Hey there!!! Today is "Hug Your Sweetheart Day"...but I dont have a sweetheart- so this day is no good to me. lol. Anyways: WHAT A WEEKEND!!! BUSY & FAST & FUN. But to sum it all up...it was AWESOME. This is gong to be a SUPER LONG ENTRY. SO BEWARE! Where should I start? OK, Friday after work I went straight to pick up Paula and then I picked up Marci from her dorm. (Madisen ended up not going). We went straight to the boonies of Gatlinburg to find the chalet that Stephanie & Tara were already at. We got there at like 5:30 I think. I wasnt' so sure how this party was going to turn out, but I ended up having fun. I dunno about everyone else...but I had great fun...I was kinda hyper. First we toured the chalet (which was a 3 BR 3 story chalet whcih was awesome). It had a hottub on the huge wrap around deck that had a beautiful view of the mountains, and it also had a pool table downstairs. We all kind hung out & talked for awhile b/c it's been SO long since we have all got to hang out "together". After that Marci & Stephanie got supper started. While it was cooking we went out on the deck and took pictures with Stephanies photographer camera. They will probably be really pretty. Then supper was ready so we ate. We had salad, spaghetti, garlic bread, and coke! =) We all sat at the table and used the fancy silverware & champaigne glasses that were set out on the table and we also lit the 2 candles for a candle lit dinner. We joined and hands and said a prayer and then ate. It was good! After that I was goofy & tried to slide down the banister- well it didnt quite work witha skirt on lol. So, I gave up. After that Marci & Tara blew out the candles on their "KISS" cake Stephanie had made and they opened their gifts. They GOT LOTS OF AWESOME STUFF. I got Tara some blue boycut underwear that says "how you doin?" on the side, 2 tonguerings that glow in blacklight, and a pink, blue, white, and yellow striped purse. I got Marci a mini scrapbook like she wanted, some black & pink lace up panties taht say "not listening", and a tee just like mine that is white with neon pink & yellow John Deere on it! =) Then we all listened to music for awhile and then got in the hottub. I was inthere about 30 minutes and got SUPER hot so I got out and then went to bed before everyone else b/c I was tired and had a long day ahead of me the next day. I didnt fall asleep til 1:00 am though. I woke up at 6:30 Saturday morning and packed up to leave. Me, Marci, and Paula set out abotu 7:20 and headed back to Knoxville. I dropped both of them off and then I was on my way to Georgia!!! I was so excited and yet so nervous at the same time. I ended getting an hour off track b/c of my leaving a little late and b/c of traffic & BAD RAIN...but I am so good that I made up for the time and got there only 30 minutes later than planned! I called Debra when I got close to where I was supposed to meet her and she guided me to the CrackerBarrell. I pulled in the parking lot like 2 minutes before she did. It was like 11 am. We went inside and ordered our food and talked. We talked about what we had been up to and Daddy and just "stuff". I cant really remember b/c I was SO nervous. We left Cracker Barrell and I followed her to her house. It was somewhat how I pictured it. She lives in a cute lil rustic looking log cabin back in the woods. Very 'little house on the prairie' looking....just woods instead haha. It was cool though. The WHOLE inside of the house looked like Cracker Barrell! She lives there with her roommate Kirk who is as sweet as can be and their precious dog Kuntry and their little bird....he was cute too but I cant remember his name! First thing I gave Debra her birthday presents. I got her a beige purse with a cellphone case, a Indian looking change purse that is beige and says "Tennessee" on it, a silver picture frame that says something like "Sisters are Friends Forever" and has a pic of me & her in it, a candle holder with a sunflower thing around it, some tealight candles (I cant remember the scent..I think it was caramel nut or soething like that), and last I got her a little lotion/antibacterial thing from Bath & Body Works that is "Cotton Blossom", oh and of course a card!! She ended up getting me stuff too which made me feel so bad since it was her birthday! BUT I loved the stuff she gave me. She bought the cutest little lounge chair that folds up. It's bluish with little Hawaiin looking Frogs all over it...its adorable. Then some shampoo & conditioner, 3 pairs of cute socks, some Calvin Klein perfume & lotion, a makeup bag, some lipstick, a Worship book by Michael W. Smith with one of his singles in it, a plastic zip bag that is orange & pink with a "K" on it, and an angel photo album with one picture of her in it to start me off! =) I was overwhelmed with all of that stuff. But I loved it ALL. After that I got out ALL of my pictures I have ever taken so she could take a look at my "life" that she wasnt apart of. It took 4 hours for her to look at them all...but it was fun explaining everything to her...especially the stupid stuff that were very questionable looking! haha. Oh and it was SO weird!! I let her look at what Ive got done so far of my scrapbook of Daddy. Well, one of the pages has a picture of Daddy holding me when I was a baby, and a pic of me as a baby laying on my stomach on a blanket and all you can see are Daddy's hands held out towards me like saying "come here". Well, I wrote on that page "There was always Love in Daddy's Hands" really big! From thatold country song 'Daddys hands' that I havnt heard in FOREVER. Well they leave country music playing in their living room. Well, the WEIRD but awesome thing was as soon as she started looking at my scrapbook about Daddy that song came on the radio!!! I started freaking out and she saw the page that I made and used that song. It was crazy. Kirk said "it was just meant to be"...and I completely agree!!! It was amazing. Kirk cooked supper for us. Shes a good cook! She grilled Tbones, cooked potatoes, made salad, and rolls. It was yummy...but I got full fast and of course was still a little nervous and jittery so I couldnt eat a whole lot. After supper they showed me Kirks workshop where she makes & carves all kinds of cool stuff...she's