Daybook

FOR TODAY

Outside my window... it is starting to look and feel like Fall.

I am thinking... Life is good. God is good. All the time.

I am thankful for... all my family and friends and the good times I share with them.

From the kitchen... I am planning meals for the entire month of October.

I am wearing...my comfy PJs getting ready to call it a night and start a brand new day tomorrow.


I am creating... memories to last a lifetime with my husband and our family and friends.

I am going... to see my niece and nephew (Anna and Chas) and parents on Friday and I just cannot wait!!

I am reading... too many books at one time and only on the first page of each book!

I am hoping... I do not hope but pray that God hears and answers all the desires of my heart. You  know what they are and know the right time for each prayer to be answered.

I am hearing... the sounds of the scanner and computer. They are working slower than I want.

Around the house... there is a lot less clutter than last week. There is nothing like knowing friends and family are coming over to get you to clean in a hurry.

One of my favorite things... is when the cat purrs to let us know all is well.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Keep up with the housework so we can celebrate our 6 month-aversary in Naples at the Ruby Tuesday where we met more than 9 years ago and some quality time with family and friends.

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

Fall in the mountains of North Carolina. From our favorite vacation in 2004.

Ah... Fall.

I miss the changing of colors.

The beauty of God's creation

http://thesimplewomansdaybook.blogspot.com/
The Simple Woman's Daybook is a brief outline for women/mothers who blog to use as a way to compose thoughts, plan the week, and keep a grateful heart. It is typically published once a week on Tuesdays.

Recent Feast Days

There have been several feast days in the last week. Kris and I have tried to make it to Mass to celebrate and honor each saint/angel for each feast day. Here are some inspirational quotes and prayers for each feast day.


Feast of St. Vincent de Paul – September 27

“The most powerful weapon to conquer the devil is humility. For, as he does not know at all how to employ it, neither does he know how to defend himself from it.”

“Extend mercy towards others, so that there can be no one in need whom you meet without helping. For what hope is there for us if God should withdraw His mercy from us?”

Prayer to St. Vincent de Paul

St. Vincent, patron of all charitable associations and father of those who are in misery, come to our assistance. Obtain from Our Lord help for the poor, relief for the infirm, consolation for the afflicted, protection for the abandoned, a spirit of generosity for the rich, grace of conversion for sinners, zeal for priests, peace for the Church, tranquility and order for all nations, and salvation for them all. May we be united in the life to come, by your intercession, and experience joy, gladness, and everlasting happiness. Amen.

St. Vincent de Paul

Feast of the Archangels – September 29

St. Michael, defend us in battle.
St. Raphael, heal us.
St. Gabriel, send us the word of truth. Pray for us!!!!!

Prayer to St. Michael

Saint Michael the Archangel,
defend us in battle.
Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -
by the Divine Power of God -
cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,
who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Amen.

St. Michael

Prayer to St. Raphael

Glorious Archangel St. Raphael, great prince of the heavenly court, you are illustrious for your gifts of wisdom and grace. You are a guide of those who journey by land or sea or air, consoler of the afflicted, and refuge of sinners.
I beg you, assist me in all my needs and in all the sufferings of this life, as once you helped the young Tobias on his travels. Because you are the "medicine of God" I humbly pray you to heal the many infirmities of my soul and the ills that afflict my body. I especially ask of you the favor (here mention your special intention), and the great grace of purity to prepare me to be the temple of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Raphael

Prayer to St. Gabriel

You Angel of humanity, you trusting messenger of God, open our ears also for the quiet warnings and calls of the most loving Heart of Jesus! Always be in front of our eyes, we beg you, that we understand the Word of God correctly, that we follow, obey and fulfill that which God wants of us! And assist us in staying awake for when the Lord comes to get us so that He does not find us asleep! Amen.

St. Gabriel

Feast of St. Therese of Liseux (the Child Jesus/the Little Flower) – October 1

 "Jesus, help me to simplify my life by learning what you want me to be - and becoming that person."

