We had an amazing Spring Break this year!
We had previously been invited to stay at the home of a friend of A's in southern FL and finally made the opportunity to do so for a few days. It was the amazing, low key time we needed. A ended up having to fly so we delayed our trip by a day (which it turns out we needed to allow more time prep...) and I drove the 3.5 hours down with the kids and dog and we picked him up at the airport there. Since it was at a small airport, we were able to walk right up nearly to the tarmac and see his plane up close. It was the first time two of our three had seen it. After he closed up the plane we went to his friend's house where we ended up having a whole suite-living space, bed, bath, screened porch to ourselves. It was so fantastic to have space to spread out and retreat to when it felt like the kids might be overwhelming everyone; with a larger family sometimes I feel like we descend on people's home like locusts . They also have three dogs so Archie was right at home playing. We spent our time visiting a dinosaur park, taking a golf cart tour of their neighborhood, playing at a playground, swimming in their hot tub, riding in their jeep, getting ice cream, and just generally hanging out. It was exactly the refresh we needed and we are so thankful to them for offering us the space and companionship. The drive home turned into an extended one due to heavy traffic related to Bike Week in Daytona Beach, but we made it home with just enough time to prep for our next adventure.
We were up early the next morning to accompany A, the owner of his company, and his family on a business trip. They had to fly to Alabama for a meeting and then decided to fly up to Nashville for the weekend since it was close by. It was the first time I've flown with A since he was a student more than 15 years ago and the first time I've seen him fly something bigger than a Cessna. It was the first time the two little ones had ever flown with him and the first time the littlest had ever flow. We loaded up the plane and headed out. The kids and I walked around outside and read magazines inside while they had their meeting and then we headed out to Nashville. Once in Nashville, we landed at the private plane terminal and it was on! We got met at the door by a gentleman with an umbrella and waiting in the FBO with our luggage and the kids while our pilots finished out the trip and closed up the plane. It was interesting the facility because there were lots of corporate pilots milling around, checking each other and their planes out. We were standing off to one side and I saw a man come in, wearing jeans, a shirt, and a hat. He had a bike with him that he leaned up against a garbage can and left. It seemed odd and out of place in the fancy terminal. Then he came back in walking three dogs and said something about taking them out to the plane. I realized the guy looked kinda familiar but couldn't place him. When he came back in, I realized it was probably my favorite country singer ever, Dierks Bentley! I won't say I totally lost my cool then, but I did try hard not to gawk embarrass myself by staring but also discretely tell everyone else in our group who it was. I was too shy to walk up and say something, partly because everyone else in the terminal was so nonchalant about it. I'm sure they see famous people there all the time. Then, as we were standing outside waiting for our Uber, out he comes again. And their I was, with his song playing on the overhead speaker, watching him talk to someone he knew, just a few feet away from me. The heavens could have opened up and sung Hallelujah and I wouldn't have noticed.
While in Nashville we got to stay at the Gaylord Opryland. Pre-COVID I had hoped to go there for Christmas, but we weren't able to make it happen this year. The hotel was perfect because it had enough to do for the kids without having to load everyone up in an expensive Uber XL. It was as amazing as I expected it to be and even bigger than the one in Orlando where we have stayed several times. We had booked an interior balcony room that slept 4 and figured we'd make it work for the 5 of us somehow. At the Elite Member check in (finally A can collect hotel points for his overnight stays!) we were offered a room upgrade, but it wouldn't have a balcony. I was a little iffy on taking it because we really liked having the balcony, but A really pushed me to do it. And the registration person acknowledged that we had a lot of kids and this would be more comfortable for us. So with the pouty, reluctant "FINE" that women are known for, we took room. Well... as it turned out, we got a 2 room suite with sleeping room for least 10 between the 2 pull out couches, the murphy bed, and the two queen beds. I would have been overjoyed to have had just ONE of the rooms. We also had a giant TV, gas fireplace and 6 person dining table, plus plenty of space for the kids to play. IT. WAS. AMAZING. We were able to get food from restaurants to eat in our room as the kids played and everyone slept in a different bed every night. The hotel itself was pretty nice too, with several scavenger hunts for the kids, an indoor pool, spring activities, and unlimited delta riverboat rides. There was truly no need to leave the hotel. We had a fantastic time and hope to visit again in the future.
Our trip home was uneventful and it was significantly less glamorous having to unload our own luggage and empty the lav and garbages, and going right back to work and school the next day, but that was well worth it. As we were flying home I took some time to reflect on how this amazing trip had fallen into place, even after the previous year filled with job loss, cut hours, and so much uncertainty. And the unexpected path and opportunities that had fallen into place to allow us a trip that included flying on a private plane and staying in a fancy suite. I'm so thankful for the small blessings that have fallen our way during this season!
