My Mother’s Day & Birthday Surprise on Ormond Beach

Since becoming a mother, I have always felt it was a little unfair that my birthday, May 9th, and Mother’s Day so often fall on or very near the same day. It has always seemed like most other moms get two separate celebrations spread throughout the year, while mine quietly blend into one. It probably did not help that even as a child, my birthday was a shared celebration with one of my grandmothers, so I grew up used to dividing the spotlight. I know it sounds selfish to even say that out loud, but it is an honest feeling I have carried for years.

Thankfully, once the kids got a bit older, my wonderful husband of nearly 17 years made it his mission to make sure I no longer felt that way. He has always had a talent for surprises, and somehow, almost miraculously, he convinces the kids to keep quiet even when they are bursting with excitement. I will never understand how he pulls that off.

Throughout the years, he has surprised me with beach weekend getaways, cooked an entire seafood dinner at home for me while visibly gagging his way through it, and even whisked me away for a weekend in St. Augustine, Florida. Each surprise has meant more to me than I can properly put into words.

As blessed as I feel, I also carry a little guilt because I cannot quite return the favor in the same way for Father’s Day and his birthday. I do not drive due to anxiety issues, which makes planning a surprise destination nearly impossible without him figuring it out. I try to make up for that in other ways by cooking his favorite meals, hunting down the perfect gifts from the kids and me, and helping the kids create homemade cards and occasional handmade gifts. Those simple, heartfelt creations have always been the most meaningful anyway.

Anxiety has been a recurring struggle for me. I go through intense spells where there is no clear cause, yet the weight of it feels overwhelming. Over the years, it has even sent me to the ER a few times, convinced something must be physically wrong. Lately, I have been in the middle of one of those difficult stretches. There was nothing specific triggering it, but I could feel the tightness building. I was in desperate need of a change of scenery, even if just for a day, to breathe deeply, quiet my mind, and recharge.

A Special Getaway

This year, the hubs surprised me with another beach getaway, this time to Ormond Beach. He had to work that Saturday and did not get home until almost 3 pm, so we left shortly after he walked through the door. All I had been told ahead of time was to be ready to go somewhere when he got home and to pack a few extra outfits.

The kids were acting like it was a completely normal day. Since I had no idea what they knew or what the plan was, I could not spiral into my usual “Are you packed? Do you have everything? What is going on?” mode. I just had to sit with the mystery. The second he came in, he casually said to make sure we all had swimsuits packed and to start loading the car.

We arrived at The Cove on Ormond Beach, part of Diamond Resorts. We waited in the car while he went inside to check us in and handle everything. When he came back out, he was holding a single red carnation. The front desk had given it to him since it was Mother’s Day weekend for me. It was such a small gesture, but it meant so much. As we walked through the resort, several staff members wished me a Happy Mother’s Day. It was incredibly thoughtful and made the whole weekend feel even more special right from the start.

Almost Breaking and Entering

One funny thing happened that definitely was not funny in the moment. We accidentally tried to break into someone else’s room.

There are two towers at the resort, and we were never told which tower ours was in or given a map, just that our room was on the fourth floor. Hubs assumed it was the tower where he had checked in, so up we went. He tried the card key. And tried it again. And again. And again. Nothing.

After multiple attempts, he finally said he was going back downstairs to figure out what was wrong. The teen and I stayed outside the door with all of our bags, trying the spare key a few more times just in case. I remember whispering to her that I really hoped this was not the wrong room and that we were not terrifying some poor family inside who thought someone was trying to break in. I fully expected the door to swing open at any second with someone demanding to know what we were doing.

Sure enough, hubs returned a few minutes later to inform us that we were, in fact, at the wrong room. Wrong tower. We gathered all our bags, walked over to the second tower, and the key worked immediately. Of course it did.

When we finally opened the correct door, I was amazed. Hubs had somehow scored what I believe was called a Deluxe Suite at an incredible price. I do not even see that exact layout listed on their site anymore. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms with Jacuzzi bathtubs, a full living room, a full kitchen, a laundry closet, and two balconies. Even though we were positioned on the side rather than directly facing the beach, the balconies still offered a beautiful view of the ocean. You could see the waves rolling in and hear them from above, which felt just perfect.

Making Memories

Since my birthday fell on Monday, hubs had reserved the room through that morning so we could stretch the celebration out just a little longer. We had access to both an outdoor and indoor pool, plus beach and pool towels for an added $10 per day fee. Lounge chairs and umbrellas were also available on the beach, which ended up being a lifesaver for us.

