an anniversary adventure. destination unknown...

Me. Oh. My.
Sweet Husband can plan a surprise!

If you read my previous post
you know we celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary
on Saturday, September 4th.

Well...our anniversary was September 4th
but, we actually celebrated yesterday and today.
Wow!  Did we celebrate!?!

We began our celebration with
worshiping the One True God,
the One who deserves all praise and glory
for the past 28 years...and all eternity.

Then we began our anniversary adventure.
You see...I had no idea where we were going
or what we would be doing.

Is that FUN (and romantic) or what?!?

Here is a little photo journal of our time together...

We ate lunch here.

Oh. So. Good...and entertaining!

We sat with a family who will be moving to Knoxville

soon to plant a church.  Sweet folks!

They had four daughters.

I told Sweet Husband that I'm so thankful

the three children of ours who married last year

...all in less than six months...

were not all girls!  Wowzers!

I didn't take a picture of the next stop

because I prefer to not remember it, actually.

We went to see the movie "Inception"

and it took my heart about 45 minutes after leaving the theater

to stop pounding and for my ears to quit ringing.

I cannot do movies like that anymore!

Sweet Husband said I should be glad we didn't

go see it...IN 3-D!!!!

So...after that unfortunate detour...

We began driving to our destination...unknown to me....

and after about 45 minutes, we arrived here...

       

Woodland Cove Bed & Breakfast in Kingston, TN.

I had no idea what wonderful things awaited me!

      

The innkeepers, Della and Bruce Marshall,

were not home when we arrived.

But, they had left a note for us taped to the front door

and a key in a little basket.

They wrote that we should come in and make ourselves

at home...and enjoy the snacks in the butler pantry.

       

Sweet Husband had reserved the "Celebration Suite"

for us.  It was lovely!

...and as I looked around the suite I discovered...

     

...a beautiful arrangement of yellow roses

with a sweet note from Sweet Husband to me.
Yeah...I cried.
   

And...

      

...a bottle of champagne,

chilled and ready to be popped for our celebration!

      

Oh, yes!

This was a two-person jacuzzi tub.  It was NICE!

I'm just sayin'...

     

After we got settled in our suite we went out on the dock.

The evening was PERFECT...

could not have been more beautiful!

This is looking one way from the dock

(I have no idea if it's east, west, north, south...

it was to my left...)

     

This was to my right.

The water was so still and fish would occasionally

bite at bugs on the surface causing ripples to form.

So beautiful.

     

When we first went down to the dock,

the sun was shining on one side of the cove.

It was so picturesque...

much more beautiful than my photography skills captured.

      

 As Sweet Husband and I enjoyed the beauty of

God's creation, we marveled that what we

were looking at was a cursed creation.

We tried to imagine what a redeemed creation

will look like.

Yeah.  We couldn't.

But, we thanked God that what we were looking at was

declaring His glory...loudly!

      

After enjoying the scenic views from the dock for awhile,

we decided to go back up to the house and see if

the Marshalls had returned.

This is a back view of the lovely Woodland Cove.

     

The Marshalls were not back.

So, we decided to see what kinds of goodies

were in the butler's pantry.

This wonderful coffee machine was one

of our discoveries.

It is similar to the Keurig brand

but, holds more water and...

     

...check all the different beverages you can make!

Hot chocolate...tea...coffee...

talk about a handy contraption!

And there's no mess.

So nice!

We might be cruising the internet to investigate

"The Flavia"!

We then went up to our "Celebration Suite"

and enjoyed relaxing for awhile.

It wasn't long until we heard voices...

the Marshalls were back,

along with some other guests
they had taken on an evening boat ride.

I didn't get any photos of them...

but we enjoyed meeting Jo and Jenny from North Carolina.

I don't remember their last name...

but I did LOVE their accents!

They were living in North Carolina, owned a home in Florida,

and had come to the states from Northern England.

Jo had been transferred here by a company he no longer works for.

Jenny was a certified Montessori teacher.

They were delightful to talk to...

while we were enjoying our homemade key lime pie

made by our hostess, Della Marshall.

Um...mmm...good!!!

Then we bade each other "good night".

This morning, we were greeted by Della's cheerful voice saying,

"Good morning, Michael and Kay!

Your breakfast is ready and at your door!"

Oh. My.

The Marshalls do know how to spoil their guests!!

Sweet Husband went to the door and found this waiting...

A square of a delicious breakfast casserole,

two slices of thick bacon,

a ramekin of grits with cheese,

a wonderful currant and pecan scone,

a beautiful fruit, yogurt and granola parfait,

orange juice and coffee.

Take special note of the napkin ring...

real yellow sweetheart roses

in a napkin ring vase filled with water.

About fifteen minutes later...our plates looked like this.

We enjoyed some additional coffee

and some time reflecting over 28 years...

and talked about what we'd like to see happen

in year 29...God willing.

Then we decided that it was inevitable...

we had to get dressed and pack up our stuff.

But...

we didn't have to leave just yet.

The Marshalls told us to stay as long as we wanted

and enjoy ourselves.

So...we did just that.

First we wandered around the property a little.

Here are some glimpses...

Beautiful clematis growing on the backporch railing...

Many bird feeders were placed around Woodland Cove.

They even had binoculars in the sun-room

for any guests who enjoyed bird-watching.

We saw a couple of huge herons flying over the lake.

Talk about some big birds!

...and one of them landed in a tree!

Here's a spot I'd like to visit more closely the next time

we visit Woodland Cove!

 Just imagine...a little cooler weather, a good book,

Sweet Husband and me...

I'm free next weekend!

...it could be cooler then...

   

There was a tree next to the lake that had a few leaves

just beginning to change...

the first signs of a coming Fall...

which means cooler temps!

That hammock could really be in my not-so-distant-future!

     

You won't believe what we did next!

         

       

    

Here's Sweet Husband...he's ready to go!

     

Here I am...

Sweet Husband...are you sure this life-jacket is for adults?

     

And we're off...

No.  Really.

Sweet Husband...are you really sure about this life-jacket?

Well...

at least my head might've stayed above water if we fell in.

   

 Mmmm...maybe we should've had a tutorial...

aren't our oars supposed to be going in the same direction?

      

There we go...we're good at coasting!

    

I didn't get any photos of

removing myself from the kayak.

Too bad.

My side is still hurting from laughing so hard.

    

After our kayaking excursion, we enjoyed

these swinging chairs on one side of the dock.

We must have sat in these for over an hour,

swinging, talking, watching skiers, praying...

I was thanking God we weren't still out in the kayak

every time a speedboat came by.

    

And just like all good things on this earth...

our day had to come to an end and

it was time to return home.

I loved our time at Woodland Cove Bed & Breakfast...

and I'm sorry we had to leave so soon.

But, the sting of leaving Woodland Cove was lessened

because I was returning home with...

    

 my yellow roses...

which I will enjoy for several days, I'm sure!

And..

Sweet Husand...

for another 28 years, I hope...and...

God willing...many more!

My how I love that man!!

       

          

(the photo of Sweet Husband and me...

in the photo of my roses...

was taken by Ben Finch of

Ben Finch Photography.

You should check his site out...

and hire him!)