What a great trip! We got back last night from spending 5 days in AR. It was so great to see friends and family, and friends who feel like family! We went to surprise Todd, Rick's best friend, for his birthday and to be with a friend who's son was having open heart surgery. Praise God, the surgery was cancelled and we had a much better visit with them at church. Todd was very surprised to see us show up at dinner! But the best surprise was when we gave Rick and Todd a guided fishing trip for both of their birthdays! They had to get up at 5:30 the next morning and drive up to the river to meet the guide who was awesome! They caught over 60 fish during the morning, despite dire warnings that this summer had been terrible for trout! Anyway, they had the perfect day and Heather and I managed to get ALL 4 KIDS asleep at the same time, so our day was good too, despite Heather having to climb up in the McDonalds playground to rescue Lainey, which I am still laughing about! That is one of my worst nightmares - a clausterphobic/germophobic has no business going to a McDonalds playground!

South Carolina has been very good to us, but there is something about being "where everybody knows your name." Katie had so much fun catching up with her little friends. The child has a more exciting social life than we do! She went to a kids night out at Downtown Church, had a sleep over with her buddy Anna Kate (details on Anna Kate's moms blog www.thefarleyfamily.blogspot.com ), was invited to a birthday party, etc.! She had so much fun and it was hard to think about what things would be like if she still lived by those friends that we love so much. She has good friends here, but I am still very much attached to the kids she was in the nursery with as a baby! The little girls all had a weeping-fest on Sunday after church! I think it was worse than the Sunday we left to move here!

Rick got to lead worship at Downtown on Sunday morning. What an awesome thing! 900 voices sound really awesome praising the Lord, however, we did miss our church here. We have been so blessed to be a part of both! We also stopped by the jewelry store Rick worked at for a few minutes. Another note of thanksgiving there - the Simpsons blessed us so much by teaching Rick a trade that continues to challenge him and support our family! They are good people and we miss them too.

We ended the trip with a night in Nashville with Rick's parents and his neice that was visiting. It is always good to be there and Katie really enjoyed Hannah, her only girl cousin! But it is good to be home.