"You know well enough that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, but at the love at which we do them."

Prayer to St. Therese of Liseux

O glorious Saint Therese, whom Almighty God has raised up to aid and counsel mankind, I implore your Miraculous Intercession.
So powerful are you in obtaining every need of body and soul our Holy Mother Church proclaims you a "Prodigy of Miracles...the Greatest Saint of Modern Times." Now I fervently beseech you to answer my petition (mention specifics here) and to carry out your promises of spending Heaven doing good upon the earth...of letting fall from Heaven a Shower of Roses.
Henceforth, dear Little Flower, I will fulfill your plea "to be made known everywhere" and I will never cease to lead others to Jesus through you. Amen.

St. Therese of the Little Flower at Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, GA

St. Therese of the Little Flower at Basilica of St. Louis, New Orleans, LA

St. Therese of Liseux (The Little Flower, The Child Jesus)

Feast of the Guardian Angels – October 2

Angel of God, my guardian dear, to whom God's love commits me here, ever this day be at my side to light and guard, to rule and guide.  Amen.

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi – October 4

“Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.”

“Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”

Prayer to St. Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury,pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen

St. Francis of Assisi

Daybook

For Today

Outside my window... appears to be gray and overcast but the trees are blowing. It is only a façade as it is really muggy and humid.

I am hearing... Dave Ramsey on the radio and inspired to stay on budget and be debt free.

I am pondering... about how amazing life has been the last 6 months.
  
I am creating... a scrapbook of our life together.

I am thankful for... friends and family who have continued to love, support, encourage, and pray for us.

From the kitchen... I create meals from love that nourish the one I love.

I am going... places. We are going somewhere. We have a future that is full of hope and know that we heading in a positive direction.

I am reading... several books at once but not really making a dent on any of them.

I am hoping... that others continue to be inspired by the life and experiences I have lived.

Around the house... is more clutter than I would like there to be. Time to get cracking on the housework.

One of my favorite things... getting lost in a book and being transported into the world that it creates.

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Mass and quality time with my hubby.

Here is picture thought I am sharing... A moment with my Mom & Dad before the wedding...

The Simple Woman's Daybook is a brief outline for women/mothers who blog to use as a way to compose thoughts, plan the week, and keep a grateful heart. It is typically published once a week on Tuesdays. I saw it on a friend's blog and I thought I would use it as a way to update you on what has been happening in our marriage thus far. I hope that you continue to follow our blog and find inspiration in the stories and experiences we have to share.

Happy Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul

Feast of St. Vincent de Paul: September 27

My husband and I are so lucky to have our lives and marriage touched by the stories and legacies left behind by so many of the Saints of the Church. One such Saint is St. Vincent de Paul. Tomorrow celebrates the Feast of St. Vincent de Paul. We honor and celebrate him and the work he did for the poor.

Our experience with the St. Vincent de Paul Society

Soon after we were engaged, I heard from a friend about new dresses on sale for 90 percent off at the St Vincent de Paul Society thrift store in Cocoa Beach. I called my sister soon after learning of this to see if she would be willing to go to the thrift store to look at the dresses. I never thought to get my dress at a thrift store but I knew they were brand new dresses and was excited about getting a beautiful dress for less money. Not to mention help a good cause such as the St. Vincent de Paul Society who does so much through the Church to serve the poor. There was to be no dress hunting. There was to be no big search. I was determined to buy a dress here. After trying on only about 8 dresses, I was able to find the dress of my dreams and buy it for only $47.40.

Trying on the dress of my dreams

Our wedding day was the most amazing day of our lives and I certainly was a beautiful bride. I was so proud to tell everyone the story of my $50 dress. A $50 dress that made me just look and feel like a princess.

