Take It From Me

Get to You

While Hunter enjoyed the charity golf tournament with the boys, Sutton and I had a girls weekend at a cabin in the Great Smoky Mountains.

"This was such a great idea," she said as we walked Millie through the trails of the park, "my friends think you're the coolest. Not just because of your job, but you're so nice and easy going." I looked at her as she donned a genuine smile, "I agree with them. You are awesome."

"Well I think you're pretty awesome." I put my arm over her, "I was afraid to have a daughter when I found out I was pregnant. I just thought of how rough and crazy my teenage years were, and I thought boys would have it easier."

"You have made being a teenager a lot easier than my friends parents," she went on to tell me how her friends weren't allowed to date, or were limited to what they could do on their free time, "I feel safe talking to you. Dad, you know, he doesn't need to know everything but you've always been so understanding and just there for me, even when I wasn't nice to be around."

"Your dad loves you so much," I sighed, "I promised myself that I was going to be the person I needed when I was your age. Someone who you could talk to, confide in and befriend. Our relationship is so special to me."

"It is," we wrapped our hike and brought Millie back into the cabin, "and I know there's a line you walk between being my mom, and being a friend." As we made lunch we reminisced about  tours and trips we had taken, and I told Sutton so many stories about life when she was a toddler. "What was dad like when you guys were dating? How did you work out the distance?"

"I think your dad spent close to three months trying to get me to go on tour with him but I was in school." I laughed, recalling the thought, "Eventually that excuse wore out and I wound up on a tour bus for six weeks with your dad and we drove from New York to San Francisco and back to Nashville. It was amazing, eye-opening and crazy."

"That's so cool."

"It's never stopped being amazing with your dad. He's always been that person. I hope one day you find someone like him, who will never stop pursuing you, who will treat you properly - with love, respect and honesty." She nodded and we dove into our lunch before packing up for the four hour drive home.

"This is beautiful." Sutton said as we drove through the winding, forested highway.

"I've always loved being in nature," I said softly, "I grew up surrounded by farms, forests and water. Oh and speaking of farms, did you want to do that horse show in two weekends? Amber texted me."

"Are you?" She asked, "because I'm totally nervous about it."

"I'll go if you go." She agreed and I promised to get us registered as soon as we got home. "You don't even have to jump. You can just do the walk, trot class."

"I think that's a good place to start," she said, scanning the radio, "what are you going to do?"

"Not entirely sure. There's only one adult group but three classes so I might just do the whole thing."

"That would be awesome to watch." The ride home was filled with horse talk and singing until the moment we pulled right up in the driveway to see the boys hopping out of Hunter's car.

"Perfect timing!" Sutton called as she got out of the car and into her dad's open arms. "Did you have fun?"

"Lots of fun!" Beckett said, greeting Sutton with a hug.

"Hey boys," I greeted them and give Hunter a kiss, "I missed you."

"We missed you," Hunter placed another kiss on my cheek before we gathered in the house, "Sutton, how was the cabin?"

"Amazing. Mom and I wrote a song, we ate way too many s'mores but we went on an awesome hike this morning." Hunter looked over at me, smiling and I nodded, affirming Sutton's claims. "How was golfing?"

"Good," he paused, "saw lots of old friends but I took Beck and East to the driving range and Beckett caught the eye of a few professionals that were on the course."

"No way," I said, "he's that good eh?" Hunter smiled, nodding before showing me pictures of several golf pros who were on the range that particular evening. "Well if he likes it, then that's great. Natural talent."

"Speaking of talent," Sutton announced to Hunter, "Mom is doing the horse show."

"Only because we are both doing it." Sutton nodded and Hunter put a note in his calendar.

"We will be there to cheer you on." He said, smiling. We gathered around the table for dinner, sharing stories of our weekend adventures. My heart was so full hearing the weekend through the kids' point of view, and seeing Hunter smile while Sutton talked about the song we wrote. Once we got the kids cleaned up, suitcases unpacked and laundry going, we turned in for bed. I flopped next to Hunter, turning toward him, his gaze meeting mine.

"I missed you, but I had a good time with Sutton," I smiled, running my hand up his arm, "how were the boys?"

"They were great, they're such good kids," he smiled, "I missed you too." After a little pillow talk, we called it a night, resting up for the busy days ahead.