We've just returned from one heck of a holiday to the United States. There were some restful parts, some beautiful parts, and some downright frightening parts.
The primary purpose of our trip was to attend the wedding of Jenni's sister, Kimmy. A free spirit at heart, Kim wanted to be married on the beach, and after much deliberation, she and her fiancee, Brad, decided to tie the knot in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Not only would they be allowed to wed on the sands, but Jenni's grandparents would also be able to attend as they live in Myrtle Beach. When Kim and Brad decided that Myrtle Beach was the place, much of Jenni's extended family opted to rent a large beach house and spend the entire week prior to the wedding soaking up rays and diving through waves. A week at a beach house? Who were we to turn down an idea like that? Especially when this is the view from our veranda...
We arrived in the Washington, D.C. on Thursday, the 28th of June. Because of a financial complication (thank you, Uncle Sam, for holding up our tax refund), we still own our Kia Rio, and it's been living at Eric's parents' house. To save on airfare and on the cost of a rental car, we decided that we'd fly into Washington, D.C. and drive down to South Carolina. We arrived in D.C. on Thursday. We spent the night at Eric's parents' house, and we started our journey to South Carolina late on Friday evening. We were hoping that an overnight drive would be a bit easier because it would allow the kids to sleep most of the way. Little did we know...About two and a half hours into our trip, we had a rather nasty run-in with a tractor trailer, and our little tiny Kia Rio definitely lost:
The truck crossed into our lane and hit us in the rear on the driver's side. We careened off the road, and the car flipped at least twice. Luck, karma, and a few angels were on our side, and we walked away from this car with nothing but a few bumps, bruises, and scratches. We know that pictures of a trashed car can be rather sensitive, but if you'd like to see the full extent of the damage, you can look here. The truck didn't stop, and because we were so close to the state line, the chances of ever catching the driver are slim to none. We spent the rest of the night in the hospital for x-rays and CT scans, but we were proclaimed whole and healthy and were released early Saturday morning. Jenni's parents were at a hotel about 20 miles south of the hospital, and her aunt, uncle, and cousins were about 10 miles north when they heard about the accident. All of them came to wait at the hospital, while Eric's sister and brother-in-law drove Eric's parents' van down for us to use for the rest of the week. It was a horrifying glitch in the trip, but we were very lucky, and we eventually made it safely to South Carolina.
A relaxing week on the beach surrounded by family was just what we needed after the accident. We may have looked a little banged up, but the weather was warm and clear, and we spent our days on the beach playing in the surf and sand. 
Rhys absolutely loves the beach, and would swim right out to sea if we let her. Ben was a little more nervous about the water, especially after Eric took him out a tad too far and managed to get them both a little wetter than was to Ben's liking. Desi took a few minutes to warm up to the idea of the water, but once she'd adjusted, she was a happy little clam.
We spent evenings with Jenni's family. We played games, sat on the balcony, and walked on the beach. We spent a lot of time with Jenni's parents and her sisters and their significant others. Though we've always known that we would miss Mom and Dad, Di and Dan, Kimmy and Brad, and Missy, it really hit home during our week together. We really enjoy each other's company, as friends as well as family, and it can be hard living so far away. It was nice to be able to spend so much time with the family, and it was nice to spend time with Jenni's aunts, uncles, and cousins. 
Kim and Brad got married on Friday morning. It was a simple ceremony, and the weather was beautiful. Kimmy looked gorgeous, and you could tell how happy she and Brad were to finally be tying the knot.
They left on their honeymoon (another week at another beach) shortly after the ceremony. Jenni and Eric spent their last afternoon golfing with Diana and Dan and Jenni's cousin, Phil. We playing a relaxing nine holes, then hit the beach for one last time. On Saturday morning, we packed up our bags, piled into the van, and headed back to Eric's parents' house. We spent some time with Eric's parents and some of his siblings before heading home on Monday afternoon. We arrived home to a cool and misty England on Tuesday morning. It's good to be home, though there's always a bit of sadness when we have leave our families behind in the U.S. 
Despite the accident, it was a fantastic holiday, and we'd like to do it again next year, sans wedding. We've already started discussing the possibility of renting the same house. Jenni's family seems game, so if all works out, we'll be back in South Carolina next summer, though I don't think we'll be doing nearly as much driving, especially on big roads full of big trucks!
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