Mini Vacation

A short getaway with a long post.

We knew that taking a long weekend would be the only way we'd get to Tennessee this year.

It was the first time we'd ever made the trip without seeing relatives.

We left Thursday afternoon and were back by Sunday evening.

We spent our time with great friends having a great time.

It was quick yet fun and relaxing.

Per our tradition, we camped our first night out.

I managed to forget to take a picture when there was daylight.

Imagine a tree line and a pond immediately behind the tent.

Frogs serenaded us all night long.

This campsite was on the small side.

The only place our tent would fit was on the parking gravel.

It made it difficult to drive the stakes in!

All week the forecast showed hot and humid with a good chance of storms.

It was a little warm at first but then the temps started to drop as the evening wore on.

The storms stayed away and the stars came out.

It turned into a beautiful evening.

Perfect for sleeping.

I've always had glow sticks for the boys to have as night lights.

Even though they spun them around for a while, they told me they were getting too old for them.

So I guess when my current stash of sticks are gone we'll say good-bye to that tradition.

It got cool enough to use a sleeping bag for a cover...

even if it's wrong side up.

The next morning we packed it all up and headed

down the road before our tent neighbors even moved.

The boys did an awesome job helping tear down the tent and packing up the gear.

Honestly, we didn't put them in the van like this.

Can't go to Tennessee without a stop at Clinch Mountain!

Dwayne's been going to Tennessee his whole life.

I've been going for 24 years and have stopped here almost every trip.

I don't think we'll ever get tired of seeing this little island.

It's nice having older kids who can take your picture.

A handsome bunch.

This is the road that leads to the road that our friends live on.

Very narrow.

This little road is called Great View Way.

The road has a good name.

The picture is a little white washed and doesn't do the view justice.

Trust me, it's gorgeous.

We finally arrived and it wasn't long before we were greeted by a beautiful rainbow.

There was a great rainbow last time we were there too.

Our friends tell us they happen often over the mountains.

This is the view from the inside of the house.

Another beautiful view.

We did go to a couple of places while we were there.

Our friends took us to Carver's Orchard.

There was a market and a candy shop.

Mmmm chocolate!

And of course Connor found this big rooster.

The brown areas on the left are where the mountain burned not too long ago.

Dan said the mountain glowed at night.

The fish pond with a realistic floating gator!

I think the boys helped Dan feed the fish every day we were there.

This is where we spent most of our time.

Just sitting and visiting.

Staring at mountains.

Eating food.

Talking.

Laughing.

Dwayne said he was taking an "us-ie" as opposed to a selfie.

He's much better at it than I am.

My awesome family put up with my quilting addiction by

allowing me to visit not one but two nearby quilt shops.

I was happier than a duck in a puddle on a rainy day!

Yet another spectacular view.

God has a never ending supply of those!

Our time there was entirely too short and it was time to go.

I'll be honest and say I'm not a fan of good-byes. I'll cry every time.

So that wasn't helping me at all.

I've learned on this mourning journey that sometimes the sad moments come out of nowhere.

They arrive when you least expect it and sometimes for no reason.

When I woke up, I knew it was one of those days.

I honestly wasn't mentally ready for the trip home.

I was having such a good time I wasn't thinking about it.

So it kind of blind sided me (which drives me nuts).

I knew travelling would tug at my emotions because of my dad, so I should have expected it.

After all, driving across this country is what he did for a living.

I did OK with the drive down.

Going back home was a different story.

I think I cried off and on most of the trip home.

You see, my dad always called me whenever he drove I-26, I-40, and I-81 in east Tennessee.

He knew we had family down there.

He would tell me when he was near the exits for Erwin.

Then we'd talk about the mountains and the towns he was passing.

I knew where they were, it's like a second home for us down there.

So that made it harder to leave.

I think this was going down the north side of Clinch Mountain on the way home.

The clouds had settled in the valleys in some places.

Nolan wanted some front seat time.

Which meant I had back seat window time with my camera.

Signs that we were almost home.

Wind farms.

Bean fields.

Tasseling corn.
We were back home again in Indiana.

~~~~~~~

Special thanks to our awesome hosts, Dan and Cheryl.

We love you guys.