Our Trip to San Fransisco with Pack Up + Go : Day One

We had the best long weekend in San Fransisco, CA thanks to the newish company, Pack Up + Go! Brandon and I knew we wanted to take a little trip this year, but we couldn’t decide where to go, so we let someone else decide for us. I'm serious. 

Here is how it works .  . . You give them your budget and dates (weekend) you want to travel. Then you fill out a survey with interests/likes/dislikes in vacations and other misc info (ex: where you travel for work often, so they know not to send you there or where you plan to travel next year, so they don't send you there), and a week out they send a weather update and packing guide (and an updated weather report the day before departure).

Unless you give them restrictions, you will most likely leave very early on the day of your departure and return very late on your return date. So all you know is 1. when you're traveling, 2. how to arrange childcare if needed, and 3. how to pack. A week out you will receive a large envelope with your destination revealed plus ALL of the info you need for your trip (hotel, ideas of activities + eateries etc.). The catch is you're supposed to wait to open the envelope until you're at the airport on departure day. At the time you are to arrive at the airport, you will receive emails with your flight confirmation numbers + all of the info that is in your envelope). 

We literally didn’t know where we were going when we arrived at the airport at 5:30am on Friday, August 24th.  

Pack Up + Go planned a few things in advance (we had three gift cards to a few trendy, unique restaurants plus they booked a food tour on our first day) but the rest of our itinerary was up to us to decide, which was a nice mix! An Uber gift card was also included, which made getting around quick and easy. Despite walking a TON, we used up the Uber $ after our first ride on Monday morning (our last morning), which was great!

We highly recommend this company if you’re feeling spontaneous and adventurous, and both agreed we would totally do it again! 

Brandon took approximately 500 pictures, so I will break it down into a few posts. 

Here's a rundown of day one . . . 

Right after I opened our envelope at the airport Friday morning . . . 

Once we arrived, we dropped our bags at the hotel (room wasn't ready since it was still very early in the day), grabbed a snack, and walked around Union Square for a bit. 

It was then time for a gourmet food tour through Hayes Valley neighborhood. This is the one activity Pack UP + Go booked for us in advance. 

Apparently they got the hint from our survey that we like food.  Ha-ha. 

Here we are waiting for our tour guide and other diners to join us. 

First stop was Smitten Ice Cream that is made then and there by liquid nitrogen. . . delicious! (This will be a reoccurring description throughout the trip. All the food consumed over the course of our four days was ridiculously delicious.)

Second stop on the tour was The Fatted Calf. 

We enjoyed a variety of meats from this trendy butcher shop. 

Our third stop was Arlequin. We loved their outdoor patio space and enjoyed California cheese, bread, wine and nuts. 

The fourth stop was Dragon Eats. 

The feature of the stop was Banh Mi sandwiches which were a.m.a.z.i.n.g. 

The next stop was for Falafel croquettes and spicy meatballs at Corridor. I failed to get any pictures here but let it be known that the falafel was my most favorite taste on the entire tour. 

Second to last stop included the Food Network award wining gingerbread cupcakes from Miette Confiserie. By this point we were bulging at the seams, so we all took the cupcakes to go. :)

Cutest little candy/sweets shop! 

The final stop was for wine/beer/artisan soda flights from Noir Lounge. Didn't get a picture, but the wine was delicious. If you're ever in the area, please look up the Hayes Valley Food Tour by Gourmet Walks. Nicole Lewis made an amazing guide (she basically knows everything about anything in San Fran) if you are able to request her! 

We browsed around for a while after the three hour stuff-your-face-tour, and then headed back to the hotel. At this point it was 6pm CA time (8pm TX time) and since we had been awake since 3am TX time, we were done. Or at least I was done. I literally fell asleep at 7:30pm CA time and slept solid until right before 7am. It was amazing. No shame in my game. 

Thoughtful gifts from The Kimpton Buchanan San Fransisco. The Buchanan is centrally located in the Japantown area. Highly recommend this boutique style hotel. 

Stay tuned for Day Two . . . 

He prunes those He trusts

I was reading recently in the New Testament, the popular chapter in John where Jesus compares our relationship to Him as branches on a vine and where He encourages us to abide in Him to then be able to produce a harvest of fruit.

Jesus  = The Vine

All of us humans = the branches

Production of fruit = end result when the branches remain connected to their life source/vine.

I don't know if it is the new version of Bible I am using (English Standard Version) or if these verses have become so well-known that I no longer truly pay attention when reading (sad, but it happens), but the end of verse two hit me between the eyes and caused me to pause.

" . . . and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit."

Prune  - to cut away/ to trim by cutting away dead overgrown branches or stems, especially to increase fruitfulness and growth. 

And it hit me.

Sometimes we are pruned not as a way of discipline or as a result of our sin or as a means of God trying to teach us some magnificent lesson, but instead because God has full confidence in our reaction to His touch. Maybe we are entrusted with the pruning, the suffering?

Sometimes pruning looks like trials and suffering and disappointments, but it is always for my good and for His glory and ALWAYS allows more fruit to flow from my life if I let it.

Sometimes we can be fully connected to the vine and feel the most alive we have ever felt and are still called to seasons of pruning because the whole point of this thing is to increase the fruit, add to the harvest, and grow the kingdom.

Some of you might read this and think, "Um yeah. We got that. Bible 101."

Yet maybe someone else feels a bit relieved that their circumstance that feels beyond overwhelming, that burden they're carrying, is not there as punishment but as provision because God is so, so pleased with their walk and knows that together, hand-in-hand, even more fruit is on the horizon.

Could it be that sometimes He prunes out of genuine pleasure, because He trusts us?

Entrusted with suffering.

It still hurts like heck, no doubt, but that's really good news.

When God Blew Our Minds Three Times In One Day

Clara put on quite a show yesterday and I had to share and take time to document these milestones here on the blog. God is sending little glimmers of encouragement our way and we are so thankful.

He is always working, regardless of how Clara is specifically developing (we fully believe this), but when we experience these "Oh my goodness!" moments and answers to our prayers, YOUR prayers, it is necessary to shout His faithfulness in return. 

1. When Clara walked into school yesterday a classmate said, “Hi Clara.” She immediately looked up and waved in response. With zero prompting (This. Is. Huge.)

💜

2. Last night Brandon was sitting with Clara on the couch and his phone was on the floor beside them. When Clara was done snuggling she got off the couch, bent down, picked up Brandon’s phone and handed it right to him. Our jaws dropped. 

💜

3. A few minutes later Clara walked to the kitchen with her AAC/speech device, sat in her chair at the table, and pressed buttons to say “Camille. Hi Camille.” I told Camille, “Go in there and talk to your sister!” So Camille ran in and said “Hi sister!” Clara looked up and smiled right on cue (again, with zero prompting from us). 

It is the tiniest of things that make your day and blow your mind when you're parenting a child with neurological differences. What others measure in miles, we measure in millimeters. Yesterday was an awesome day (all four of us are still smiling) and we are beyond grateful.