Aaron turned 30 on Thursday, Sept. 29th. The night before, I shared my present with him...I had booked a 4-night cruise for us to the western Caribbean! The best part about the cruise gift: we would be leaving in only a few days! He was so shocked. We were having dinner out that night, and he had ordered an entire entree. When I told him, he couldn't even eat his meal, not one bite, because he was so surprised. After an hour of sitting and talking, the waitress finally gave him a to-go box for the whole thing. It was an awesome night, talking about all the plans I had been making for the past 5 or 6 months. When we got home he immediately did all the research about the cruise ship and we stayed up late making more plans for the trip.

Every detail worked out so perfectly. Even though it was a busy time for him at work, my parents and all the employees worked to cover his responsibilities for the week. Aaron's parents kept the girls while we were gone and they had a blast...it was a great opportunity for Mike, Peggy, and Brooke to spend time with them, and vice versa. Aaron and I really enjoyed the time together and were refreshed when we returned. The timing in our family life couldn't have been better. We thank the Lord for such a gift.

I will post the cruise details in just 3 posts: Key West, Cozumel, and on board the ship. I didn't take an abundance of pictures, but I have enough to help us remember this week even when we're old and gray.

Thank you, Aaron, for going away with me! You are my favorite traveling companion :)