A Fun Getaway

A few weeks back, Michael and I celebrated our second anniversary!

It has been an eventful two years!

Photo courtesy of Michael's dad

We want to thank both our families (aunts, uncles, grandparents included!) for their love, and generosity. First and foremost, for their generosity for our whole lives that have helped prepare us for marriage. We constantly talk about what a grace it is to come from good families to show us how to be a good family. This includes my sister and her husband who provide such a wonderful example of a happy, loving family as well.

Secondly, for your generosity for the wedding. Without your sacrifices, monetarily and in your time, we had a fun-filled day that we will always treasure.


Third, for your generosity to us in our marriage, and ALL your support, especially helping as our family grows, and always ready to come down, at a moment's notice and lend a helping hand, or even just a wonderful visit.



Finally, thank you to our family for their generosity this anniversary! We sure had a great one!

To start, my mom and dad came and swooped up baby Michael from our apartment so we could have a little get away and not worry so much about the details that include caring for a baby. We love our little boy and cherish all the time we get. But, we didn't mind that he got to have a great time with Grammy and Poppi while we got to live life the way we did before having kids.


We drove up and picked up a rental car. Why a rental car? Well, because our "family car" is a pretty basic Corolla. She's a good car and gets the job done, but, if we're going to drive around a little, might as well do it in style!






So our little Mustang convertible was our ride for the weekend.


We really just spent the weekend reliving many aspects of our dating relationship. It was so fun! 1) We drove: and we did a lot of driving when we were dating!

A typical California shot: traffic, tall buildings, and fires.

2) We went to Universal CityWalk...a fun hangout where we used to go during the summers and watch a GREAT 80s cover band called the Spazmadics (which we saw on Saturday night of our weekend!). At CityWalk, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe, and just walked around, enjoying being footloose and fancy free.

3) We stayed in Long Beach at the same place we stayed after our wedding.


4) We visited Fr. Peter, Michael's uncle, who said the wedding Mass. We had a fun breakfast/lunch with him, and got a blessing from him before we headed on our way.



5) We drove! We went all the way up to Camarillo with the top down and the music blasting! We drove down the 1 back to Long Beach, enjoying time together and not having a schedule or being any particular place at a particular time


6) We had dinner at a restaurant we went several times when we were dating. In fact, it was the first dinner date he took me on. We talked, ate good food, and indulged on some great dessert!



7) We saw the Spazmadics (an awesome 80s cover band)...at, of all places, a night club, filled with people who seem to make a lifestyle out of the night club scene. Some of Michael's sisters and his cousin came out and it was clear that we were ALL a little out of place there. We were all fully clothed, we didn't troll around to hook up with folks, and none of us were drinking. Yeah, we didn't really fit in. But we had a fun time people-watching, musing at this weird culture of night clubbing, and of course, we loved the music.



8) We went to Mass at Sacred Heart, where we were married.



9) At noon, our Mustang turned back into a pumpkin (or, a Corolla, as it were) and we journeyed to meet our parents to pick up our little boy. We were so happy to see him! He was happy to us...or rather, he was happy to see his dad :)


We drove back home, and our little getaway ended and we were back to the normal ins and outs of everyday life.


But you know? We love our every day life! Every now and then, I think back on it, and it seems a little surreal. But it did lead me to savor every moment of our little getaway, and at the same time, be very grateful for our happy life...grateful for family that supports us, grateful for Michael's job that enables us to splurge a little like that, grateful for our little boys who we look forward to taking with us on family vacations in the future, and grateful for our marriage, which has been two years of bliss. We keep asking each other, "Now, the second year...that was supposed to be the really hard one wasn't it?" and then we laugh because it just keeps getting better.