Before the ceremony

After the ceremony

Two weeks after our wedding, my parents held a second reception where donations were collected in lieu of gifts. We were able to collect $560 and donate it to the St Vincent de Paul Society chapter at St Mark the Evangelist Church in Fort Pierce, Florida, where my parents are parishioners.

Kris and I were able to make another donation for $400 to the St Vincent de Paul Society in the Diocese of Orlando where my dress was purchased. The $400 is the remainder of what I would have paid for the dress had I purchased it in a retail bridal shop.

The memories we made on our wedding day making our vows to one another in front of God and our family and friends and celebrating with them are worth more than any amount that we can donate.

We are grateful for organizations like the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the work that they do in the honor and memory of such a great saint. We are thankful for the memory and story we have to share with our friends and family for the rest of our lives. We hope to continue to make donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in the honor of our anniversary and the memory we will have for a lifetime.

Happy feast day!

Unfortunately, the thrift store in Cocoa Beach where my dress was purchased has since closed. There are still two other thrift store locations in Apoka and Cleremont that continue to the work of St. Vincent de Paul in the Diocese of Orlando. For more information, please visit their website:  http://www.svdporlando.org/

For more information on the St.Vincent de Paul Society, please visit their website: http://www.svdpusa.org/

For more information on the life of St. Vincent de Paul, please check the website:  http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15434c.htm

In retrospect: The first time I ever saw your face

Keeping on with the retrospective posts I have decided to recollect on the day that I met my husband.

Our first meeting

As you have read, I met my husband on Valentine's Day 2001. It was not on a blind date. It was not even a date. It was just dinner with some friends. Valentine's Day was not my favorite holiday. I would have been content if it was just another day of the year. Valentine's Day had become a day of bad luck for me. Years before I had some not so pleasant experiences on Valentine's Day. They might not have been unpleasant at the time but they turned out to be not so good years later. I just did not have any luck on Valentine's Day. So in 2001, I continued on with my Anti-Valentine's Day rituals. I just wanted to enjoy dinner with friends. We all did not have anyone in particular for Valentine's Day so I figured dinner with friends to forget that we did not have anyone special in our lives. We had nothing to celebrate. We were just having dinner and it just happened to be Valentine's Day.

I arrived late to dinner that day which was nothing out of the ordinary for me. I had worked that day and knew ahead of time that I was going to be late. Being one of the last to arrive, I had to sit at the end of the booth. But I was not the last one to arrive to dinner. A few minutes after I arrived, a new member came to join us for dinner. It was a guy. I certainly was not thinking anything much less dating potential. As the last two to arrive, we sat across from one another in the booth. His name was Kris. He was not dressed particularly well. He was not the most attractive. But I was not looking to meet someone. I continued on with my bitter rage against meeting people on Valentine's Day so I am sure I was not the most attractive that day either.

I do not recall what I ordered for dinner that day, but I do recall what he ordered. The sight in fact is burned in my memory. He ordered a Smokehouse Burger. It was not just your regular burger. It was a bacon cheeseburger topped with onion rings and oozing with barbecue sauce. I could not imagine eating it and I was glad that I did not have that in front of me. As I watched him eat (I just could not help but watch as he was sitting directly in front of me) the barbecue sauce dripped everywhere. He had it dripping from his mouth, his hands, and just everywhere. I could not believe the sight I was seeing. And in public, too! If there could have been any potential here, it certainly was shattered after that sight. I did not think human but rather heathen.

Smokehouse Burger

Our second meeting

About a week after our first meeting, I was meeting some friends at Stevie Tomato's for karaoke night. Being Filipino, I love karaoke. I love to sit in the audience and sing along. Sometimes I even work up the courage to get up on stage and perform. I never get nervous being on stage but my voice is a separate entity from me and she gets quite nervous in the beginning but she settles down after a bit. Other friends from the singles group were going to be there even though I was meeting other friends. After a while, someone new came to join us. I had a few to drink so I was very comfortable and we talked most of the night. As the night was ending, he asked me if I wanted to go to get something to eat at Denny's. I agreed. It was much easier to talk and be heard at Denny's than it was at Stevie Tomato's. We did not have to shout or repeat ourselves. We stayed up for quite sometime just talking although I think I did most of the talking that night. We traded email address and phone number. I was quite happy to have made a new friend.

