the loooong trip home

so last weekend we were rested up

and ready to head home
from our little mountain getaway.

it all started out innocently enough
with a wrong turn on the interstate...
(must've been the high altitude
affecting the brain)

our goal was to visit
historic jonesborough, tn,
the oldest town in tennessee.
that was the destination of many
trips with my family as I was growing up.

enter

exit 19

after realizing we had taken the wrong exit
we stopped to switch drivers.
(the teenage driver

will remain nameless)

ahh...back on the road to try out
the directions given by a local.


after driving in a very large circle, we were back at

exit 19

this time we and asked for directions
(for the second time)
and realized it was time for lunch.

we drove a few exits down to eat.

(we knew there were a ton of restaurants here

thanks to the aforementioned incorrect directions.)

as we were getting everyone out to eat,
erin says "where's my other shoe?"
we then realized when drivers were switched at,
you guessed it,
exit 19
her shoe fell out of the van

so...miss fashionista had to wear her sister's hiking boots
(I know, I know - cruelty) to lunch

we were one happy, Spirit-filled bunch for sure,

so full of joy & love...

we piled back in & headed BACK to
exit 19
and there, in a lonely, remote parking lot,
we found the little lost sperry.

all was well in erin's world

we finally found the correct exit
and toured this beautiful little town

this is the restaurant where I had

my first official "dress-up date"

in a very fancy environment

wearing a very fancy

Jessica McClintock gunne sax dress.

( I was 11 and the date was with my Dad)

a visual picture of how

poor Quinn felt at this point of the day

ahh, a little sugar to ease the stress

we were PAST ready to go home.
after driving for almost an hour,
Brian and I said almost simultaneously...
"this doesn't look familiar"

and I'm not even kidding,
at that very second we saw this

at least when we turned around to go the right way,

we were able to say a proper goodbye to our friend

exit 19

bottom line:
a 2 1/2 hour trip
took well over 7 hours

4 states in one day

Gracie didn't sleep
ONE wink in the van

we need a GPS

the end