A planned self-care day turned into an adventure.  Hitting the road without breakfast we stopped off at a wonderful restaurant in Powhatan called The Four Seasons (3867 Old Buckingham Rd, Powhatan, VA 23139).

We were able to experience the music of the cicadas as we sat outside on the porch.  The wind was blowing, and the breeze was refreshing.  After a busy weekend, I planned to wear a pretty dress and take an adventure.  Enjoy God’s world and soak in beauty.

It takes 17 years for the Cicada to emerge into our world singing.  The next time I will hear that song will be 2030. Parish and I will travel to Inglewood by way of the Four Seasons on June 2, 2030.  It’s a date!

We ventured to Inglewood Lavender Farm in Arrington, VA.  We passed through the sweetest town called Norwood– the home place of William Goodwin who inspired Rockefeller to restore Colonial Williamsburg.

Our time at Inglewood was filled with magic–the soft rain, the lavender fields, sheep, and a picnic.

It was fun to swing like a little girl again!

Instead of heading home, we took another adventure to Charlottesville.  One back road that took folks home and to church was too rugged, and we had to turn around.

After a turn-around and another hour of country roads we ended up in Charlottesville.  The rain passed and the sun set as we nestled in our chairs and admired God’s beauty.

I forgot to share how we started our day–dancing to “You’ve Got the Best of My Love”.  We chose to dance.  Dancing with your mate at 9:00 a.m. randomly is a definite choice.  The joy came within the dance.

I confess that I got a phone call early on in my adventure that took me back to my job–a death of a student and a crisis response needed in the morning.  I deeply prayed for God to restore and provide beauty in the midst of the sadness I felt. The stress of my job and the sadness have been overwhelming.  I came to realize that I will never be able to run away from the sadness in the world, I can only create and appreciate beauty within the sadness and suffering that exists.  Just like my dance with my husband.  We chose to dance and capture joy in the midst  of………

It is possible for your heart to ache and for joy to overflow simultaneously.