Road Trip!

On Monday, Baby Jack and I mixed business with pleasure and headed to Chattanooga to spend a great couple of days with sisters Annaliese and Cassie, Aunt Deb and Uncle Brad, and our favorite Granny while my car was getting the keyless entry reprogrammed at the dealer. Each one of those things was a big treat! 


Annaliese recently moved to Huntsville from St. Louis, so instead of living 7+ hours away, she is now close enough for a day trip! And, though Cass is still 4 hours from me, Chattanooga is a great halfway point, so we took advantage of a free day for all of us, and met up in one of our favorite cities! Annaliese and I got a long walk in and she got to feel the baby move, Cass and I browsed Frazier Street shops together, and we all got to have lunch with Granny. I am so thankful for my sisters, and appreciate them even more as we grow older. I learn so much from them, and am so encouraged and inspired by being with them!

Cass and my self-portrait at Coolidge Park.

Our Granny, now our only living grandparent, lives on Lookout Mountain. We had lunch with her Tuesday, and of course she served us chicken salad, crackers, fruit, and ice cream on the porch - what else could we have when visiting her? Granny told us stories of when she was little, when our daddy was little, and when we were little. She has such a fantastic memory, and a wonderful storytelling ability - not to mention the best stories. With Granny turning 93 in March, and her house on the market, I tried to soak up every detail I could about her and being with her at her home, knowing things will probably start to change soon. But for the time being, lunch with her and my sweet sisters felt like a frozen moment in time where we just got to enjoy each other. When we were leaving, after hugs and kisses, she told us "Remember girls, I love you, and I will always love you, even when I'm old and grouchy and can't remember." 

We also got to have a fun night and fantastic dinner with Aunt Deb and Uncle Brad. Deb is one of the most wonderful cooks I've ever met, in the professional or home kitchen, and I just love watching her effortlessly prepare wonderful, creative meals. Their easygoing manner and good listening skills make for great conversations as well, so we had such a fun time catching up over grilled salmon, haricot verts, a gorgeous fruit salad, fontina acini di pepe, and, of course, Baskin Robbins ice cream cake. (I had to have just a bite!)


I am so thankful that in this transitional time in my life I have the freedom to spend time with people I love - some (especially Annaliese and Granny) with whom I haven't spent enough time with over the past few years. I know that so much is about to change, so I'm soaking up every moment I have to just go and spend time with some of my favorite people.

Cass's photo of the bridge at Coolidge Park.