Hello friends!
I can’t believe it is already February!
I am finally getting around to sharing on our family trip that kicked off the new year in such a great way —
A family vacation to Telluride, CO.
AND MAN WHAT. A. TRIP.
We have cousins who are big skiers, and they recently got a place in Telluride. We ski/snowboard with them often, and we always have a big time.
They graciously let us use their place to stay for our family trip, and we hit the slopes! My 3 brothers, my sister in law, future sister in law come June, and my parents! All of us ski/snowboard (though my mom sat this ski trip out). We thoroughly enjoyed our time together shredding on the slopes, relaxing in the hot tub, playing games, watching movies, cooking meals for one another, and being together.
We didn’t intend to have a “theme” for the trip, but a common phrase used that we quickly deemed our theme was:
“Come as you are”.
My family and I really value and strive to abide by this phrase. It is an understanding amongst us all that we love each other through all of our flaws so bring them all with you.
We strive to be vulnerable and open with one another, and we love just the same. Our relationships with one another are beautifully transparent and remarkably unchanged amongst the transparency because we love each other like God loves us.
It is a beautiful thing — the way God loves us. I am so blessed to have been born into a family with parents that instilled this growing up and for us all to continue trying to exemplify this type of love.
God’s love is not conditional. God knows everything about us and loves just the same. This is just how we should strive to form relationships: having an intentional, full knowledge of a person while keeping unconditional love that surpasses the knowledge of who they are. As in 1 John, “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
God loves fully while He still knows every sin you will commit. Pretty crazy right?
The two are not meant to be mutually exclusive. Rather, the two go together– to know intentionally and love fully.
And we are called to love in the same way. So always come as you are.
Now, this is not an excuse to simply stay as you are. God — though He wants you to come to the table as you are, He loves us far too much to keep us as we are. We are meant to be shaped by Him in full awareness of His unconditional love.
Overall, this family trip was such a special one with a physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional refresh to begin year 2022.
Counting my blessings embarking through 2022!
Enjoy some pictures from our trip below, and I have reels/videos on my Instagram linked here!
Love always,
Katie Girl
*Fun fact — I LOVE AIRPORTS and have my whole life*
The views when flying into Colorado are just unreal!
Gotta brag on my sister in law in the above picture: She had every reason to not get back on a snowboard, but she conquered her fears and really crushed the slopes! So proud of her! She’s so skilled!!!!
FULL CREW!
You could always find us hot tubbing and watching the sunsets after a long day on the slopes!
You just can’t beat the views in the mountains! Alright, time to go back!
Katie Garrett. Nashville Native. Critical Care Nurse. Belmont University Alum. DNP Student. Enneagram 2w3. Reader. Writer. Starbucks Lover. Jesus makes my heart happy. Daughter. Sister. Sister in Law. Cousin. Niece. Forever indebted to Jesus Christ.
