Sun hats, Swollen lips

You have to know the beginning -to understand the middle..........and we are nowhere near the end.

It all started three years ago when Josh (my boyfriend) was insistent we take a trip to the beach, I had never been to Florida and he just wanted to go and to take me.

My whole life I had written vacation off in my mind as just not an option, we didn't vacation in my family and in my adult life that pattern carried on. I was of the mindset that it takes a lot of money, and money I would never have, to vacation, to see other places.

Several years back, I began to work on that mindset knowing I had the ability, and the want to -I just had to allow it.

Now, here I found myself with a man that wanted to take me and said how easy it would be to do.

All we needed was gas money and the beach was nothing but a road-trip away.

That first year on March 31st we loaded up the truck complete with a mattress in the back and enough food that our only task was to get there.

We arrived in the early morning hours of April 1st, parking at the beach and listening to the waves, we took ourselves a nap.  

When the sun came up, as he opened the back of the truck there we were looking out over the beach and at the ocean.

It was like nothing I had ever experienced before, nor could I ever put into words that feeling.

We walked the beach, swam in the ocean collecting shells and losing valuables to the cold temps. We laughed so hard that day, went out for dinner and retired back to our spot in the back of the truck for the best meditative sleep you will ever get -listening to the waves.

We accomplished so much in that day, it felt like we were there for an entire week but alas, as the sun rose on the following day April 2nd, we headed back for home. It was then we decided every year on this weekend we would travel back for beach camping adventures to relax, reset and shake off the winter.

I learned a lot in that one day vacation, vacation is what ever you decide it is.

It doesn't have to be a grand expensive trip -for us, it is simply just the two of us beach camping in the back of a truck.

Last year and our second trip, we were able to stay a little longer total of three nights spending two and a half days enjoying the beach. This trip being longer we brought more food and a camp stove to cook so we were staying inexpensive and self sufficient within our home away from home we have in the truck.

It was this trip while cooking at the back of the truck as I was doing homework, Josh asked a couple strangers parked next to us if they wanted some food and in that moment we found friends. Friends we have kept in touch with and feel as if we just know them (more than an hour visit over gumbo), they're just a part of our life path.

Then one morning as we sat on the tailgate having our coffee, we were witness to a beach wedding (that I photographed from said tailgate later requesting the brides info to email her the images).

And, it was this trip, we also remembered (after it was too late) to just use the sunscreen that we had with us.

Suffice to say, all winter long I look forward to this trip. At the end of March/beginning of April is such a perfect time to just get out shake off the cold weather and detach for awhile.

This year for our third annual I think I was even more excited than the previous trips, it was an extra long and cold winter.

We thought together coming up with ways to make our home away even more efficient and ease of use. Getting a new mattress that is made for a truck bed, using rubbermaid drawers on a shelf across the back vs lugging suitcases that always seemed in the way. Each year, will come with new ideas and these were utter genius in simplifying even more our little getaway.

We headed out Tuesday evening and drove all through the night, stopping for breakfast at a tiny diner somewhere in the middle of nowhere Alabama -it felt like we were just in grandma's kitchen.

We finally made it to our beach at 10:30a Wednesday morning and rightfully so, climbed in the back for a much needed nap probably not going down to the water until near 2p.

Enjoying the afternoon on the sand and later heading to Scooter's for (my) favorite local fish. We got a great night sleep with the new mattress addition we woke up Thursday ready to take on -nothing but relaxing day drinking by the water!

Our friend we met the previous year came out to have dinner with us and as we visited to near midnight it solidified her place in our life as a true friend, always.

Waking up Friday morning we could already tell was going to be notably warmer yet as we sat drinking our coffee on the tailgate excited for another day of just sitting by the water.

Friday morning I decided I needed to push through a block I have of taking pictures of us, of our adventures so I got my camera out to capture our morning coffee routine, it is after all, one of my favorites.

It wasn't too long into letting the camera just continually shoot Josh suggested we also get a picture by one of the sand-dunes, I was excited because he seemed excited in capturing our life with me.

I adjusted the direction of the camera and frequency of shooting as we walked out.

Never did I have any inclination of what was about to happen -Joshua, kneeling down!

I got so flustered, so quick I mean what was happening? Was this really happening?

Reactionary I just said Joshua Alan! And you even tricked me with my own camera!

As I looked into his face, seeing the man of my dreams, this kind soul and handsome man that I've been so lucky to already spend three years with I was so overcome/surged with joy as he asked me to spend forever with him and be his wife! (I honestly thought I blacked out and forgot parts so as honest communication works best, later on I asked him voicing my worry to tell me again the story of that moment, pleasantly surprised I didn't forget a thing).

And of course, I SAID YES!

I still can't believe it -we are engaged!!!

And I can't believe how well he thought in the moment to take advantage of me trying to capture our life, in doing so giving me an even greater gift to have this moment!

Another important take away from a trip -chapstick with SPF. Although, in spite of the discomfort, insufficient hat size + zero sunscreen on the lips provided this years laugh until I cried, quickly followed by my (legit) panic moment asking shit -what's on my face?! ..... tears, it was just tears of joy.

Take good care and travel safe,

Sami