Bacation, All I Ever Wanted

Since the Spring before Jon and I were married, my family has gone to Tennessee.  Just us; just the six of us.  Something my parents wanted to do before our six expanded to seven.  And that first time was like crack.  We've gone back ever since.  We start to countdown the days almost as soon as we return.

The packing train does not break for late night/early morning combos.  It keeps chugging past.  It doesn't not wait around for sore throats to clear up or littles to quit fighting sleep like ninja warriors.  It does, however, slow down for painting toenails, playing ball, tent pizza parties, and birthday celebrations an hour away.  Somethings are just worth the wait.

Each year's trip to the land of banjos and sweet tea holds it's own magic and memories for us. Our posse of six then seven has expanded to 14, avec bun in oven this year.  Hair and cabins have changed, too.  Serious hiking has been replaced with a more leisurely kind to accommodate littles and preggo mommas. This year, hiking is mostly out of question for me but even that's a bit of this year's magic - discovering new.  And all the while, we enjoy the monuments that have stood throughout: time together.

I don't exactly know what it is about this place. Maybe it's the relaxed time together, the vacation mode we settle so well into. Maybe it's that all our memory making happens in the backdrop of the Smokey Mountains.  But we love that our kids will grow up vacationing here.

And we don't have to countdown much longer 'cuz we leave tomorrow; all so ready for "bacation," as Eden puts it.

Good-on-top-of-good?  Kate's MRI results were good.  If you have been praying, thank you and please keep it up.  Kate starts her next round of chemo next week.

Packing train needs to keep rolling, miles to go.  Happy Fridaying, all!