Ideas for first-year paper-themed anniversary trip, after rough year of hurricane recovery?

Background: It’s been a rough start! My husband and I married in November ... only three weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated our area in the Florida Panhandle. Even now, seven months later, hurricane repairs are ongoing. We’re living in a house under construction (roof, windows, walls, floors!) with nearly all of our possessions in storage - and it’s not been easy dealing with insurers. Our entire community is rebuilding and will be for long after this year; nearly everyone is displaced or rebuilding so our friends are stressed and busy, too. (Frankly, we don’t have things nearly as bad as many here do.) Access to counseling and other services is still extremely limited. To top it off we’ve personally had other unforeseen difficulties like a car accident that caused a minor injury and totaled his car (other driver ran a stop sign). We know the first year of marriage is not always easy, but this has been quite the first year! We’ve been through a lot - together - and I want to plan a meaningful getaway for us in early November.

The request for ideas: Ideally, it would be a weekend trip (Friday through Sunday). I’d like for it to incorporate a “paper” theme somehow, which is a nod to the traditional first-year anniversary gift. Maybe we can find a book-binding or printmaking or art class out of town (something like Spudnik in Chicago) or tour someplace that works with paper somehow or see a site that has to do with...paper? Or is named for something papery?? Maybe a paper-related Airbnb??? It would ideally be someplace no more than a 4- or 5-hour drive from the Panama City area. Any state is fine. And though we’re still employed and have some means, it’s been a very expensive year as we’ve emptied our emergency funds to secure and repair the house after the hurricane, all while battling the insurance company. Bonus points for budget-friendly ideas! I’m looking for travel/trip/activity ideas - but feel free to share your gift ideas, too.

Possibly helpful insights: He loves handwriting letters with fountain pens on his own stationary and sealing it with a wax seal. It’s a wonderful way he invests in his relationships with long-distance friends and family. We have a special spiral notebook in which we write letters to one another, then hide someplace for the other to find. We traveled the world before meeting each other; we toured Italy for our honeymoon! We keep a map with pins of our travels. We love reading old and new books of many genres, we’re Christians who love studying the Bible, and we dream of having a great home library someday. We’re active/outdoorsy and he loves learning and exploring new things. I just love him and know thoughtful gifts (especially surprises!) really mean a lot to him.

Thanks in advance for your consideration and willingness to brainstorm with me!

Submitted May 12, 2019 at 10:55PM

Background: It’s been a rough start! My husband and I married in November ... only three weeks after Hurricane Michael devastated our area in the Florida Panhandle. Even now, seven months later, hurricane repairs are ongoing. We’re living in a house under construction (roof, windows, walls, floors!) with nearly all of our possessions in storage - and it’s not been easy dealing with insurers. Our entire community is rebuilding and will be for long after this year; nearly everyone is displaced or rebuilding so our friends are stressed and busy, too. (Frankly, we don’t have things nearly as bad as many here do.) Access to counseling and other services is still extremely limited. To top it off we’ve personally had other unforeseen difficulties like a car accident that caused a minor injury and totaled his car (other driver ran a stop sign). We know the first year of marriage is not always easy, but this has been quite the first year! We’ve been through a lot - together - and I want to plan a meaningful getaway for us in early November.The request for ideas: Ideally, it would be a weekend trip (Friday through Sunday). I’d like for it to incorporate a “paper” theme somehow, which is a nod to the traditional first-year anniversary gift. Maybe we can find a book-binding or printmaking or art class out of town (something like Spudnik in Chicago) or tour someplace that works with paper somehow or see a site that has to do with...paper? Or is named for something papery?? Maybe a paper-related Airbnb??? It would ideally be someplace no more than a 4- or 5-hour drive from the Panama City area. Any state is fine. And though we’re still employed and have some means, it’s been a very expensive year as we’ve emptied our emergency funds to secure and repair the house after the hurricane, all while battling the insurance company. Bonus points for budget-friendly ideas! I’m looking for travel/trip/activity ideas - but feel free to share your gift ideas, too.Possibly helpful insights: He loves handwriting letters with fountain pens on his own stationary and sealing it with a wax seal. It’s a wonderful way he invests in his relationships with long-distance friends and family. We have a special spiral notebook in which we write letters to one another, then hide someplace for the other to find. We traveled the world before meeting each other; we toured Italy for our honeymoon! We keep a map with pins of our travels. We love reading old and new books of many genres, we’re Christians who love studying the Bible, and we dream of having a great home library someday. We’re active/outdoorsy and he loves learning and exploring new things. I just love him and know thoughtful gifts (especially surprises!) really mean a lot to him.Thanks in advance for your consideration and willingness to brainstorm with me!