Amelia Island retreat

One of the perks of Marc working for a large law firm is that every year and a half or so they have a firm-wide retreat so all the branches can get together.  This weekend we went to Amelia Island and stayed at the Ritz Carlton!  SO AWESOME!



The view from our balcony-
 

They had all these activities you could sign up for- biking tours, trolley tours, cooking class, kayaking, deep sea fishing, golfing, tennis tournament, on and on and on. We did nothing. I said- "we have four children- I want to do NOTHING but relax!"  We had the best time. While Marc was in meetings I went spent Friday at the spa having a facial and hanging out with girlfriends. Then on Saturday we all hung out at the pool and went out to lunch- just calm, relaxing time. Just what the doctor ordered.

The highlight of the weekend (besides poolside girl talk) was definitely meeting Captain Charlie Plumb.



Captain Plumb graduated from Annapolis and was one of the very first pilots to train at Top Gun. He was on a tour of duty in Vietnam and 5 days before it was over his plane was shot down in enemy territory. He was tortured and held prisoner in an 8 by 8 ft. cell for SIX years- he went in at age 24- and came out at age 30. He was in the same prison as John McCain. His story of how he was able to come out of that experience with his wits and faith intact was AMAZING.  This is a true American hero.  You really see how a "happy childhood lasts forever".  Someone who knows who they are and what they believe and what they are doing can handle the stresses of life- little and gigantic.  He said that a coach told him in high school that "whether you think you are a winner or a loser- you are right."  In other words- you determine your life- not your circumstances.  He also told about being in despair in his cell when he first got there and the prisoner next door using a wire did morse code to tell him, "you have what we call 'prison think'- you think you are in prison.  You have to change your attitude to survive this."  And he did.  And it was amazing.



After the keynote speaker Saturday night they had the "band" play- all the members are attorneys at the firm- it was hysterical, but they sounded great- they did an especially great version of "take a load off, Annie".  :)



Of course I took no pics of us, but that's okay- I have the happy memories. And none of this could have been possible without the great BB and Poppy who stayed at our house and kept the munchkins and even did laundry and made the yard look awesome. THANK YOU a million times over!