8 Wonderful years....

Happy Anniversary, Babe! What an amazing 8 years we have had. So much stands out in my mind...from 2 major moves...3 houses....three churches...small groups...bible studies...serving in a youth group together....losing a job...working from home...2 salaries to 1 salary...losing our first "child" Scoot...seeing Anna Grace for the first time... Sumter...Florence...Jamaica...Arizona...Beach trips...Mountain trips....Many Friends who have walked in and walked out of our lives...Wow! There is nobody I would want to share the past 8 years with but you. You mean more to me than you will ever know. You know me better than anyone and you still love me. Thank you for being the best husband. Thank you for being the best dad. Thank you for always being there for me. Thank you for being my best friend. I love you!!

Thomas and I got away this past weekend for some R&R in the mountains of Gatlinburg, TN. Yes, Gatlinburg has become very commercialized over the years. Thomas and I tend to stay away from the hustle and bustle and enjoy our time together. We have rented a cabin for 4 of our anniversaries. It has been so nice and relaxing.

We started off the weekend with dinner at a wonderful Mexican restaurant and then a fun game of putt-putt.



Saturday we slept in and then had breakfast at our favorite restaurant - The Pancake Pantry. The sweet potato pancakes were as wonderful as I have always remembered them.


Then we shopped around the town and bought a few fun things for ourselves.

Then we headed to the outlets in Pigeon Forge. We shopped and went to dinner at the Apple Barn (another one of our favorite places to eat) and saw the new Indiana Jones movie. It was good. I did enjoy it.

Sunday we slept in again. We decided to make our own breakfast. We enjoyed blueberry muffins, fresh fruit and mimosas on the deck of our cabin. We had such a nice view. Then we enjoyed more mimosas in the hot tub. The hot tub was on the front porch of our cabin.



So relaxing...


View from our cabin


Close up view from our cabin



We enjoyed a nice lunch at the ALAMO steakhouse and then went for a hike to see a waterfall called Grotto Falls. The hike was nice - a little harder than I thought it would be in parts. I am so out of shape, but I made it!!




After the hike, we went to Pigeon Forge for a nice dinner at the Old Mill. The Old Mill had a long wait, so we went across the street and enjoyed dinner outside on the patio at the Old Mill Pottery Cafe. It was delightful and there was live music on the lawn. After dinner we enjoyed another movie - the Cameron Diaz movie - What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. It was cute. We enjoyed it.

As we drove home from the movie we talked about how we didn't want our vacation to end! It was so nice to get away and relax! I wish we could do it every weekend.

Another special treat was on our way home - we stopped in Asheville to visit some of our dear friends, Janet and Jeremy and their precious daughter Ann Harrison. It was such a treat to see them and spend some time with them. We grilled out. They made wonderful burgers and we laughed and got caught up! Their daughter is precious and one of the smartest one year olds I know! She is beautiful on the inside and the outside.

Here's to 8 more wonderful years, Babe!! The fun has just begun!! I love you more every day!! Thanks for being the best husband and father a wife could ask for. You are the best!! I am blessed to have you.