When I got home that night, I logged on to my computer. I found my new friend online and we continued chatting until the wee morning. It took me some time but I soon realized that the person I had met a Stevie Tomato's was the same person I had met the week before at Ruby Tuesday. He cleaned pretty well. He was dressed nice. He was even nice to talk to. I thought I had made pretty good friend.

Within a few months, Kris and I began dating. This was the start of our on again off again relationship. Who would have known that it would come to this?

In retrospect

On the day we were engaged, Kris and I went back to that Ruby Tuesday. I thought often of that day we first met. I thought how funny it was that on that day when I was not expecting to meet someone I met the man who would someday become my husband. I was not attracted and I did not think for a moment on that day I met him that I would be married to him someday. We ordered that famous Smokehouse Burger just for old time's sake. For extra added measure, Kris slathered on even more barbecue sauce. I looked at the half of a burger I had sitting before me. I could not even figure out how to hold the burger without getting sauce on me. I tried from every angle and just could not figure it out. So I finally picked it up and took my first bite. As I finished biting into the burger, I looked at my now fiance and uttered the sincerest apology I had given in a long time. Kris asked me why I was sorry. I told him, "All those years ago, I thought it was you who was the heathen. I was wrong. It was never you. It was the burger." We both had a pretty good laugh. I am glad that I did not let the burger get in our way and now we are happily married.

Kris and the offensive burger (May 29, 2009)

Kris taking a bite from the Smokehouse Burger (Notice the barbecue sauce oozing from the burger)

There was more sauce than this when I met him

Notice the barbecue sauce dripping from the burger

Valentine's Day

Last year for Valentine's Day I had my friend from work make a "bouquet" for Kris in commemoration of our first meeting. My former co-worker Erica made it. I told her the story and the details and she did the rest. She used nine Spongebob Squarepants crabby hamburgers and added red hearts. She used red and yellow-orange cellophane. She put it all in a yellow-orange pot with white dots to resemble a hamburger bun with sesame seeds. She added the Ruby Tuesday logo to top it all off. It sits atop one of our planter shelves in the living room.

Hamburger Valentine's Day Bouquet

Groom's Cake

For our rehearsal dinner I bought Kris a Groom's Cake. It was fitting to get a cake in the shape of a burger. I had it made at Publix and had them write on the "It was you" in reference to that it was the burger and it was him all along. He was the one meant for me.

Groom's Cake

My Groom and his cake

It is a great memory for both of us and a great look back into what we knew then and what we know now.

In retrospect: The Proposal

Proverbs 31: 10-31

Verse 29: "Many are the women of proven worth, but you have excelled them all."
 
Sometimes I look back on certain events in our relationship and I think about what I was thinking and feeling at that time and compare it to what I have learned and what I know now. I like to call these blogs "In retrospect." It is a way of looking back at things with fresh news eyes and seeing how it lead up to where we are today.

One such event I have often pondered is the day Kris proposed to me. On May 29, 2009 at St. Peter's Church in Naples, Florida Kris proposed to me out in what used to be the grotto and Stations of the Cross. The wooded area where it was located back in 2001 when we first met was over grown. We could not walk through each station. The only ones that could still be seen were Stations 12 to 14. There was to be no surprise about his proposal. I knew it was coming. I set up the whole day except the words and how it was all going to go down. I left all the details up to Kris. So what I thought would be no surprises turned out to be the best surprise of my life.

Events leading up to the proposal

We knew relatively quickly after our re-new-ed relationship in March that this time we either were going to get married or we were completely done. I was not going to settle for our relationship being completely done. I was going to do what I could to make sure that we were going to be married when it was all said and done. Nine years was just too much time to put into a relationship to see it end that way much less not in marriage. I knew my love for him was deep and true and I was not going to lose it this time. I just had to know for sure that his love for me was just as deep and true.

