Thistle Dew Ranch

Nine hundred acres of beautiful Texas hill country on the Brazos river.  Two and half fun-filled days.  One deliciously sassy almost-two-year-old.  Two four-wheelers.  Four horses.  And three of the best friends a girl could ever ask for.  Add it all together and what do you get?  One answer to Freud's age old question:  What do women want?


I spent last weekend with Erin, Lori and Kelly at the Thistle Dew Ranch just outside of Palo Pinto, Texas.  We cooked, ate, talked, rode horses, drank wine, hot tubbed, four-wheeled, hiked, laughed (a lot), slept (a little) and basically just celebrated being together.

The four of us worked in youth ministry together starting way back in 2002 and have shared and experienced so much since then:  graduations, break-ups, first jobs, falling in love.  Through all the heartbreaks and the triumphs these girls have been right there, walking it with me.  Now that we're scattered across the map (Boston, Nashville, Dallas, Waco, and who knows where any of us might end up next) it's rare that we all get to be in the same place together.  Even more rare is for just the four of us to be together (the last few times it's been for each other's weddings, which is so fun, but not as conducive to real togetherness and bonding).  Needless to say we took full advantage.

We had an amazing, beautiful, restoring time.  Something I've been needing desperately.  I'm posting a few photos below.  More to come as I get them.

View from the front of the house.  The Texas wildflowers are blooming like crazy right now and everything is so green from all the rain lately, which just adds to the beauty of it all.  The back of the house sits right on a bluff overlooking the Brazos river.  Can you say breathtaking?

From left to right:  Me riding "Sugar", Erin riding "Patches", Lori riding "Rocket", Sheila (Lori's mother-in-law and the gracious hostess of our getaway weekend) riding "Princess".

More girls on horses.  Can you believe that sky?  We had perfect weather- warm but breezy with big fluffy clouds in a lazy blue sky and TONS of sunshine!

Lori and Annie Kate.  It is so weird and cool to see your old friend suddenly turn into the most wonderful mother right before your eyes.  Annie Kate is just the best thing ever.  All sass and attitude and yet so, so sweet.  She kept us on our toes. 

Sheila, Annie Kate, Erin and Lori with "Jenny" and "Alice".  Is it just me or are donkeys always really, really cute and funny?  

Maybe it's just me?