Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Girls' Weekend

What's a summer without a Girls' Weekend?  Just days ago I was absolutely, utterly blessed to fly down to Kentucky to meet up with some adoptive mamas for a weekend getaway.

After a few weeks (or perhaps months) of what felt like total burnout, I packed my bags and ventured out.  Even the journey to get there was relaxing.  I had nobody else to care for; it was just me, my notepad, and my book.  I spent hours in the airport and aboard the planes reading and writing.  Sometimes I even just spaced out!

When I got to Kentucky, I rented a car and drove through wooded hills on the highway, then through winding, narrow back roads to get to my destination.




I thoroughly enjoyed the journey to get there.  When I pulled into the driveway, my friend Cadell came out to greet me, and standing behind her were 3 other adoptive mamas.  We hugged our greetings, even though that was the first time most of us met.  There's something special shared when you encounter another woman who has chosen the adoption road.  Three of us at the weekend retreat had adopted from Ethiopia with our agency, one is VERY close to being matched with her daughter from Ethiopia, and the 5th woman has adopted from both China and Cambodia.

Conversation flowed smoothly and some of my favorite memories were made sitting around the table talking.  Time always flew by when we conversed, and it was very meaningful to hear from other voices who had walked down my same path. 


The weekend went by all too quickly, and the departures began Sunday morning.  Luckily they were staggered, so Sarah, Cadell, and I spent the afternoon kayaking down the Green River

We parked our cars and hiked down a breathtaking path toward the river. 


The path was bordered by unique, native flowers that were emerging after a strategic burn.



At the river, we loaded into our kayaks and began the journey.


As we floated down the Green River, I was hesitant to put my paddle in at times because I didn't want to disrupt the pristine silence.  No trucks, airplanes, or people could be heard; only the sound of the birds and insects chirping from the trees, or the occasional lap of water against the river's edge.


Notice the color of the water above.  This river usually has more of a green appearance; however, when we were there, the river was muddy because after being drought-stricken for much of the summer, this area received a lot of rain at once.  Even though it didn't look its usual self, I was still awe-struck by its beauty.

Per tradition, Sarah and I had to be "baptized" in the falls because it was our first time going down the Green River.  The falls are fed by underground springs, where the water temperature is about 60 degrees.  It was cold as it cascaded down on us!


The ferns lining the hillside took my breath away.  It was so fresh, lush, and full of life here! 






The weekend served to energize and inspire me.  It breathed new life into me so I came home rejuvenated.  When we said our goodbyes, I felt in my heart that we were instead saying, "See you later."  I believe that I'll be seeing more of these wonderful women in the future.

2 comments:

  1. Love all the pics!!! Especially the one with your arm reaching out in the falls. So glad you got rejuventated. Sorry I couldn't have met you there....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Amber - hoping I can see you at the next get-together! I think we'd get along well! :)

    ReplyDelete