Trip Highlights Part 1

Ok so here's the thing. Levi and I are celebrating 5 years of marriage this summer. We have always talked about doing something BIG for that anniversary. But then on year 5 of marriage I decided to start grad school. Womp wooooomp. But also, yay! This means our original plan of 8 days in Costa Rica and riding a hot air balloon through the rain forest at sunrise will have to wait. And that made me kind of sad. And then I got complainy about it.

And then I realized HOW.FLIPPING.SPOILED.I.AM. 

Just because we couldn't go on that big of a trip this year, I started to get all sad and dissatisfied. It was a not so subtle reminder of where I can tend to let my treasures be (i.e. traveling the world). My ultimate satisfaction is found in Christ and through what he has done for me and in return the life that we live together. But all that to say, I needed a reality check.

Levi and I will STILL be taking a trip this year (did I tell you I'm spoiled?), and as we started to research where to go, we realized how many places we have been already. I mean, at 25 (& 27 *cough*Levi*cough) years old, we've got a pretty good start on the world. There is power in remembering your past experiences and opportunities and to remember that you probably have many more ahead of you. We are in a season of a tight budget but there will be other seasons to come. For now, I wanted to reminisce on all the places we have been the past 6 years! We have been so lucky to be able to travel, but it is also something we have placed a high priority on!

First stop together: Peru! We went all over this dang country, the coast of Lima, the city and slums of Iquitos, and the jungles of the Amazon.

We were BABIES!

L: Look! We fit into a tree.                    R: Crossing leach infested waters.

We fished for and ate Piranha (about as good as you would expect...).

Second stop, one year later was Waikiki, Hawaii for our honeymoon!

We celebrated our one year anniversary in New Orleans! We went there with only a MuteMath concert on our agenda and the rest of the time was spent exploring! Definitely want to go back here.

Cafe Du Monde cannot be beat.

A few months later we celebrated Levi's dad and stepmom's new marriage in Colorado!

Bethany's first snow:

I believe it was 2012 when we traveled to St. Maarten with Levi's mom and sister. This place was INCREDIBLE! We were staying a mile away from the famous beach that planes land over. 

For our 2nd anniversary we traveled to San Francisco! We flew into San Jose, rented a car, and drove up HWY 1 to SF. It is still one of my favorite trips we've ever done.

We've eaten breakfast in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. Croissants from Tartine to be exact!

We drove north of San Fran for the day into wine country:

Next up is my family's trip to Gulf Shores, AL that we do every other year with family friends. Yes people, this is the Gulf of Mexico and it's BEAUTIFUL!

That time we swam with a 7ft hammerhead on accident:

I couldn't narrow down all of my favorite pictures enough for one post so there is a part 2 coming that catalogs the past 2-3 years of travels :) Stay tuned!

- B