weekend of the state basketball tournaments? Ted has a 3 day weekend." I think it may have won me "Wife of the Year." So this weekend we spent in Charleston. Ben worked his way down on Thursday morning and the kids and I came Friday morning. I love going to Charleston, but it's always hard not seeing everyone we would love to see and still having every minute of the day accounted for. I need a good 4 days there. Thankfully the weather was beautiful which is always helpful and Ted always gets some basketball in. We stayed at the Godwin's B&B. It's a great arrangement b/c they don't feel like they have to be there to entertain/feed/be there when we are. And we can come and go as we please. It's a great situation.

Ben started Friday morning at men's group and we hit the ground running on Friday with Chuck E. Cheese's with the Santens and the Holberts.

Will, Sophie, Ivy, Levi & Ted

Sophie & her "twin" Ivy

Ben, Levi & Ted with Good Ole' Chuck

The only unaccounted time I had was a little time Friday afternoon which I didn't really realize we  would have. Sophie got in a nap and Ted and I got in some good basketball playing.

In the evening we played with the Youngs and the Bishops. Love those families!

Sophie & Maisie

Sydney & Ted

Michele, Me & Liz
pink eye = glasses

Saturday I had coffee in the morning with my friend Amy, spent some time with Adrienne, hit up the Carter's store for some spring/summer clothes, cancelled with the Isaacs b/c the kids were shot and needed a nap, visited the Hannah's and then played with Uncle Andy & Aunt Courtney. My camera stayed in my purse.

We went to dinner with Andy and Courtney instead of going to the GW Championship game. Crazy, I know! But it was really good. We haven't spent much time with them recently. We hit up the Grimm's annual St. Patrick's Day party where we got to catch up with lots of people all at one time.

Sunday morning we went to River Ridge Church. I wish I could stand and talk to everyone forever. But alas, it's impossible. It was so good to be there. But so many people we don't really know. Which is weird.

Next time, I have a whole other list of people that I want to see. Next time.

Some days it feels like we left Charleston 10 years ago. Sometimes it feels like just a few months. It's such a weird thing. Sophie didn't remember lots of people this trip. It's sad for me to think that my kids won't remember a lot about our time there. Ben and I were talking on the way home about, when we had lived in Charleston the amount of time we've lived in Morgantown (about 19 months), we didn't even know most of the people that we wanted to spend time with on this trip. It took almost 4 years for us to really feel totally invested and relationally involved there in so many ways. Which is helpful to remember. It really was the last 5-6 years that were so relationally and ministry rich is such a wide variety of ways.

I think this will be an annual trip for us. This was our 2nd annual. I like it!