Music City

My sister was on Spring Break last week, and she wanted to take a girls' trip with my mom and me. Our original plan was New Orleans, but we changed our minds and went to Nashville. I was super excited because I've never been, and we live so close now.

Meme came Wednesday and we had fun hanging around and playing outside. Thursday morning we met Beth at the interstate and made our way to Music City. It was close to lunch time when we got there, so we parked downtown and went to eat at Acme. It was right next to the stadium where the Titans play. I got fried catfish and it was delicious!

It was supposed to be stormy that day in Nashville, and we were so worried about walking around in the rain. It turned out to be a beautiful day! It was sunny and warm, and we walked around and looked at the touristy parts of Nashville.

 

We saw the Ryman,, browsed through Ernest Tubb's (learned something new), and stopped in some of its shops. That's what I love to do in big cities...just walk around and explore. They even have a Rocket Fizz, and you know I love that place!

 

Then we drove toward Vanderbilt. Beth and I went to an Alabama football game there several years ago, and I don't remember what it looked like at all.

 

We drove by the stadium, and I told Beth to go slowly so I could get a picture. This was the best I could get. We stopped by the Barnes and Noble and we got a surprise. Bill Nye was there signing books. Not quite the celebrity I thought I'd see in Nashville, but it was still exciting.

 

My mom and I have become fans of Joey + Rory, and we knew that they met at the Bluebird Café in Nashville. Joey saw Rory sing at a songwriters' night, and she said she knew then he was the one she would spend the rest of her life with. We were surprised at how small and out of the way the café was.

 

 

 

 The next morning we got up and went to breakfast at the Pancake Pantry. I had seen this place on Pinterest. We got there and the line was out the door, around the building. I texted my cousin to see if this was normal. Apparently it happens most days. She said it was worth the wait, so we patiently waited for our pancakes.

 

Definitely worth the wait. I got banana nut pancakes, and they were so delicious!! Can't wait to go again and try another flavor.

 

After we were rolled out of Pancake Pantry we set out to find Reese Witherspoon's boutique, Draper James. It's in this cute little area called 12 South.

 

Oh my, at the cute things! So many cute clothes, which I obviously can't afford. But it's fun to look anyway. I about died over a handbag that said, "Totes y'all." I almost pulled the, "we just got our tax refund" and splurged, but I just couldn't. No Reese sighting either...bummer.

 

Next we drove to the Grand Ole Opry. We were going to do a tour and just assumed you could buy tickets the day of. They were booked through the weekend. Oh well.

 

The Grand Ole Opry is right next to a big mall, so we went shopping for a while before heading home. What a fun trip we had, and I can't wait to go back! I want to go and just hop around to different venues all night listening to music. Sans kids, of course.

 

Speaking of music, I had never heard of Joey+Rory until Joey got sick. I listen to country music, and I don't know how I missed them. A couple weeks before she died I happened on a special on the Gaither Network where Joey and Rory were singing old hymns and talking about their life. I fell in love. I bought that cd plus another with hymns and other inspirational songs. I recently got a country album of theirs and am enjoying that too.

 

I highly recommend all of these cds. Avery and Colt are equally in love with this couple, and we pretty much listen to them exclusively. Avery loves Jesus Loves Me and I'll Fly Away and Colt loves "the one that says blood" aka Are You Washed in the Blood. My heart melts when they sing these hymns so passionately and ask for them by name. When I picked Avery up from school today her teacher, Ms. Michelle, said Avery was teaching them Are You Washed in the Blood today. I love that, and I hope that will begin her ministry of sharing the Gospel.

 

This girl loves her some Joey, and she often asks me what I think Joey is singing in heaven right then. Unfortunately, this little girl is well versed in heaven, and she is so happy Joey has a new body and is able to sing for Jesus and Baby Susannah. If there's one Joey+Rory song I would say you must listen to, it's this one...Leave it There

On one of the Gaither specials they tell the sweet story of how they came upon this song. It's a hard thing to do, but it's what God wants.

 

Take your burden to the Lord, leave it there...