Thankful For Our Nov. 2023 Myrtle Beach Visit

The Resers are back on the west coast after nine days in Myrtle Beach. It was such a blessing to return to South Carolina to visit Sidney’s family. Even though we are still fresh from the sadness of leaving family and have just started the battle of adjusting back to pacific time (and from rainy/cloudy days to crisp/cool days), I feel like I can still write about the many happy moments from our trip. So, in no particular order, here are ten themes from our Thanksgiving visit to Myrtle Beach.

Cousin Time – For the first time in two years, the six cousins derived from the Mathis family were together again. Russell, Harrison, Henry, and Jack were waiting for Sloan and Beau at the airport when we landed and the gang hung out with each other for the duration of our time on South Carolina soil. When you are dealing with kids and nearly 24 months pass, it is crazy how big everyone gets. But no matter how much you grow physically, you never “grow out” of family.

The six cousins started their time together from the get-go at the Myrtle Beach Airport.

Thanksgiving – I devoted a whole blog post to Thanksgiving 2023, but just to recap: We drove to Conway, South Carolina, to attend the Thanksgiving gathering of the Henry family. Our connection was my brother-and-law and husband to Sid’s sister, John Henry. Everyone welcomed us with supreme Southern hospitality as we ate fried turkey, chicken bog, mac and cheese, and barbecue pig. After cruising on tractors and ATVs through the family’s wooded property, we returned to Sid’s parents for an afternoon of football, books, and relaxation. It was awesome.

The four of us, Sidney’s sister, her husband, their son, and my in-laws pose for a photo outside the barn on Thanksgiving Day.

Feliz Navidad – After Thanksgiving was adequately celebrated, we had Christmas in November. On Black Friday, the cousins slipped on their new Christmas pajamas and were treated to a gift exchange. The following day we took them to the Christmas tree farm where they had their picture taken with Santa. After not doing any Christmas activities together last year, it was nice for them to have these moments this year.

The cousins had their picture taken with Santa.

Games – Creativity, humor, and brain power were all used at different times depending on the game we happened to be playing. Selections such as Stir the Pot, Chameleon, Banana, and Rummikub were all played during the days and nights we were in Myrtle Beach. But the undisputed favorite? That would be the kids’ version of Charades that the cousins loved to play! There is no doubt that we will have to get Beau his own Charades game when we make it back to Spokane because he loved it so much.

We played games such as Stir the Pot, Chameleon, Banana, and Charades.

Re-Connecting With Co-Workers – It was work that originally brought me to Myrtle Beach and paved the way for me meeting Sidney and the many blessings that followed. Because of this, Coastal Carolina University will always have a special place in my heart and I will always hold the people dear. During this recent trip, I had the pleasure of hanging out with a few of my “work besties.” On Thanksgiving Eve I sat down with Kim Harper and Martha Hunn for a long overdue catch-up session. Then, a couple days later, I shot the breeze with Geoff Insch. It was awesome to see these outstanding individuals again.

Thanks to Kim Harper (left) and Martha Hunn (right) for taking the time to hang with me on Thanksgiving Eve at Tavern in the Forest in Myrtle Beach.

Murder Mystery – On the Saturday evening of our trip, the opportunity arose for Sidney and me to take our eldest niece and eldest nephew on a night out. Russell, Harrison, Sid, and I went to the Christmas edition of the Riga Tony Murder Mystery Dinner Show. The venue was beautifully decorated and the acting top notch as we watched an entertaining mystery unfold before our eyes. We truly brought our detective hats with us as Sidney cracked the case and was declared the overall winner of the evening!

We had such a fun time with Russell and Harrison at the Riga Tony Murder Mystery Dinner Show.

Mass At St. Andrew – What a special Sunday morning it was when we attended mass at St. Andrew Catholic Church. It happened to be the very last mass in the parish gym before the congregation moves back into the newly renovated church this upcoming weekend but we weren’t disappointed. You see, gym or not, it was still the same beautiful and reverent form of worship that we grew accustomed to when we were parishioners there. After mass we had the blessing of chatting with Fr. Morgan, the priest who baptized Beau and welcomed Sid into the Catholic Church.

What a blessing it was to attend mass at St. Andrew Catholic Church with Fr. Roger Morgan presiding. We took advantage of the opportunity to chat with him afterwards.

Afternoon With the McCormicks – After mass on that Sunday, we went over to the home of Tim and Kathy McCormick. I have mentioned them many times throughout Don’t Blink but just as a refresher they were our marriage mentor couple, they babysat Sloan when Sid went through RCIA, and they are Beau’s godparents. Aside from Sid’s family, when we come to Myrtle Beach they are the two people we desperately want to see. Kathy made a delightful lunch and we had so much fun catching up and swapping stories about our involvement in our respective parishes.

