Fifth Anniversary at the W Hotel

Since everything with buying our home had finished so quickly, we figured we could spend the last couple days of our trip out to Fort Lauderdale relaxing and celebrating our five year wedding anniversary.  I can't believe it's really been five years already.  In many ways it feels like our wedding was only yesterday and yet it also feels like I've known Dallas all my life.  He is such a perfect fit for me.  I can honestly say that I married my best friend and couldn't be more happy about it!

Dallas was a sweetheart and booked us a room at the gorgeous W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale.  The W is a very modern chain with straight lines and clean white colors in most of their architecture.  I loved it and especially that it was right on the beach!

(Left) The entrance way up through the middle of the pool.  (Right) looking into the open floor lobby area.

It was quite the party central, with several seating areas, bars, pool tables, and incredible views of both the pool and beach.

Our room was beautiful and had a "unique" bathroom.  With see through walls to the shower on both sides, left little to the imagination!  At least the toilet had it's own separate room for privacy.

The incredible view looking outside our balcony, both at the ocean and then back towards the city and waterways.

Views from our balcony...

The pool was pretty amazing.  The entrance came up through the middle of it to give you 180 degree views.  The light shining through water and glass, made for gorgeous views.

We both decided that we'd rather check out the beach than the hotel's pool, so after getting settled into the room and changing into our swimsuits, we walked across the street to one of the most gorgeous beaches I've ever been to...and I've been to some incredible beaches!

It's hard for me to wrap my brain around the fact that we will be living 15 minutes away from this gorgeous coastline in a matter of weeks.  The sand is incredibly soft, fine, and white.  But what surprised me the most was the ocean.  Don't get me wrong, I've swam off the coasts of Thailand, Costa Rica, Hawaii, Cayman Islands (just to name a few) so I've felt a warm inviting ocean, but I couldn't believe that we were still in the USA!  I am so used to the chill factor of the west coast.  I was raised in Washington and then spent the last five years in California and I couldn't believe that we were still in the same country with how warm the ocean was.  Needless to say...it was perfect!

Can you find Dallas in the picture on the left?

All along the beach there were blocked off areas for sea turtle nests.  They are my favorite animals and I got so excited thinking about how close we would be to so many of them soon.  What an amazing adventure we will have!

Watching the sunset from our balcony was a bit strange.  I'm so used to watching the sun set over the ocean, not here.  I guess I'll have to get up early to watch the sun rise over the ocean instead.

That night we got all fancy and ate at a beautiful restaurant in our hotel.  The food was incredible, but the company was even better.  Dallas is the best thing that has ever happened to me.  It hasn't always been easy over the last five years, but whatever challenges and trials we've been faced with, he has proven to be the most supportive, loving, and understanding partner/husband.  I love him so much and count myself so incredible blessed to have found him, or rather he found me.  I am excited about our future adventures together as a family and know that no matter where we are, as long as I have him and our little guy, Daxton, we will be 'home.'