T E X A R K A N A M A G A Z I N E
of the itinerary and was listed as my emergency contact in case the plane went down. No, I’m talking about my first trip with my husband and some friends that we just threw together and took off on a whim. As a kid, I was not much of an adventurer when it came to stepping away from my well-beaten paths. There were two reasons for this... 1. Managing my diabetes close to home was much easier than having to pack and haul the equipment and medication required for an extended period. 2. I really, really, REALLY liked my own bed. So, agreeing to get in a vehicle with two other couples, whom we had only known for a few months, to drive twelve hours one way to a beach I had never been to was very out of character for me. And while there was some risk of things not going well, the anticipation of fun and getting to know some people Ross and I really liked was exhilarating! One of my top five most grown-up moments was planning this trip with no parental guidance or permission whatsoever at the ripe old age of 24. I have also found a group of ladies who have become like sisters to me as we have traveled together. Not all of us live in the same town or run in the same circles. But, whenever we get together, usually for a long weekend or a couple of days, we pick up right where we left off like no time has passed at all since the last time we were together. I trust these ladies to pray for me, laugh with me, cry with me, encourage me and call me out when I need it. They know I will be the first to do the same for them. All this came through many trips down country roads to some of the most unfrilly places in existence, and I have loved every mile. To all my married friends out there, I highly recommend getting away with your spouse. There is something about getting out of the everyday routine that reminds us there is more to a marriage than everyday tasks like paying bills, cooking dinner and taxiing children. Those wonderful practical tasks, while necessary, have a pesky habit of sometimes blocking the steady flow of deep communication. Head out together on the open road, and suddenly, something changes. The communication current flows a bit more freely with each mile. Before you know it, deep conversations with the person you love most are being had about important things like their hopes and dreams for the future, memories they hadn’t shared before, things they struggle with, victories in achieving personal goals and the list goes on. Trips with your spouse can keep a good marriage on the right track, or they can help a marriage that has lost its way get safely back on the road home. These trips have proven to be some of the best adventures I’ve had to date. Not only did everyone have lots of fun, eat really good food, solve the world’s problems ten times over and laugh until we cried, but the people I’ve traveled with are the same ones I could call on in the middle of night if the need ever arose. So, friends, get your maps out, plug a destination into your GPS, or just take off and get going! Whether it is somewhere far away or just up the road, some place familiar or brand new, with family, with friends, with family and friends, with a daily schedule or a pair of pants you can fly by the seat of, go make some memories! You will be so glad you did. #happytrailstoyou
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L I F E & S T Y L E
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