Vacation Day #2 - Downtown, Dogs, And A Porpoise

So today I took a few photos before my camera died.... dumb. We woke up a little later in the day had some coffee and bagels with friends and headed out to see Summerville and Charleston, SC. We had some amazing tour guides as the Gabriel's took us pretty much anywhere and everywhere there was to go.

We headed first to a picture spot in front of town hall in Summerville and then to the farmer's market in downtown Charleston which was awesome. My favorite thing about downtown is that I saw all kinds of dogs being walked all around the area. I mean everywhere we looked there were dogs. It was awesome. I stepped in a little bit of poop.... but it was dry from the sun so it brushed off my flips into the grass easily.

We checked out the Calhoun memorial (or gravesite) we weren't sure what it was but it was big. Emma pretended she was falling off it and we had some good photo opportunities together.

We made our way down a couple of blocks past the local college and found the Apple Store which we spent a good bit of time drooling over iPhones and the like. I really actually liked the new iPod shuffle. At first I thought it was dumb but after seeing it I really enjoyed it. I just won the former generation shuffle on Twitter a few days ago. Super stoked. Then I showed Jennifer and Darien the basics of GarageBand and have them both hooked. It was pretty cool to see them working it out and fiddling and playing with it. I love that app.

After our time there we headed out to a restaurant in Mt. Pleasant called On the Border. It was awesome. I built my own burrito and enjoyed every bit of it and the chips and salsa taste the best I've ever had. Really good stuff.

With our stomach's full we made our way out to Sullivan's Island for a walk in the sand. We saw a helicopter and a porpoise in the ocean. The helicopter wasn't in the ocean, just the porpoise but.... yeah. There's actually a really "wicked undercurrent" as Darien put it and apparently a few years back 2 kids got swept out to sea and were adrift for about a week before the coast guard picked them up. Can't imagine just drifting in the ocean for a week. They lived through it. Amazing. Well now there's a $500 fine just for wading in the waters at certain spots on the island. Craziness I know. From the beach, after my battery died in the camera.... dumb (still), we saw Ft. Sumter and some of the old barracks from the original battles.

Oh and I can't forget the CANNONS!!!! (see the pictures)

On our final stop we made our way down to what used to be the slave market and is now converted into a shopping market with all kinds of things we don't need but think are cool. Kristin and I picked up a little cat sculpture from Thailand (yeah right) for our printer's desk drawer that we have hanging in our kitchen. We always collect souvenirs on our travels for the drawer. Maybe we'll get one in Myrtle too.... we'll see.

I was a big fan of the free pralines everyone seemed to be giving out. Tasty.... GET IN MY BELLY!!!

I wish I had more pictures but, I'm thankful for the memories and time with friends regardless. It was a beautiful day and I'm so glad that Kristin and I could spend this time with the Gabriel's. I'm thankful to God for the friends He places in our lives and the time He gives us to enjoy each other and His creation.

This is my favorite picture from the day.

Vacation Day #1 - Jesus Loves Moms Too

Kristin and I got up this morning and headed out on our spring vacation away from the hustle and bustle of normal life into the hustle and bustle of relaxing enjoyment.... we made our way south and stopped at a true southern BoJangles complete with Cheerwine making our way through the first of the Carolinas and ending up in the second, that's where' I'm writing from now. We're in Summerville, SC visiting some friends of ours, Darien & Anita Gabriel. Darien was my youth pastor for most of my middle school and all of my high school years. He was then and is now still one of my greatest spiritual influences and mentors. Tonight we spent some time with the community of which he is the pastor and watched the movie The Passion Of The Christ by Mel Gibson, the first time for me since it's silver screen release, in it's entirety. I found myself getting emotional watching this film, but I didn't get emotional where I thought I would. I didn't cry at the crucifixion or the scourging. The moments that tugged at my heart the most where the moments between Jesus and His mother Mary. Maybe it's because I view my mother and the most influential person in my life ever and that I have such a strong connection with her that these moments were where I choked up a bit. I'm not sure. What I do know is that I was deeply moved by Jesus relationship with her. It's good to see Jesus' more human than deity side once in a while. I'm so thankful for what Christ did on the cross. I'm also thankful that he wasn't some Zeus like Grecco-Roman deity firing lightning bolts down from the heavens. I'm thankful that Jesus had a real mom that he loved like I love mine.