It took no time at all for both of us to realize that our love for one another ran deep and true. We both could not deny how we felt any longer. We knew after a few short weeks that this for sure was going to culminate in an amazing marriage. We just had to make sure that both set of parents were supportive of our wishes and desires. We had already seen that from his Mom and Dad since I had visited him several times after we re-new-ed our relationship. I had a new found relationship with his parents and it was going smoothly. My parents knew we were together again but were not quite sure where we were heading this time around. They had known Kris for the past nine years but were not certain if our relationship was ever going to go anywhere. They already suspected our intentions this time to get married but we had not told them directly. They still had some doubt in their mind if we were really going to take this to the next level or just walk away completely.

We told my parents a few days before my birthday May 2009 of our intentions to marry. My Mom seemed very hesitant to give us the okay. We were not asking so much for approval as we both were adults old enough to make this decision on our own but we wanted them to be aware and to accept that after nine years we finally were ready for the next step. My Dad seemed to be relieved that finally there was someone who could take care of me and look after me if anything should happen to them. He was okay to finally let go of the strings. My Mom was just not so sure if we both really knew what this meant. We more than knew. We were more than ready. We assured my Mom that we both knew what we were getting into and were willing to accept whatever challenges the future had to throw us. Despite my Mom's initial hesitation, they both congratulated us and welcomed Kris into our family.

The Proposal

Things moved pretty fast after we told my parents of our intentions. We purchased the ring I had been admiring on my birthday. It took some time to have it sized but we picked it up from the jeweler just a few days later. I knew in a short time that I would officially get the ring and Kris and I would finally be engaged.

The ring in its box

Kris had already had an idea of where he wanted to propose. He was thinking of several spots in St. Augustine where we had vacationed a few times. He did not know when we would have the chance to go there again. He was trying to plan it out when I had other ideas.

I was heading to Naples from Orlando for a work related conference for a weekend (May 29-31) just shortly after we picked up the ring from the jeweler. Kris was living in Bradenton which was not far from Naples. I had decided that it would be in Naples where we would get engaged. I wanted it to be at St. Peter's Church where we had attended Mass together when we first met in 2001. The rest of the details I left up to Kris to decide.

He planned a nice morning in Naples for our engagement. He came to Naples and picked me up at my sister's house where I was staying for the weekend. We drove out to Mass at St. Peter's Church. We were early for Mass so we sat in the car and listened to Christopher West talk about Theology of the Body - a teaching we both had grown to love and embrace as the foundation of our relationship. We held the ring in its box in both our hands. When it came time for Mass, we both headed toward the Church holding hands. We both knew what was soon about to happen. When got into the Church, we realized that there was no Mass being said at that time. We both were a little disheartened but instead spent time in Adoration at the Tabernacle in the chapel. It gave us both a chance to reflect. On our way back to the car, we ran into one of the priests. We asked him to kindly bless us and the ring. After finishing Christopher West's talk on Theology of the Body, we went out to the Stations of the Cross. There we found a bench in what remained of the grotto. We prayed the Stations of the Cross even though it was summer and Lent had long passed. Before we prayed, Kris read the reading from Proverbs on the ideal wife. I was amazed by the passage. I wondered if I ever could be such kind of wife. I wondered if I had what it took to be that kind of wife to Kris. The kind of wife I thought that he deserved. I prayed as he read the passage that I could be this kind of wife for him. I prayed that God would give me the strength and direction to be that wife. As we prayed the Stations, each prayer related somehow to marriage and the journey we were about to embark. It was as if God was giving me to answer and the tools needed to be that wife for Kris. After we finished praying the Stations, I sat on the rock under the cross. Kris knelt not on one knee but both knees and he used 3 verses from the passage he read to me to propose. He asked me if I would serve the poor with him. He asked me if I would laugh at the days to come with him. He asked me if I would be his good wife. I cried. He cried. Even now it makes me cry. He could not have said better words to me. He could not have planned the details better. I WAS surprised. The only answer I could give was a very emphatic yes. Yes I will be your good wife. After he proposed, we knelt before the cross and I asked the Lord Jesus to be the third person in this marriage. We asked him to be our spouse and be one with us. I know that on that day, May 29, 2009, he gave us his yes, too.

