Day-dreaming Date

For many reasons, my hubby is a keeper.

He's supportive and selfless, funny and kind, loves me unconditionally and is my best friend.  But he got major brownie points yesterday when he accompanied me on a holiday home tour.

I thought it would be a fun date out together but we realized early on that he was about the only man coming and going through the houses unless they were the owners.  He got glances of shock and surprise and a few "man points" by the women we met.

I'm sure he would've rather been in a tree stand but we enjoyed our day touring some beautiful homes decorated for Christmas.  It was interesting to see how others decorate.  I'm always one to browse a person's tree and view all the ornaments if I'm visiting for the holidays.  My trees have a story with every decoration that is hung.

This tree reminded me of my childhood.  Growing up, we always had a giant real tree slathered with handfuls of icicles.  This tree was in the childhood home of Bill Monroe, a legend of bluegrass music.  A sign hanging outdoors noted that the home had so much music played through the years it literally changed the composition of the wood, making it somewhat a living instrument.

Going into each home and experiencing the sights, sounds, and scents of Christmas certainly put us in the holiday mood.  What added to the atmosphere was that we were greeted with a dusting of snow.  At points, it felt like we'd stepped into a Hallmark movie.

Sadly, we didn't capture any photos of one of our favorite houses.  Nestled in the country, a dream cabin with a wrap-around porch, with every nook and cranny filled with holiday spirit.  I think we just got caught up in the beauty of it all. 

However, we did manage to take a selfie on the way out.



Once back to our humble house, I giggled at some of the photos my guy took.



He was most enamored by the "man cave" at one of our last stops.  Honestly, I think the basement was bigger than our home!  Giant gun racks flanked the entrance, at the bottom of the steps.  Leather and stone, a private entrance and a grand fireplace would make any man drool.  Actually, this home ended up being our favorite, as I even had him snap a pic of the kitchen.  A girl can dream...

Though it was exciting to imagine and pretend, back home and snuggled by our small fire in our well-worn chairs, I was thankful and content.  Our walls may not be lavishly adorned but they are covered in sweet memories.  While there is no grand entrance, you'll always enter our house with a warm welcome.  My decorations may not be stylish or new but instead chipped or smudged from little handprints who wanted to help.  The ornaments not color-coordinated but rather a timeline of our live's together.  And I couldn't imagine it any other way.  

Empty Nest Experience

Tim and I are getting a taste of what life is like without the kids at home this week.

We prayed our teens off to youth camp on Sunday morning with about 40 others from our church.  They'll get to spend their days on zip lines, tubing on Kentucky Lake, and attacking each other in Bazooka Ball, with lots of good Jesus stuff mixed in.

We're hopeful they come back sunburn free and overflowing with His spirit.  I'm especially praying He speaks to and prepares them for their return, when our family will leave for an international mission trip, right from our backyard in nearby Nashville, TN.

My hopes would have included "sunburn AND injury free" but we've already had a call...on the first day.  I didn't expect to hear from them at all, considering it is a "tech free trip."

Hours after they left though, with a lump in my throat, I answered the incoming call from their youth leader to hear my son's voice on the other end.  Playing Ninja in the lodge, he apparently stumped his toe.

This is the "before" picture...

Thankfully it wasn't too badly hurt and hasn't seemed to slow him down, so say the responses I've received from my worried-Momma check-in texts.  But leave it to my son to get hurt doing something that has nothing to do with camp!

Enough about the kiddos though....this is about being home alone.  Without them.


Last night Tim and I took advantage of some restaurant meals he'd won on the radio and drove to a neighboring town.  The words "Free" and "Fish" are guaranteed to excite my man.

We headed back home at my favorite time of evening, right where the sun and moon greet each other in the sky.  The soft glow of twilight beckoned us to slow down and take in the summer scenery.

Windows down, we took the back roads home.

Reminiscing down memory lane....

We shared fond stories of growing up on these grassy hills and pathways.  

Favorite childhood moments.

Of dates together and young love.

Early years as a family.

Houses Tim has saved from firefighting days.

Houses we used to share our days in.

People we remember and miss.

Up and around the corners of our past.

We paused over creeks and watched deer feeding in the fields nearby.

Until twilight met starlight...

Hands held, we soaked up the sweet summer evening, 

simple as it was, 

and were thankful for the time just to be...

the two of us.