15 Years, 5 Months and a Second Honeymoon

Well, technically, I wouldn’t call this our second honeymoon. I think previous cruises and trips (Germany, Italy, Jamaica) would already count for that. So we’ll call this another honeymoon. Because, honestly? When you are STILL in love after 15 years of marriage? Even a trip to Costco can be romantic. (It works better without the kids, though.)

Dan and I wanted to get away for our anniversary last December, but the holidays and work load and life in general kept us from celebrating the Big Fifteen. Instead, we made plans and decided to take a trip this past weekend. I asked a few friends, and one suggested a little town called New Harmony, Indiana. It’s about two and a half hours east of St. Louis; far enough to get away, but close enough to drive (and skip airfare). My only prerequisites for the trip were that it had to be somewhere new, and it had to be relaxing. We scored on both counts! I’m going to give a little summary, then let the photos speak for themselves.

I have never been to a town where I spent this much time looking up. Quiet. Solitude. Spirituality. Shhhh… Rain. Receding floodwaters. The Boatload of Knowledge. “Where the past and future meet in the present.” We met a Civil War buff who was carrying a jug of beer. We visited the top of the town by climbing on a spectacular roof. We huddled under umbrellas. Lots of walking. Sitting on a covered patio, drinking New Harmonie Bier (and wine for me), while watching the rain fall and learning new camera techniques. “The whole store’s got the flu.” Bugs attacking Dan’s head, while he ran around wearing a nun’s habit. The Roofless Church. “We are lousy with turkeys.” Unplanned recommitment of our marriage promises while eating dinner at The Red Geranium Restaurant (steak and creme brulee). Geocaching! Beer snobs: “None of that green bottle nonsense!” The Cathedral Labyrinth AND the Harmonist Labyrinth (which will require their own separate blog post). Beautiful doors. Thought-provoking signs. Sacred, holy, and soothing to our souls. Gratitude to each other. Writing a couple’s mission statement, and our love summed up in six words: Thank God we didn’t give up.