Beau and Sloan sit with Kathy and Tim McCormick during our most recent visit to Myrtle Beach. Kathy and Tim mean so much to our family.

Time At The Gym – While in Myrtle Beach I tried to slightly balance all the wonderful food I was eating with a little bit of exercise. I was able to return to Iron Legacy Gym, the place where I trained for 3-4 years before moving to Washington. When it comes to Iron Legacy, all I can say is this: If you know, you know. It truly is a one-of-a-kind old school spot with fabulous owners. It was pretty sweet to get in a sweat just like the old times and see some great people.

I got six workout in at Iron Legacy Gym during our visit to Myrtle Beach.

Cherry On Top – The last night of a family visit is always tough as the reality of departure starts to set in. On this particular trip, we tried to make the “eve of return” a little sweeter than what it usually is. The four of us and most of Sid’s family went to the Crazy Mason, one of those fancy milkshake bars. Sid and I shared the “Dashing Through the Dough” shake and the kids shared a “Crazy Pop of Color” shake. The treats were delicious and it was really nice to do one final thing with the Mathis family.

It was a real treat to drink milkshakes at the Crazy Mason.

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Our family returned to Spokane filled with joy after having such a special time in Myrtle Beach. We are already missing Sid’s family but so thankful for the memories made. Don’t Blink.

The Best Way to Prepare for Marriage

Last night was bittersweet. Over a special evening that included a delicious dinner and fabulous fellowship, Sidney and I completed our Pre-Cana classes. It was sweet in the fact that we finished a major step in the process that will lead to our wedding at St. Andrew Catholic Church on June 11. It was bitter because it marked the end of our formal relationship with Tim and Kathy McCormick, our incredible sponsor couple.

Sidney and I with our sponsor couple, Tim and Kathy McCormick, last night.

Sidney and I with our sponsor couple, Tim and Kathy McCormick, last night.

The Catholic Church, along with other churches as well, require that engaged couples go through marriage prep before tying the knot in a church-sanctioned ceremony. For Catholics, a main portion of this preparation is Pre-Cana, or, in non-Catholic terms, marriage counseling. At some churches, the priest or a parish employee will administer the counseling. At St. Andrew, married couples provide it.

For six weeks, Sidney and I went to the McCormick’s home for counseling sessions. These meetings were structured by a Pre-Cana workbook that Sidney and I each received. We would read the material and answer questions corresponding to the chapters we would cover that week. We would then sit down at Tim and Kathy’s kitchen table and go over the material. Topics we discussed ranged from prayer to problem solving to sexuality to money to traditions to family planning. To have the opportunity to discuss these prominent aspects of marriage with such a strong and seasoned couple was invaluable.

A look at my Pre-Cana workbook I used these past six weeks.

A look at my Pre-Cana workbook I used these past six weeks.

But we got so much more out of the past six weeks besides the scripted lessons. Each time we arrived at the household, Tim and Kathy warmly welcomed us. They set out snacks on the table. They discussed our days with us. Sid would talk to Kathy about classroom issues (both work at schools) and Tim and I would talk sports. We would swap stories. We would all give updates on our own families. It was such an enjoyable time as both Sid and I looked forward to each Tuesday evening.

Sitting down with a proven, fruitful couple that has been married for over three decades was a wonderful experience for Sid and I. While we both have parents that have also lived out beautiful marriages of similar lengths, it is different when the couple isn’t your blood. You just observe different things and ask different questions. Along with the examples that my mom and dad and Sid’s mom and dad have set for us, the McCormicks will be the other powerful marriage that we look to for inspiration and guidance once we begin our own journey.

Tim and Kathy made us these tags that they placed at our spots at the kitchen table.

Tim and Kathy made us these tags that they placed at our spots at the kitchen table.

I started this post talking about the incredibly nice evening we shared last night. To be technical, our counseling actually ended last week. However, Tim and Kathy wanted to have us over for an evening that wasn’t tied to book chapters and discussion questions. The couple rolled out the red carpet for us as not only did they cook a wonderful meal but they also took great care in setting the table. We talked casually and freely about several topics, including the lighter parts of our wedding such as the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon. It was the perfect way to end our six weeks together.

This was how the McCormick's set the table for us last night.

This was how the McCormick’s set the table for us last night.

To those engaged couples who might have two or three different options when it comes to fulfilling their Pre-Cana requirements, I strongly encourage electing to work with a sponsor couple. You will get a lot out of it. Sidney and I can’t thank Tim and Kathy enough. We respect both of you greatly and admire how you have let God play such a large role in your marriage. Know that a wedding invite will be coming your way as we can’t wait to introduce you to our parents. Don’t Blink.