This was our trip around the world.  Okay, I know it was only across a few states, but an 8-day road trip is like…forever…for us.  We are the weekend travelers, but we have stepped off the beaten path and gotten adventurous.
First stop:  Waynesville, NC (home of all my nystalgic, sappy, happy childhood memories)  I got all giddy as the landscape began to change into rolling hills and then smoky mountains.  There is no place more beautiful.  It was a really weird feeling, though, to discover our old house was torn down and replaced with this one.  Granted, it would have been really great if this had been our house when we lived there, but my mom just didn’t think of a remodel like this or I’m sure she would have done it (hee hee).

Our yard looks a little different, too.  Where the heck are the trees?  Yeah, they cut them all down and made it into organic garden-ville.  Where are the smelly cows with BB’s stuck in their rears (wonder how that happened)?  In their place is a new Kingdom Hall, so apparently the cows did not get converted and had to go. Where’s the 6-foot tall weeds and hay?  How do they expect kids to make a fort in that yard?  Or sled down the hill in the winter with that fence in the way?

Well, as I left town kind of choked up and teary (yes, even The Stone is capable of a few tears once in awhile) I realized that things change and move on, but I am grateful for the happy years God gave us all the way out in the Smokies, time to be carefree kids, with fresh air and a mountain drawl that got us shamelessly ridiculed when we moved away.  Sigh.  Sweet memories.

Next stop… Camp Lejeune! (coming soon to a blogpost near you)