Our five year anniversary in Oahu, Hawaii was a dream come true. We try to make a point to go somewhere every year if we can, and have had some pretty awesome adventures together. CLICK HERE to see some pictures from our visit to France and Italy last year. Usually our “vacations” are extremely fast paced with a million places to go and a million things to see, so we wanted this one to be a little different. Instead of filling our itinerary with a packed schedule and a list of places to sight see, we kept it super low key. We wanted to just relax on the beach and spend some quality time together as a couple. Something about Hawaii’s chill Aloha lifestyle just makes this the perfect place for that kind of trip. We spent eight days on Oahu soaking in the sun, driving around and stopping wherever we felt like it, and eating all the shaved ice. It was exactly what we needed and I can honestly say this was the best trip we’ve ever taken together.

If you have any questions or want travel tips about visiting this gorgeous island let me know! We found so many hidden gems during this stay of ours. I’m thankful for this place for always having exactly what my heart needs.

I’m going to add in a caption I had written on my personal account during our vacation because I think these words are so important.

“Truth time: Our marriage hasn’t been perfect. Braxton and I have vastly different personalities, and it’s one of our greatest strengths and weaknesses in our relationship. We balance each other out, but it can also feel like we’re speaking different languages sometimes. The past five years of marriage we’ve learned SO much. About communication, about compromise, and about what real love looks like.

It hasn’t always been easy, but as we’ve sat here in this beautiful place, turned our brains off from the world back home, and really reflected on US as a couple we can confidently say it’s worth it. I think we often get misled into thinking everyone else’s lives are flawless. That they never fight with their spouse, that their kids never drive them crazy, that their house is always Instagram ready. That idea is SO far from the truth and incredibly toxic for our own lives.

So I’m here to tell you real marriages are messy. Real relationships take work. Real life is HARD y’all. But it’s also beautiful and fulfilling and oh so worth it. I’m thankful for this human standing next to me. In the pictures but more importantly in life. I’m thankful for our chaotic life and our imperfect relationship. I’m just really freaking thankful for it all.”