Our Weekend in Boone

We have the sweetest people in our life.  Over the weekend we had a great opportunity to get away for a few days and spend some time together as a family in Boone, NC.  We were able to go because a family at our church thought of us and gave us their timeshare that they were not using.  We felt so blessed and so thankful and gobbled up the chance to spend a few days away together.  So, thank you so much John and Teresa!

Justin and I have not had a chance to really take time to explore and enjoy the NC Mountains in forever, we have gone many times as we have taken our students on ski trips every year - but those are focused trips.  We really just wanted to take the time to relax, slow down and let Silas explore - he is so into exploring and discovering right now and this was the perfect place for him to do that!  Oh, we also got to meet up with a lot of our ASU students and have dinner with them - such a sweet time for us as we have missed them so much!

We spent a lot of our time on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopping at little trails and historical spots along the way.  Silas loved these little cabins or houses as he called them, walking though the woods on the trails and throwing rocks in the creek - all the things a boy loves.

We actually were able to snap a few family shots - something we haven't done in a long time and Silas actually cooperated.  We found that making a game out of the camera timer worked perfectly, at least for a little while anyway.

The next day we explored Blowing Rock.  I was actually pretty surprised that it cost $6 to enter - not that it is a ton of money but I couldn't understand what was so special about the views here - they were pretty and all but so were all of the views along the way, I guess its just the big rock?  Either way we still had fun and our friend Allison who is one of our college students at ASU got to come along with us - it was like old times.

Justin isn't the biggest fan of heights so this freaked him out a bit but, he quickly got over his fears and even let Silas take a look at the view.  

The last day we made a little drive to visit Linville Falls.  It was so beautiful but it may have been a little much for little Silas.  He hung in there but Justin had to carry him all the way down from the top - he just quit, haha (I laugh now but there was no laughing the .8 miles down the trail).  The trial was easy but I think a bit long for him.  He absolutely loved the waterfalls but once he saw them, he was done.

We took a thousand pictures, can you tell?  It was such a fun time, we enjoyed every second.  We have always considered ourselves beach people but there was something calming and peaceful about the Mountains that we enjoyed so much, so much that we have talked about when we were going to take our next visit.

The most beautiful thing to me was the night sky.  I don't know if I have ever seen such a clear and bright night sky.  You could literally see millions and millions of stars.  It honestly brought tears to my eyes as I felt so small under the vast greatness of God's creation.  His love and power was overwhelming.  I read a lot of verses that weekend about God's stars, creation and power.  I don't know if I've truly grasped the meaning of these words until this weekend.  Its really just pure awe and wonder.

He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names. Psalm 147:4

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Psalm 8:3-4

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing. Isaiah 40:26

If you ever need to be put in your place just go take a glimpse of the night sky (especially a Mountain view one) - thats all it will take.

There is something so precious about a few days away, I cherished every moment and I'm so thankful for the chance to do it.  

Hope you guys had an amazing weekend!  Thanks for stopping by today!