I'm "Published."

Well, sort of - my brother is starting up a business in the Great Smokey Mountains and I had written a short description of the beauty of creation that I found in the Smokeys. He put it in his site! You can go here: http://blog.cabinconnection.com to read about it, as well as to see their site. Check back often as they're just beginning their business and will be adding things to it in the weeks to come! Tell your friends, too - When looking for a chalet to rent, http://www.cabinconnection.com/ is definitely the place to visit first!!

2/20/2010 Kingsley Plantation

We took the kids to the Kingsley Plantation this weekend while Chris' parents were here visiting. It was so interesting to see the history that had taken place here years ago. It was perhaps especially poignant to me since we had just been in Africa for a month; I cannot imagine such injustice being done to human beings. I stood and watched the African-American parents tell their children about what had happened to their ancestors and you could still hear the hurt and anger in their voices as they described it to their children. I pray that one day the anger will disappear. I pray that that kind of injustice will no longer be present.

I found it sad that we were one of the only white families there amongst hundreds of black families. I applaud them for educating their children on this injustice...I merely think that we should be educating our children on it, too.

This quote was posted in the kitchen area. I just cannot imagine...

"But when a vessel arrived to conduct us away from the ship, it was a most horrible scene; there was nothing to be heard but rattling of chains, smacking of whips and the groans and cries of our fellow men...and when we found ourselves at last taken away, death was more preferable than life."

Ottoba Cugoano of the Fante people

Gold Coast, Africa, 1787

Kingsley Plantation House

Slave Quarters Looking up the chimney in one of the slave houses.

Exploring the slave quarters. The homes were built out of clam shells that the indians had discarded after eating them. They said the mounds of shells were piled up to 40' high! It's amazing that they could make a "cement" and build homes from discarded clam shells.

Playing with the Life-ring on the dock where the slaves disembarked the ship

and placed their feet on American Soil.

Grant had a ball walking through the woods and playing with sticks. We need to take him to Gatlinburg!

Mason just thinks his daddy is the best! I love this age.

Snuggle time with Daddy (daddy's eating it up, too!)

Cheesy little guy. I love his sly look.

Playing on the great Live Oak Trees. They're so cool!

Grant has this new grin when we tell him to smile that is totally fake and looks like he doesn't want to smile and is just appeasing his mother but it makes me laugh every time.

Grant took off with Granny and Grandpa for a while to watch some fishermen so Chris and I had a little time with just Mason. He was so sweet and snuggly. We had fun playing with him.

Mason was giving slobbery kisses all over my face.

A kiss only a mother could love (and then definitely wipe off!)Mason figured out how to do a fishy face. It was hilarious! He was so proud.

2/15/2010 Just goofin' around!

So I just think my kids are cute and take lots of pictures just for fun. Don't you agree?? :)

2/14/2010 Worley Valentines

We had a great family day this Valentines Day! We spent the day playing, taking goofy pictures and the boys even got in a good wrestling match. Chris took me out for dinner at Buca diBeppos (where our dinner took forever getting to us and when it finally did it was cold so we got a free dessert!), so the boys got to go to one of their best friend's houses to play for a while, too, which they thoroughly enjoyed. And Chris even got to watch the UK Basketball game...can life possibly get any better than this!?

My boys pretending to be lions Aren't they sweet? Love those boys!

Reflections on a Certain Slum

I slowly walk along these trampled streets. They’re covered with sewage, trash, drugs, filth and disease. The stench stirs my senses clear down to my toes; It makes me sick to my stomach, and even turn up my nose. How could I love and serve these people, Oh, Lord? Your children, Your people, those whom You adore? I don’t want to touch them; I want to close up inside. Lord, make me invisible, find me a place I can hide. For serving these people is not something I think I can do. They’re dirty. They’re germy. They’re truly covered in poo. I look at these people in horror, dismay. They‘re hungry, they‘re tired and poor...But Okay. There’s laughter and giggles and smiles all around. They’re fulfilled, secure, joyful. And Your grace: it abounds! I don’t know how to do it; Lord, I just want to run. And yet, not my will, Oh, Lord, but Yours be done.