The ring with 3 diamonds

The rest of the day was a whirlwind. We had plans for lunch together to celebrate at the Ruby Tuesday where we met on Valentine's Day 2001. After lunch, we drove out to Ave Maria to buy something to help us remember the big day. We found a nice marriage blanket at one of the shops there. It has a picture of the Blessed Mother and her betrothed spouse St. Joseph. A good model for us as to what a true marriage should be.

Reenactment of the proposal

That evening we had dinner with old friends from Naples to not only celebrate birthdays but our engagement. It was a magical day for both us. One we will not forget.

So in retrospect, on that day I prayed to be that ideal wife for Kris. I prayed that I could have those qualities that he read to me from the book of Proverbs. I did not have the confidence to be that wife. But now looking back on that day, I realize that Kris did not read that passage to me so that I would have a model as to what kind of wife he wanted me to be but because he believed that I WAS already that kind of wife. He had found one worthy to be a wife. He had found his ideal wife. I am that worthy wife. I still struggle today (and I think I always will) to be that worthy wife. But I know that my husband believes that I already hold those qualities that make me a good wife. I am so blessed that my husband has the faith and confidence in me to be a good wife. I continue to pray that God gives me the strength to continue to be that good wife and the faith to know that I am.

Vacation is fun until it is over

We are just getting back into our normal routine after Kris' 10 day vacation. We had so much planned originally but due to some reoccurring medical issues (That darn shoulder), we had to make a few changes to our plans. We had originally wanted to drive as far north until we could no longer see our breath or Canada. After a night in St. John's New Brunswick, we would have head back stateside and hit the whole New England area in just 8 days. Canada and six states in 10 days. It was going to be one heck of a trip. But we had to settle for three days in Savannah, Ga near the end of the whole vacation instead.
It was not a long drive from here to Savannah. It was just a mere 7 hours which is not bad when you think we drove about 12 hours to New Orleans last October. Most of the 7 hours was just getting out of Florida. Once we crossed the Florida-Georgia border it was only about 2 hours to Savannah. We actually survived the trip up in the car without killing each other. Thank God for the music on our cell phones and the CDs from Ryan and Afra. They kept us well entertained. It was already late afternoon when we arrived so we just set up camp (at the hotel) and rested. We had every flyer, map, and magazine necessary to plan our day in Georgia.We had only one full day in Savannah and we wanted to get in as much sightseeing as we could.

Kris looks at the map of historical Savannah and plans our day

Friday was our first and only full day in Savannah and we had lots planned. We had so much to do and only 24 hours to do it all. Kris being the very methodical vacation planner I knew we had much crammed into the day. The day at 6AM which is VERY early for both of us. Strange how when we are on vacation we always end up getting up much earlier than we normally do when we are not on vacation.

We had intentions of starting the day off with Mass at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist but when we got there the doors were all locked. We headed back to our hotel room to enjoy the free breakfast. The day already seemed to get off on a not so great start. After breakfast we decided to head to Tybee Island and see the lighthouse. I am not too fond of heights but Kris seems to find tall places a pure delight. I could not deny him the enjoyment so we headed off on a 30 minute drive over to Tybee to see the tallest lighthouse in Georgia. I agreed that if we had to both pay admission to just see the lighthouse then I might as well climb however many steps to get to the very top. This always seems to be the case when we visit lighthouses or any other such tall building.

