Bachelor Best Fest

Hi, readers (hi, and hope you're surviving the monsoon, Mom)! I think I forgot to post anything last week, but oh well. This week's post will more than make up for it! Quick life update: I'm training for a half marathon, raising a puppy, and working. The end. Just kidding (kinda).

I am going to dive right into the topic of this week's blog: the Bachelor Best Fest. When my brother got engaged in February, I'll admit, I had a couple of tough days realizing it's not the Jace & Jen show anymore, and that he's moving along in life to start his own family. I couldn't be more excited about my future sister-in-law and all of the adventures they'll experience together, and that I'll share with her as part of our bigger, better, awesome-r family unit. It's just that, whenever we were young my parents told us "You two will have friends come and go throughout your life, but you'll always be in each other's lives, so be best friends." For whatever reason, probably the grace of God, we stuck to that. In most relationships, you hear people say they've had their issues and tough times, and sure Jace & I have gotten into a few arguments here and there, but I can truly say I don't feel like we've ever really had major dysfunction or problems with each other. It's a one of a kind thing, so understandably, him moving on is happy and sad (in a happy way). 

Anyway, before I get too mushy, Jace & I decided that we needed one "last" best friends hangout weekend before he ties the knot. Unfortunately there wasn't a Switchfoot concert anywhere near us, so we settled for the next best thing: the beach. We toyed with a few ideas and a few beaches before settling on a random town near Texas, Surfside Beach. It's about an hour southwest of Galveston. 

We got up early Saturday morning, and had Dunkin Donuts for breakfast, because we're obsessed with Dunkin and our dad raised us well. Then we hit the road for four and a half hours. When we pulled up to Surfside, we went over an intercoastal waterway bridge, and all of the sudden there was ocean as far as the eye can see. I don't care how old I get, the first sight of the ocean after not being there for some time will never ever get old. Some might call it an obsession; I'm fine with that.

We grabbed some greasy food at a little local place across the street from the beach, then went to spend some time by the water. We were pretty sleepy, so a beachside nap was in order. After that, we just started walking. We talked about everything under the sun (literally and figuratively) for a couple of hours. Then once we realized our legs were getting kind of tired and we were hungry yet again, we headed to Clute, TX, about 10 minutes from the beach. We went to the grocery store and got some amazing food at a well-reviewed Mexican restaurant. Unfortunately, my computer isn't cooperating, so I can't share pictures. We decided to share an appetizer of shrimp and rice in an amazing southwestern/Mexican-style sauce. Then we had tres leches cake, which was divine as usual. 

Then we headed back to the hotel at what seemed like 10 pm, but was really about 8 if I remember correctly. Jace remembered to pack the N64 in his luggage, so we played Mario Kart, reminiscent of many years growing up, as well as the 2 years we were roommates in Wichita while I went to PT school and he played baseball and studied in undergrad. It was so much fun! I was so tired though, so at one point I was basically driving and sleeping and forgot to push the button and my little character's car went nowhere....being 26 is exhausting. 

The next morning, I really wanted to get in a little beachside run while the sun was rising. We got up pretty early and drove back to Surfside. I also wish I could share a picture of the sunrise with you. Southwest Kansas has gorgeous sunrises, but there is no such a thing as a more beautiful sunrise over the ocean. I think I was meant to be a mermaid. Or a beach bum. We ran a couple of miles and just talked about life some more. I secretly think Jace is actually the oldest child, because he's way more wise, mature, and knowledgeable than me.

After we ran, we had breakfast and went to buy some kites and a football to play with on the beach. I don't know if I'd ever flown a kite before, but it was pretty cool. I felt like such a kid again. We played catch with the football in the ocean too, and I got seriously tackled by a couple of waves. So much fun. After a few hours of fun and unknowingly burning to a crisp we decided to have one last meal on the beach. I had shrimp tacos, which were good, but really weird to eat. I just feel like shrimp should be consumed by the whole, so trying to bite them in half as part of a taco felt awkward.

The ride home was a little tough because we were both pretty exhausted from spending all that time in the sun, but it was good to just keep talking and having important life discussions (and not important discussions, too). I'm so thankful we got to hang out for our "bachelor best fest." More than that, I'm grateful to God every day that I was blessed with such a close relationship with my brother. I can't wait to see how it changes and grows with all of the big things happening in the next year!

PS For you Cali & Florida beach snobs, a beach is a beach. I just had to get that off my chest. Go grow up in Kansas.
PPS What's the best road trip or beach you've ever been on/to?

Twitter: @jen_being_jen
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