Around the Town: Pensacola that is!

So, did you wonder where we were off to last week,

as I had so many guest posts? :)

Only to one of the most beautiful places on Planet Earth!

{Pensacola Beach}

This is a image-heavy post, y'all! :) So enjoy.

We had so much fun in the sand & water!!

Building sand castles.

Combing the beach for shells. :)

Eating some of the best seafood & key lime pie around!

{Flounders on the beach.}

And playing on their playgrounds,

and beach volleyball courts too.

Relaxing, and truly enjoying the beautiful hotel we stayed at.

(Isn't the view from our room & balcony awesome?!?)

(It was hysterical how she LOVED being on the balcony!)

And the hotel pool, too!

Walking along the boardwalk...

and remeniscing about the old days when me & the hubster

would go dangle our feet on the pier & listen to the live music play.

{cheap date!}

(He wanted to pose with me like this under "Herbie"! lol.)

Going to the Air & Naval Museum.

(I remembered it being kind of boring from a long time ago...

but this time, it was fun,

since the kids really enjoyed the play area,

and the planes, too!)

(Look at the "Lt. Jay-Jay"!!! Aww, so cute.)

But this place is also special to me & the hubster for lots of other reasons.

It's the place where my hubby & I met 13 years ago.

It's the place where I spent the first 2 newlywed years,

learning to make a house a home,

learning to become a wife.

And also learning- I got my Music Education degree there.

It's the place that I spent nearly every Saturday morning for years,

laying on the beach, and taking peaceful walks along the shores.

It's the place that I made some of my best friends for life-

at college, at church, even a few at work.

The place that we became burdened for churches in the West;

spiritually refreshed & challenged through one of our now dearest spiritual mentors;

served so much & grew so much as Christians.

"Power Church", nursery, Tiny Church, Bus ministry, choir, children's choir directors,

seminary classes, special music, plays & productions... all at that church.

Learned to love seafood.

And Key Lime Pie! {Flounder's to be specific.}

Went deep sea fishing with a captain we called a friend.

Enjoyed the blue angels air show.

Participated in a Naval wedding.

Played tennis, softball, basketball & volleyball in different leagues.

Now that we have lived away for so many years,

it was quite refreshing to go back,

and see what it was that we left behind-

to go do what we felt God led us to do.

Looking back, we realize how much we gave up!

And yet, also realize that it will be worth it all,

when we see Jesus!

We are dismayed by the oil spill that has hit this exact spot

since we visited.

Those lovely white beaches are so beautiful.

I'm hoping that it will somehow not be as long

for the cleanup, as what they have predicted.

For it is a wonderful place to take a family vacation!