Marriage Rehab.....?

Well, I'm trying to get my act back together this morning. We arrived home last night after a wearisome day of moving steady in a vehicle.......with VERY little stopping. We arrived into our driveway about 10:30 p.m.

It was a GREAT trip. Many highlights......too many laughs to even begin naming them, great services, great food, fellowship, and friends, beautiful Christmas lights, wonderful show at Dixie Stampede, great condo to stay at, we brought home a "new" car....kinda, and like the rest of who were there that may write about the trip, blah, blah, blah......

We left Pigeon Forge around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday night and drove about 4 hours to 15 minutes outside of Birmingham. We left there yesterday morning and drove to Silas, Alabama where we met Mom, Dad, Laura, Don, Zach, and Abby for lunch.....(quite a drive for lunch, huh?).....well, there was a little more to it than that. We picked up Mom's Honda Accord, which she and Dad gave us (negotiations over that deal are unsettled as of yet) - since I wrecked "Old Yeller" and Jeremy's other car blew up....and after an hour of food and transactions, pulled out again and were on the road moving until 10:30 last night. Therefore, the 8 hour trip from Alabama was spent in the car alone - since we both had a car to drive! It was boring at times. At other times, I'd think about the conference and start laughing uncontrollably.....it was not at all boring during those times, I assure you!!

So, a rundown of the weekend goes like this: if you don't have a few minutes, don't read this.....it has the potential to be lengthy!!

- The conference kicked off to a great start on Thursday night....everyone was just so thrilled to have arrived, it wouldn't have mattered if nothing happened. Bro. Dewayne Galiher did an awesome job speaking on the home - in general. He gave us some lessons on the goals of Joshua as the man of his home and how we should have some of the same goals. He pointed out some great stuff there.....my "clipboard" (lol) of notes is still packed, so I can't give specifics.

That night after service, at the restaurant we were at, our waitress informed us that the Duggars were in town, and said her "future" son-in-law ("if he lives that long") had been their server at the Dixie Stampede that day.

- Bro. Ryan, Bro. Dewayne Galiher, and Bro. Doug Webb did an awesome job speaking at the rest of the conference in different classes and services.

- On Friday afternoon, on the way back to the condo, Jeremy and I stopped at a little "hole in the road" thrift store to check out a chair sitting out that I thought was cute. As we were walking into the store, a young lady was browsing through some stuff outside the door alone. She looked vaguely familiar - as do most people who dress in the same fashion as we do. We were standing in the store looking around when we heard the comment at the same time from the owner......"so how do you like being on TV?"....then the voice of a female......I looked up front and Jeremy stood up from the bookshelf where he was looking....and as he asked the question "do you know who that is?"....I came back with the name before he got finished with the question. "Michelle Duggar" - mother of the Duggar clan. She and her daughter were shopping alone in this thrift store on the back side of Pigeon Forge in the middle of no where! We respected their OBVIOUS attempt to hide from the public and continued to shop around for a few more minutes, then left. The next day, as we entered Dollywood, there was a huge banner across the entrance gates that said, "The Duggar Family." I was glad at that instant that we had allowed them a few minutes of peace in the woods - where they were just fellow citizens with no fame.....were I in their shoes, I would crave moments of solidude as such! And yes, she was large with child again!

- There were hilarious games and stories and jokes that were told that were "fall out of your seat from laughing uncontrollably" funny......blah, blah, blah! I will post pictures later of some of the games, etc.....my camera is still packed, also!

- On Saturday, after the conference had ended, many couples went to the Dixie Stampede to see the Christmas show......it was AWESOME - food and show!! Naturally! Before the show began, Bro. David Webb's (chief organizer of the conference) wife stopped by our table to tell us to yell really loud when they called our group.........."Life and Love Marriage Conference!" The yelling we had planned to do became a little uncertain and less exuberant than what was intended when they announced us as "Life and Love Marriage Counseling"..........as Gregg said, as though we were all in marriage rehab.......

- After the stampede, we headed off to Dollywood to see the lights - first day of Christmas season.....it was packed like a sardine tin. Really! There was little room for movement at all. I did learn that most of them were there for the lights, so we did get to enjoy a roller coaster at night - in the dark and in the cold.....Exhilarating! I could only handle it once, though.

As far as the lights went, they were beautiful, but we were a little tickled over the fact that so many people stopped and crowded together to watch a few......well, maybe more than a few.....lights on a tree that moved and changed with the music. Jenna and I had a breakthrough and did a few dances with some groovy music......we were really feeling it!!

And then, through the music and the awe of the moment (whatever!), Joe loudly asked his infamous question.....which seemed to filter through the crowd and drew hysterical laughter from the few of us who knew what it meant....."Did you enjoy the show??"

And yes......we enjoyed the show!!! Every single minute of it.