On September 13, Jared and I celebrated 10 years of marriage. Putting words to a decade of marriage feels akin to putting words to the experience of motherhood; it is too big, too profound, too complex, and too inexplicably lucky to capture. I know, for certain, everything challenging and beautiful about my life is supported by my marriage, and the most of which, our Sullivan, is the very best living, breathing outcome of our love.

In September 2012, Jared and I were long-distance dating and each hung a photo of a couple lying in bed with a golden retriever—a dream for ourselves, if you will. Our 2012 selves could not have imagined our lives ahead, built not only around a now eight-year-old golden retriever, but also two beautiful babies, an irreplaceable community, and a shared choice to remain invested and committed to one another through every up, down, and flatland in between.

I do not hold marriage or lifelong partnership as sacred. But, I do hold friendship as sacred, and the friendship Jared and I share is what I vow to protect and nurture—all the ways it has evolved and will continue to evolve—as long, excitedly, and steadily as I possibly can.

In celebration of a decade married, Jared, Sullivan, and I spent a long weekend at Southall in Franklin, Tennessee—a mere 30 to 40 minutes outside of Nashville.

Below you will find imagery of our two-night stay at Southall.

Recommended Activities

There are two main restaurants at Southall: Sojourner and January. You are able to eat at either with or without a hotel reservation. I highly recommend brunch with friends at Sojourner or a date night at January.

Sojourner | You can make a reservation here.

January | You can make a reservation here.

With Sullivan, we also scheduled a Bee Cruise—which I highly recommend—with or without children.

Southall offers an array of adventures and activities—shown here. I would love to experience Dottie’s postpartum, an on-site speakeasy. Be sure to notice the activities available to hotel guests, local guests, children, and more. You do not necessarily have to be a hotel guest to enjoy every offering.