We started with a short drive around Tybee Island just to get a view of the beach. It was well past sunrise but the views were still just as breathtaking. We eventually made it to the lighthouse and I certainly was not looking forward to the climb. It was a 178 step climb to the very top of the lighthouse. I have no problems walking up the stairs to get there except for tired legs but once at the top I find looking over the ledge (especially down) very nerve wrecking. Kris seems to enjoy walking around the whole lighthouse and getting pictures of the view from above. After a while I eventually make it outside onto the ledge. I can look out and across but I can never seem to take a look down. The ledge at the Tybee Lighthouse seemed rather shaky at points and a bit more nerve wrecking than usual. I made it all the way around to see the view but after a very slow once around it was time to head down to the ground which is always more my level.

The Tybee Island Lighthouse

At the top of the Tybee Lighthouse

A sign of our accomplishment

Kris showing off his accomplishment

It was nice to spend sometime at Tybee checking out the scenery and the views from the top of the lighthouse. I am sure one of Kris' favorite parts of our whole vacation. Back in Savannah we finally made it to Mass at the Cathedral. But it did not seem like much of a Mass. It was hurried and quick. I guess it was more like a prayer service since no priests were available for Mass. It was still nice to go inside and see the beauty and splendor inside the Cathedral.

The inside of the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Savannah, Ga.

The rest of the day seemed to go by pretty fast. We got tickets to ride on the trolley and toured around the historical district of Savannah. It was so beautiful -- the old homes, the old buildings, and the history. It was a nice way to see all the sights without having to walk them. Our legs were still tired from the long climb to the top of the lighthouse.

After riding around on the tolley, we decided to have lunch at Paula Deen's The Lady and Sons restaurant. My sister had recommended we eat have the buffet there. We made it just in time to enjoy a lunch buffet. And it could not have been better timing. They were just getting ready to close to get ready for the dinner buffet. I am not sure either one of us could have made it until dinner time. The buffet was grand. There was fried chicken, baked chicken, fried fish, jumbalaya, pulled pork, collard greens, black eyed peas, green beans, etc, etc, etc. If it was classic Southern, it was there. So delicious. And the best sweet tea I have ever had with a hint mint. And it even included three desserts we could choose from - banna pudding, peach cobbler, and a gooey butter cake. I chose the banana pudding and Kris chose the butter cake. We had to take them to go.   We barely had room for a second plate at the buffet. We came home with a few nice souvenirs for family and ourselves from Paula Deen's gift shop next door. It was nearly 4:30 when we finished at Paula Deen's restaurant. We did not have much time to catch the trolley to where we parked the car so Kris decided that a walk in the dead of afternoon might help us to walk off some of the calories we put on at lunch. I am not sure it helped but we made it back to the car and hotel. We rested well (as well as you can being away from home) that night for sure.

Riding around historical Savannah on the trolley

On Saturday morning Kris decided to wake up at dawn to make a drive out to Tybee Island to see the sunrise. Living here on the west coast of Florida, we do not get to see many sunrises. Even though I though it was a wee bit early to wake up while on vacation, I decided to join my dear husband out on the beach at Tybee Island to watch the sunrise over the Atlantic. What an amazing sight it was to see!!! The sky was just clear enough to see the sun make its way over the horizon. The beautiful orange glow over the water was just breathtaking. It was so calm and peaceful despite the waves coming in from Hurricane Igor out over Bermuda. I could not imagine a better place to be than in the arms of my love as we watched the sunrise.

The (still) newlyweds after the sunrise on Tybee Island

Marriage not only looks good...

...but it feels great, too!

Shoes in the sand

The sunrise on Tybee Island. The End.

We are home from our vacation and we both are struggling a bit to get back into our marital routine at home. Kris has returned to his job at the newspaper and I am slowly getting back into the housework that needs to be done. Vacation sure was a lot of fun. But now it is time to get back to reality and the work that has to be done.