Sunday night we returned from a whirlwind 4-day trip to see the leaves change. Neither of us had experienced it before, so upon the urging of friends, we decided to book a long weekend in Arkansas 🙂

I’m very happy we did!

For years, I dreamt of seeing the autumn leaves change in the mountains and enjoying everything fall has to offer… and this trip FAR exceeded my highest hopes.

We spent our days traipsing through adorable little towns ~ including city squares, parks, scenic detours, ice cream shops & antique stores along the way.

In a nutshell, it was magical.

My man & I felt like we stepped back in time. We loved every minute of our bed & breakfast stays (our favorite), including the architecture & AMAZING hiking trails just outside our door (yes please!).

The first night we stayed at a stunning 100-year-old Southern home with cottages, a suite & loft on the grounds. We enjoyed fresh chocolate chip cookies on arrival and the most magnificent shower (in a vintage clawfoot tub!).

The charm level? Through the roof. Hospitality? Second to none. Friends, even the LINENS were amazing enough to tempt me to peek at tags 🙂 We were truly walking on clouds!

The next two nights, we spent snuggled up together in “Cupid’s Hideaway”, a private cabin with a heart-shaped jacuzzi tucked away in the National Forest & leading to numerous hiking trails! As we walked the walnut tree-lined paths, I collected some as we discussed things big & small and filled our lungs with fresh mountain air.

I kept pinching myself. Surely this had to be marital heaven! 🙂

One of our favorite moments was hiking a trail by rushing water then emerging in a clearing with a dam. We braved the steep incline to the top of the dam & nearly gasped at the incredible panoramic view: The lake to the north, lined with colorful trees, and the forest behind us. Pictures are below.

During our stay, we enjoyed romantic breakfasts, conversations with faith-filled believers (yay!), and dinners with Pinot Noir & tons of gluten-filled dishes 🙂 I couldn’t have dreamed up a more perfect getaway!

If it sounds like I’m trying to stir your jealousy, you’re right! I want every couple to experience the vacation we just did, especially when it takes us out of our routines & allows us to connect on a deeper level.

I’m happy to report we hardly spent any time on our phones or laptop. Unplugging & getting back into nature was one of the best things about our trip!

But guess what? Excuses almost stopped this vacation from happening. We had plenty, but we decided this trip was a MUST due to our increasing stress & need for a mini vacay. We returned this week invigorated & clear-headed to tackle everyday life again.

I encourage you to consider booking that vacation you’ve talked about (or a “Staycation” if you simply can’t break away)! Taking time away to unplug – even for a few days – is invaluable and paves the way to experience fun & adventure in your marriage. It’s absolutely essential for every couple (and family).

The Grande Finale: Our Vision Retreat

Guys ~ I haven’t even told you the BEST part of our trip yet (& one of the main events): Our Marital Vision Retreat (a la Marriage Today Ministries).

This yearly event helps you create a vision for your marriage through intentional conversation about each area of your relationship (communication, sex, children, finances, work & ministry, goals, hobbies, etc). As a couple, you pray together to find God’s purpose for you in each area! It’s such a fantastic way to create unity in your relationship & make sure you aren’t suffering from di-vision (two visions), as Pastor Jimmy Evans points out.

So in between all the photo-taking & fun outings, we used hours of “car time” & meals to carve out our marriage goals. This was our second Vision Retreat (though we’ll complete our 2014 vision over Christmas)! We can’t wait for the next one 🙂

To discover more about Vision Retreats & how important they are, watch this video by Pastor Evans. It is fabulous!

Thanks for listening. I hope you’ll share your stories of marriage “getaways” in the comments!

xoxo Summer

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