Smoky Mountains Getaway

Keith and I ended up taking a 4-day mini-vacation this past weekend. He had some vacation days left over from 2007, and we both wanted to take a relaxing, quiet trip for just the two of us, one more time before our lives get turned upside down in mid-July.

It was an amazing trip. Keith had been to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park several times before with his family—as far as I know, I had never been. This is what happens when you grow up 200 miles further North and both of your families take many camping vacations. Our radii of vacation destinations overlaps in the middle, but he's been many places further South that I've never seen, and our family went East much more than his family.

But finally I can say I've been to the Smokies, and they were gorgeous. The weather was cooperative—after a late-ish arrival Saturday evening, we fit in two hikes on Sunday, and one more, longer hike on Monday. I was proud of myself for keeping up a pretty good pace on the hikes, particularly on the uphills. And I didn't really whine any more than I usually do (a fair amount), so I think that's good, too.

I wanted to tell everyone that we passed by, "Look at me! I'm five months pregnant and hiking!" but resisted the urge. Because of course that would have meant interaction with strangers, and our family goal is to avoid interaction whenever possible. Instead, I just contented myself with telling Keith over and over again how well I was doing and how impressed I was with my hiking, and making him agree every time.

In the evenings, we headed back to the cabin for dinner and TV or a movie. We read a little, napped occasionally, and talked about everything and nothing all weekend. It was exactly what I was hoping for, and I couldn't stop myself from getting progressively sadder as the final day drew to a close. It made me realize how much I enjoy spending time with Keith when we can actually be fully in each others' company, and not distractedly conversing while paying the bills / watching TV / catching up on email / etc.

Although we really enjoyed having time as a couple, we also spent a lot of our trip discussing how we were looking forward to our next vacation—whenever that may be—when we would be traveling as a family of three. I'm sure it will be vastly different, but equally wonderful.