Quick Trip to TN

(From our trip to NY last month)

We went straight from last Sunday morning's assembly and drove to Nashville so we could be there for a good friend's surprise sixtieth birthday party. Because of the five and a half hour drive, we got there a little late, but that allowed us to make a "grand entrance" and truly be a surprise to our special friend Kathy Rose. Don and Kathy Rose have been wonderful friends for well over a decade now. They have gone with us on most of our "big vacation trips" and are one of the original members of the small group we were part of in Nashville for six and a half years. That group still meets every Sunday evening, and we got to see all of them again at Kathy's party and then join them for a Bible study after. It was really wonderful to see everyone. It was great to be reminded about what a blessing it is to have good friends. Our warmest memories of our nearly seven years in Nashville come from time spent with that group of brothers and sisters. We've been gone from there for almost five years now (as of 12/31/09), but we still manage to see one another a couple times each year. They all helped me surprise Donna by showing up at Disney World for our thirty-fifth anniversary - two years ago - and making it an anniversary that neither one of us will ever forget. They have also given us a special surprise gift by showing up for our musical the last couple of years.

So, if you were wondering why I haven't done a blog the last few days, that's the reason. We got to spend a day with all of our family too (everyone except Jonathan and Holly of course) on Monday, and we got back to MO yesterday at noon. If there was ever a reason to skip blogging, the best one will always be seeing family and friends.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATHY! Wow - I didn't realize you were THAT much older than me!