Getting Out of Cairo and Celebrating 13 Crazy, Awesome Years

Life goes by in a blur.  And then you look back and see snippets of time and wonder where it all went.  On this day in 1999, that's right! - 13 years ago! - I married my best friend, my soul mate.  At the risk of sounding corny and mushy and downright lovey-dovey...I still can't believe how lucky I am.  It's been an awesome 13 years.  Three beautiful children.  Ten years at our sweet home in Ohio.  One fabulous year in Los Angeles.  And now, nearly six months into our awesome two-year assignment in Cairo.

13 Years Ago.

My husband, who didn't hesitate to say "Do it" when I said I wanted to completely change career paths and be an RN.  Who spent nearly two years as a stay-at-home dad while I focused on my career; he still says it was one of his greatest jobs.  Who four years ago said, "I want to work for the Foreign Service - let's move overseas" when we talked about moving away from Ohio.  No idea too crazy, nothing that couldn't be accomplished if we so chose to do it.

13 years.  It seems like it should feel like a long time, but it seems like just a moment ago we got married.  I've loved every twisty turn, every crazy idea, every sweet moment we've ever shared.

We've spent our wedding anniversary in lots of fun places - San Diego (5th year), Cleveland (8th year), Los Angeles (11th year) Baghdad/Ohio (separate, last year, not so fun), and now Cairo.  Usually, we try to spend our anniversary sans kiddos, but this year we decided to get away with the kids for a few days.  Since our trip to Hurghada was cancelled in November (remember my Thanksgiving post?) I was still really craving a beachy trip.  We decided to hit Ain Sokhna, a nice resort area on the Red Sea and within driving distance.  I booked a hotel with a two bedroom apartment-style unit available on booking.com (which, BTW, is spot-on in reviews about resorts) and we packed up the SUV and braved the Egyptian roads for some fresh air and sea.

View from our hotel room.  Awesome!

And it was absolutely wonderful. Our hotel, though seriously outdated and full of lots of broken items - namely the microwave and room heaters (plus, I honestly questioned the cleanliness of the linens, but at least there were no bugs!) was charming with lots of activities for the kids.  American restaurants on premise (always a bonus with kids) and local restaurants, too.  Multiple swimming pools, playgrounds (with a cafe right beside one of them!), and access to the private beach.  Crystal clear, beautiful water.  What more could I ask for?

Kids, including the baby, swam in the sea.  I enjoyed many a cup of 'Nescafe' while the fab hubby drank hot tea.  A TV with three English-speaking channels!  And a view of the Red Sea to die for.  Time with the hubby, time with the kids, and time to relax.  Out of the smoggy city.  Away from the constant noise and traffic.  Because sometimes, just sometimes, Cairo can be overwhelming. And no matter how much you love it, you sometimes just need to get away from it.

And so this trip was exactly what we all needed.  A great celebration of our marriage, and a way to unwind from the hustle of the city.

Happy Anniversary to us!  It's been 13 crazy, awesome years.  Together.  And I can't wait to see what we'll be doing for the next 13 years.

Lots and lots of kiddie activities!

Kellen's middle name is "Murphy" and it means "sea warrior."
Obviously, it fits.

Such a beautiful moment.

The fab hubby took the kids out for a ride.

And back in the crazy we are!