Ben and I drove to Hampton, VA on June 12th. It's a 12-hour drive. That's the longest drive I've ever done in one day, and luckily we split it so it didn't seem so bad. It was particularly nice having someone to talk to. The downside is we are both unobservant in the car together and end up missing exits, getting lost, turning around multiple times... It's what my dad calls "just driving". Ben's a good sport though.
We finally got to Hampton at 10:30PM. We stayed with his sister, Bekah, and brother-in-law, Shawn, so that night I met them and his sisters Hannah and Dannie. And some cats.
(Shawn, Bekah, and Ben in front of the house.)
The next day was Ben's birthday. It's probably a good thing I was there to remind him of that fact because he does not seem particularly in tune with birthday like I am. ;) In the morning, his mom came over to visit with us. That was really nice. I admired Shawn's salt water aquarium (like the one Nemo lived in at the dentist's office). Ben's youngest sister, Hope, was finishing elementary school that day and they had arranged for their brother, Tim, to surprise her by picking her up from school on his motorcycle. Legend has it that Ben's dad picked him up from his last day of elementary school on a motorcycle. It is unclear how many of the middle children received that special treatment. (In case you lost count, there are 6 Steele children, 2 boys, and 4 girls, of which Ben is the oldest.)
After we watched Hope ride off from school, Ben drove me around Hampton on his roots tour (I LOVED that!). Some sites I got to see: the church he grew up in, Grandview Beach on the Chesapeake Bay where he was baptized, a lot of different places where his dad worked, the house he grew up in, his elementary and middle schools, the pool where he started on swim team (which was a big part of his middle/high school years), Sam and Gail's house, and the library.
After we watched Hope ride off from school, Ben drove me around Hampton on his roots tour (I LOVED that!). Some sites I got to see: the church he grew up in, Grandview Beach on the Chesapeake Bay where he was baptized, a lot of different places where his dad worked, the house he grew up in, his elementary and middle schools, the pool where he started on swim team (which was a big part of his middle/high school years), Sam and Gail's house, and the library.
(This was his pool, and I told him to make a sad face like the sign. See? Good sport.)
Sam and Gail are a couple that taught Ben in church growing up. We stopped to visit with them and I could have stayed there forever. Their house is gorgeous, with really pretty flowers and landscaping in the front, and water in the back, with a little dock you could walk out on. It's one of the few places I didn't get a picture of, which is a SHAME because it was probably my favorite. We stayed there for about an hour and a half talking with them and it was just wonderful. They prayed with us before we left and it was so precious to me.
By the way, there is water EVERYWHERE there - the bay, the ocean, rivers...it was different that any other place I've lived. The weather was pretty cool when we were there - we wore jeans most of the time. It was also unseasonably cool in Alabama that week.
(Grandview Beach, approximately where Ben was baptized.)
That night we had a cookout for Ben's birthday. He turned 28. They had some friends over too and I got to tell our whole love story in detail (that is one GREAT thing about Ben having sisters! Talking!). Oh and Bekah made some amazing banana pudding! I really enjoyed being with his family. They are so much fun altogether. Ben and Tim in particular are really funny as a pair. It made me feel confident that he could hold his own with my brothers and their quick wit.
(Apparently we didn't sing fast enough for the candles.)
On Thursday we went to see my friend Whitney at Colonial Williamsburg. She actually works there, but it was her day off so she gave us the unofficial tour. Whitney and I were friends from the Tennessee Choral Academy, way back in high school. I haven't seen her in years! It was really neat to catch up with her and show off Ben.
That evening we went to Dannie's high school graduation (the actual reason we traveled to VA). We looked super cute, if I do say so myself. I gave him that shirt for his birthday.
(We stood in line for this photo op, which is apparently the thing to do at Colonial Williamsburg.)
(Me and Whitney in the gardens behind the Governor's house.)
(It was cold and windy.)
(His whole family - it's impossible to get 7 people to all keep their eyes open. Sorry Hannah!)
L-R:Hannah, Bekah, Karen (their mom), Ben, Dannie, Tim, Hopey
On Friday he took me on a surprise date. Prior to the trip he told me to pack my beach dress (fabulous hot pink tie-dye maxi dress I got at Burke's Outlet for $19!). We went to Buckroe Park which is on the Chesapeake Bay. It was a really fantastic date. We sat on a blanket in the sand and he wrote about me - super romantic! He took me to breakfast at IHOP and I got some delicious red velvet pancakes (nobody's mad at dessert for breakfast).
(Best date ever! I love you Ben Steele!)
That afternoon we went to meet his grandpa for a late lunch. Hannah came with us which I really enjoyed! The traffic was not that enjoyable, but I loved meeting his grandpa (Ben's dad's dad - Ben's dad passed away a few years ago and I'm sad that I didn't get to know him because I sure love his family). That evening my head was bad so I didn't get to go to the church softball game with everyone. I was bummed. I was pretty stressed about having to explain the headache to his family. As it worked out, he did it for me since I was at home in bed. It's nice having a spokesman for things like that. It's also nice to have him take care of me. But, oh, how I wish it would go away and leave us alone!
Saturday we went to Teen Challenge and he gave a devotional for a father/son breakfast. It was the first time I got to hear him teach. I was really impressed and SO proud! We went to Dannie's graduation party that evening and I got to meet a lot of their friends from church. Then he took me to his meet his mom's parents. They were really sweet and had a cute dog that liked me. Also I got to see some younger pictures of Ben! (That was my goal of the trip - he was so precious!)
We had to leave Sunday morning in order to make the long drive home. It was sad to leave and I can't wait to go back!
Next up...Ben's first trip to Fairview, TN!
