Out of the Mountains, Almost Home

I'm currently in Nashville with the hubby, enjoying the last day or so of our vacation. We are spending some quality time with a few friends in the area and greatly enjoying their hospitality, encouragement, and love! We'll head back to Memphis tomorrow afternoon to see our furbabies, clean house, and prepare for our Sunday of church, Sunday School, and World Cup Final.

Our time in the Blue Ridge Mountains was wonderful. I will post a picture blog to give you a better glimpse of our experiences, but the trip was PERFECT for me. Mr. McGoo and family had a good time too from what I heard.

I had mentioned on my post before this one (yeah, the blogging has been spotty since we left for Ethiopia... I'm struggling to make time or desire to stop and get it done as of late, but hope to get back into my groove soon)... I mentioned how God had perfectly timed this trip for me. I needed the rest and renewal that I hoped the trip would bring. Ironically enough (coincidence, right? he he)... my first day, Sunday morning, as I opened the Word and read from My Daily Bread devotional - the passage focused on Resting Forwarding... stating that without stopping, praying, and resting, we will not have the energy to go forward. The passage they focused on was in Matthew after Jesus fed the 5,000+.... Matthew 14:22-23 says, "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,"... even Jesus needed time alone to pray, rest, and prepare for the ministry going forward. How much more do I need that time too!? And I got it, whoo!

The trip consisted of reading, tubing down the Taccoa River, hiking, playing Mario World (occasionally, or MORE) on Wii, Around the World table tennis match - hilarious, eating, and eating more like kings and queens, sleeping, watching some World Cup matches, multiple trips to the local Dollar General, hot tubing it, eating and drinking more, reading again, scenic train ride, people watching and antique watching, Rummikub, Sequence, and a total hangout time with the Wilson clan. It was great fun!

Oh, and I wasn't productive during this vacation as I thought I should or might do - no McGugan Mailer accomplished or study time taken. I think it worked out best that way. ;)

Below is our before departure from the mountains photo. What a crew. I think we'll do this type a trip again!
 

From R to Left: Mrs. McGoo, Youngest Sista Kels, Mr. McGoo, Mom, Dad, BIL, and Middle Sista Rob.