Back on the Road

Good-bye Little Rock!
Come 10am we were back on the road!
Everyone loaded up, Starbucks in hand, and the Garmin guiding us to our next stop:
NASHVILLE, TN!
Each time we hit the road we said a prayer asking for safe travels for us and everyone else on the road.
You see it wasn't long ago that road trips were something that Bud & I dreaded.
I won't lie I wasn't ecstatic about this one either and not just because it was a permanent move.
We both get a little drowsy after driving for a while, normally.
However, God watched over us this time and kept us alert and awake the entire trip!
In fact Bud drove and drove and drove and I still hadn't had a chance at the wheel.

 We both believe that the frequent rest/stretch stops (averaging about 20-30 minutes each) were a huge factor in our constant alertness!
I didn't even nap when Bud was driving!
As we continued our drive out of Arkansas we were amazed at how pretty the state was.
It was green everywhere and being that Texas is suffering a severe drought, green is a beautiful thing!
Today was our shortest distance to drive as Little Rock to Nashville is a little over 5-1/2 hours.

2 states down and only TN & NC to go!
We rolled into our hotel around 6:30pm that night and after a QUICK freshening up were picked up by family friends for dinner!
Mr. &Mrs. R are the parents of SR, Eric's best childhood friend.

They are one of the best examples we have of a healthy Christian marriage that I've ever encountered.
We were blessed enough to get to see them and have them treat us to a delicious dinner.
If you are EVER in Nashville you MUST go to Monell's Restaurant!
The food is served family style, meaning you sit at a table with other patrons and pass the food as it is brought to the table.
I think my favorite thing that night was something I had never heard of and obviously never eaten before.
FRIED PICKLED GREEN TOMATOES!
I'm on a mission to figure out how to make these myself they were so yummy!
If I learn I'll be sure to post how here!
Bud and I were stuffed to the gills and happy as clams after eating such a scrumptious meal!

Following that Mr. & Mrs. R brought us to downtown Nashville to walk around a bit and listen to the wonderful live music playing in every other bar.

 It was so nice to spend the evening with them.

One thing we couldn't account for, however, was the humidity.

When we arrived back at the hotel we handed my camera to a lady to take a group picture of us...

After having been in the air conditioned car on the ride back to the hotel my camera developed a lovely layer of condensation on the lens and thus our group picture turned out cloudy.

Sad day.

We said our good-byes and then went to the room to find that the boys had done amazingly well, yet again, when left alone in a hotel room.

Another goodnights sleep was ahead of us!

I hope you had a Blessed Friday!