15th Anniversary: The Journey

15 years ago on August 21st, Joe was freaking out trying to find his wallet and money as were headed out as newlyweds on our honeymoon. I calmly opened the trunk to his dad's car, retrieved his planner, opened said planner, and all lost items came into view. It was oh so appropriate then 15 years later to be getting ready for our weekend getaway only to have Joe lose his wallet yet again! Lol. Only this time, times have changed, and he found it himself. Yeah!

We dropped the kids off at the Gwynns and headed to Hamilton Golf Course for a quick round of golf. I can say without the least bit of exaggeration that I STINK at golf!! I didn't even keep track of my score but boy did I have fun. My goal was "Make the club have contact with the ball". I am happy to report that I achieved that goal from time to time. lol.

I was so proud of Joe for actually making reservations at Lost Trail Resort. However, when we got there it was serious MON-TUCKY! I didn't want to disappoint my hubby of 15 years but I did not want to be there. We walked into the smokey smelling cabin and I felt like I was starring in the beginning of a horror movie. So what is being married for 15 years if you can't communicate with your one true love? I politely voiced my concerns trying not to offend. Joe was totally relieved because he hated it too. He was sure that we had walked into a National Lampoons Vacation scenario where within an hour a Randy Quaid-esque character would be inviting us to sing Kum-bah-ya with his family or something!

And so we canceled our reservations and drove on. Whew! Now came the question we have dealt with the most in our 15 years of marriage...where to now? Joe had heard of a place called Tin Cup Lodge so we decided to check it out. It was exactly what we were looking for but the manager was not in and the owners had no way of knowing if there were any availabilities. What??? Customer Service is definitely lacking in Montana. We called up the West Fork and found a lodge that was only $650 per NIGHT! Umm, something tells me that they do not cater to our sort of clientele. The owners recommended Rocky Knob so we headed back up the highway. We almost arrived when we decided to eat at a restaurant in Hamilton. I know, we are pretty lame as far as getting away.

At this point I was beginning to doubt our weekend getaway and was opting to just go home and sleep on the trampoline under the stars. Joe would not hear of it! Thankfully we got a call right before dinner. Even with all the sling shot driving back and forth on the highway, I certainly enjoyed the journey with my man. I didn't care where we ended up as long as we were together.

When we first met, Joe told me that he was in a stage of life where he wanted to get away. I replied, "Take Me With You!" The rest has been a history full of fun, laughter, tears, heartbreak, and then more fun and laughter. We have 4 amazing kids, have lived in 9 homes in 3 states, with who knows how many more adventures to look forward to! Thankfully, Joe has agreed to "take me with him" in all the journey. These pictures capture the journey for me.