The only hiccup was that towel pickup and drop-off were handled in just one tower, and of course it was not ours. Each time you used towels, you had to sign them in and out on paper. I could not help thinking it would make much more sense to have towel stations in both towers with a simple computer system to track everything. It would have saved a lot of back and forth.

Because of my anxiety, I do not do elevators, so every towel run meant walking down four flights of stairs, crossing the lot to the other tower, signing them out, and then hauling them back to the pool or beach. After swimming, when you are cold, wet, and sandy, and have paid $10 per day to use them, that trek feels extra long. We probably could have avoided all of that by bringing our own towels, but with the surprise element and packing quickly, it honestly never crossed my mind.

Since we had a full kitchen, we stopped to do some grocery shopping to save money on eating out for every meal. When we got back to the room, the nerdlings immediately claimed the master bathroom Jacuzzi tub as their personal spa. There may have been splashing. There was definitely laughter.

Mother’s Day morning came with one small logistical oversight. Hubs had to drive almost an hour back home to let our dog outside. Apparently that detail had slipped through the planning phase. When he returned, though, he came bearing a gorgeous bouquet of flowers in a vase for me. The kids presented their homemade cards that they had somehow managed to smuggle on the trip without me noticing. I truly felt celebrated and loved.

I did not take any photos of us on the beach because I made a conscious decision to bring nothing but a towel. No phone. No distractions. We did not spend the entire day out there, but we spent a few peaceful hours on Mother’s Day morning just soaking it in. The water was freezing at first and took some serious mental convincing to step into, but once we adjusted, it was refreshing.

After splashing around, we relaxed under the beach umbrellas. Thank goodness for those. The teen has vitiligo and has to be especially careful in the sun, and the rest of us burn at the mere suggestion of sunshine. Those umbrellas were absolutely essential. Miraculously, none of us got sunburned.

After the beach, we headed back up to the room for lunch on the balconies overlooking the ocean. There is something special about eating a simple meal while listening to waves roll in. Later, we took a drive around town just to explore a bit. By the time we returned, we were worn out in the best possible way and took a short nap.

For dinner that evening, hubs ordered pizza. He and the nerdlings handled cleanup and strictly forbade me from stepping foot in the kitchen. Afterward, we headed to the indoor pool and had it completely to ourselves. As the evening went on, the temperature outside dropped and the beach wind made the outdoor pool way too cold. The indoor pool was heated and felt much more inviting, so we stayed there for a few hours just enjoying the quiet.

The beds in our suite were amazing. I commented more than once that I would gladly take ours home with us. They were incredibly comfortable and cozy, and I slept better than I had in a very long time. I am sure the calm atmosphere had something to do with that.

While we were in the room, I spent as much time as possible out on the balcony. The steady sound of the ocean waves was unbelievably soothing. Not once did I experience that overwhelming, panicky feeling that sometimes sneaks up on me. I had even packed my Anxiety Relief tablets just in case, but I never felt the need to take them.

Both nights, after the kids went to bed, hubs and I sat out on the balcony talking quietly and taking in the view and the sound of the water. It felt peaceful and unhurried. The resort even allowed us to stay an extra hour and a half past checkout, and you can bet I spent most of that bonus time right there on the balcony.

We left refreshed, grateful, and maybe just a little dreamy about someday having a beach timeshare of our own.

The Ending to the Perfect Weekend

We arrived home around 12:30 pm on Monday. It was my actual birthday, but we were all so tired from all that “relaxing” over the weekend that it felt like we needed a recovery day from our getaway. Just like that, it was back to normal life. We unpacked, scattered to our usual corners of the house, and eased back into our routines.

That evening, hubs picked up fried fish and chicken with all the sides for dinner. No cooking, no fuss, just an easy meal together. Then came one last surprise.

Because of our eventful weekend, the kids had not been able to bake a cake like they normally would, so hubs bought one instead. I made my wish, looked around at my little crew, and felt completely content. It was the perfect ending to my extended Mother’s Day and birthday celebration.

This beach getaway was exactly what I needed. Honestly, it was exactly what all of us needed. There was no arguing, no rushing, no schedules pulling us in different directions. Just rest, laughter, and time together. Even the teen willingly hung out with us, which might be the most impressive miracle of the entire weekend.

For someone who has always felt like her birthday quietly blended into Mother’s Day, this year felt different. I did not feel overshadowed or shared. I felt celebrated, seen, and deeply loved. And that made all the difference.

I am a very thankful mama and wife, and that weekend will always hold a special place in my heart.

Do you have a favorite trip or getaway? Let’s discuss in the comments below!