I had an outstanding weekend.

If you didn’t know, I was in a few different parts of the lovely state of North Carolina. Many that were apart of the weekend have already blogged beautifully about it and I think I might just make you make a couple of clicks. I realize that everyone’s perspective is different, but I like their take on it as well. So, if you’d like more than my couple of thoughts on the days spent, please make your way to my dear friend’s little spot on the world wide web as well.

The adventure begun when I landed 20 minutes early in Raleigh to an hour early boyfriend. We drove straight to Winston-Salem (about a 2 hour drive) to see the wonderful Sandra McCracken play for my first solo show. Susan (click there to see a wonderful review, set list and photos from the show) was so kind as to call me when it began, allowing Jace and I to listen to it as we drove there. Jace and I spent the driving getting back into our rhythm with each other which really didn’t take long. The time between we last saw each other was long and hard on both of us. There seemed to be a little bit of worry on both our ends that it might be different, but it wasn’t, we just really were hating being a part. More on that… see Jason’s blog . (the entries for 9.9 and 9.14 is what you’re looking for)

Friday, very graciously Kari drove over to Susan’s to pick up Sarah and I. Spending the few hours I was able to get before Sarah took off with Brandon for the beach were good. Miss that girl more than I remembered. It still strange to us both that we are both in a relationship at the same time. We love it too that we have much to talk about and understand each others joys and pains that come with a long distance relationship. After a brief lunch with Jason, Kari and Sarah took off to met Brandon and Jason took me to a local used bookstore till Kari came to get me. I love bookstores, especially used ones. This one had to be the best Ive ever been in. My treasures where a Ruth Graham book that Id never thought of owning cause its 25 bucks retail and I found it for 4. Also, I got “Anne of Green Gables” for free! Kari and I sat in a… well, we were quite unsure of the topics before, but the titles were quite something. After a many laughs at many books that made us believe there’s hope for us becoming authors, we went to a park to just sit and chat. We later met up with Brian and then later his wife Sarah (no relationship to the first mentioned Sarah) at Barns and Noble. It was nice to met Brian, he gave an added laugher to our conversation. Most enjoyable.

So much of what I write about is my daily, journaling type. I realized so many grace filled moments this weekend that is packed into the amazing relationship I’m in. Yes, long distance relationship is probably one of the most hardest things a person could put themselves through. I swore off ever getting involved with someone who’d have to be gone for a long period of time even before I was allowed to date. Just didn’t make sense to me to be away from that someone that warms my heart like no other. I cant believe it myself, but all that makes to say is that this is just so different. That different can go into so many directions… like he is able to tell if there’s a smile on my face in the expressions of my words to him. How even I’m being beyond ridiculous over a can of Cheerwine that he just smiles at me. He seems to know me, understand me more than I can at times. Sitting in the back of a room filled with youth with his voice echoing against the walls, I feel into the relational of how much God loves me. He lead me there, along with the Holy Spirit. I wish I didn’t have to hold onto the tears that I did so I wouldn’t be the weepy girlfriend so many had heard too much about. Words escaped me so many times this weekend as the hours seemed to race by. All I know is there is a loving God, despite the hurt, who is with both Jace and I through it all. This relationship shows me that in so many ways, even through the goofy moments. *raises hand* “meow”.

I will return with more stories of the weekend, say, the rest of it tomorrow. I just needed to lay my thoughts out somewhere. Reminds me of when Jamie and Paul in the show Mad About You buried a fight together. They wrote down what they were saying, feeling, anything and buried it. It was done. Both later dug it up and read what each other wrote. Jamie’s said something to the degree of she could never write down something mean against Paul, it makes it too permitted. Heres to making the discoveries in the peace and mercy God freely gives if we just receive it, in writing.