very talented and good at what she does...I was impressed. Then we went to their computer room and I installed their scanner and showed them how to use it b/c they had never tried and had no idea. Then Debra & I went to Food Lion and got some needed things and icecream. I let her listen to some of my songs...I wanted her to hear FFH's "Ready to Fly" especially. I let her listen to some Crystal Lewis too...she liked her voice. Debra is a good singer too...I could tell just by the little bit I heard her sing in the car. We got back to the house and had some homemade chocolate pie which was very good and I got to read one of Kirks poems. It was SO good. SHe says she cant write, but from reading that it sure seems like it. While Debra was cleaning up &gettting ready for bed Kirk & I got a chance to talk. She is a very wise person and a goodhearted person too. Me & her are TOTALLY different, but alot of the things she said to me that were really deep...but very smart also...reminded me of the way that I think. I could sit & listen to her talk for hours probably. After that it was bed time. Debras bed in her room is small so noone slept in there. We all slept in Kirks room haha. Me & Debra got the bed and Kirk slept in the recliner. I was sleepy but they were crackin me up acting silly like little girls at a slumber party. By the time I went to bed that night my cheeks were hurting so bad b/c I had had a permanent smile stuck on my face since I had gotten there. I couldnt help it though lol. I probably even smiled in my sleep. I slept really good though. I woke up early Sunday morning when they got up at like 8...but I went to bed while they took showers & cooked. I slept until 10:30. Thats when Debra came in there and told me to get up. I was tired and just rolled over. So she came in there a few minutes later and turned the light on. It took me a few minutes to adjust to the light and then I opened my eyes and when I did Debra was standing RIGHT THERE in my face with her camera and snapped it real quick and ran off laughing all evil like! It totally took me by surprise! lol. So I got up and went to the bathroom first thing. When I walked out of the bathroom Debra was waiting around the corner to snap yet another "BEAUTIFUL MORNING PICTURE"...I cant believe I got taken again! haha. Those are going to be some UGLY pics! But funny Im sure. I told Debra that this meant war.:) Kirk had breakfast ready. She had cooked eggs with cheese & ham bits in it and biscuits. It was all so yummy and I ate every bit of it. All my nerves has went away at this point. lol. AFter breakfast I took a shower and got ready and Debra & I left around 12:00 to find our brother Darrell who lives about 30 minutes away from Debra. He lives in Cartersville. Well, she said he can usually be found after church on Sunday at Applebees so we went there and sure enough he was there!!! So we sat down at the table with him, his wife, Debbie, and his stepson Zack. We talked with them for awhile. Darrell was like "Why dont you move down here"...and that gave me butterflies on my stomach when he said that. Just the fact that he actually wanted me to live close to them. And because it sounded nice...it would be so awesome to live so close to Darrell and Debra. I wouldnt ever settle down there just b/c I love Knoxville and it is my HOME always, but just the idea made my heart pound. I would love to move down there and live there for a year or something...just for a chance to get to know them both really well. If I had the money to get an apartment I SO would..but I know I dont. So..oh well. :( Darrell invited us to his house that I have never seen so after Applebees we went there. It was GORGEOUS. It was like one of those country dream homes that you see in a magazine or something. It was big, white,& beautiful with 13 acres, flowers, woods, a pond, creek, animals. Just the house itself was beautiful but with everything that he had with it...it was awesome! We looked at pics in his house for awhile and I found some that he is going to make copies of for me. Then we all went outside and Darrell rode me on his "mule" to go feed the goats, cows, and turkey. haha. Then he road me all around his property showing me everything which was SO awesome. WE took pics and then me, him, Debbie, and Debra all went through the woods and took pictures by their pond. It was great getting to see & spend time with my big brother. I felt very "warm" being there with my big brother & sister. It was nice. ME & Debra left after that and got me some "checkers" food and we went in Zaxbys and ate. After that we went back to her house and I packed my stuf up. =( I sat down for a minute to talk and Kirk showed me her guitar and played a little bit until it was 7 pm and I had to leave. I got home so quick it seemed like. What is supposed to be a 2 1/2- 3hr drive I did in 2 hours. =) I called Debra when I got to Knoxville to let her know I got home safe and then when I got home I checked my email and went straight to bed! Now I'm at work and Olivia is napping. I missed her...even though I had a WONDERFUL weekend. I hope I get to go back SOON! I love my big sister SO much already and I know I'm goign to miss her like crazy while we're apart. I just PRAY that its not another 7 months before I get to see her again. Well, I just wrote a book..so I guess I'm gonna go now. TTYL. "Daddys Hands" Holly Dunn I REMEMBER DADDY'S HANDS FOLDED SILENTLY IN PRAYER AND REACHING OUT TO HOLD ME WHEN I HAD I NIGHTMARE YOU COULD READ QUITE A STORY IN THE CALLOUSES AND LINES YEARS OF WORK AND WORRY HAD LEFT THEIR MARK BEHIND I REMEMBER DADDY'S HANDS HOW THEY HELD MY MAMA TIGHT AND PATTED MY BACK FOR SOMETHING DONE RIGHT THERE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE FORGOTTEN THAT I LOVED ABOUT THE MAN BUT I'LL ALWAYS REMEMBER THE LOVE IN DADDY'S HANDS DADDY'S HANDS WERE SOFT AND KIND WHEN I WAS CRYING DADDY'S HANDS WERE HARD AS STEEL WHEN I'D DONE WRONG DADDY'S HANDS WEREN'T ALWAYS GENTLE BUT I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THERE WAS ALWAYS LOVE IN DADDY'S HANDS I REMEMBER DADDY'S HANDS WORKING TILL THEY BLED SACRIFICED UNSELFISHLY JUST TO KEEP US ALL FED IF I COULD DO THINGS OVER, I'D LIVE MY LIFE AGAIN AND NEVER TAKE FOR GRANTED THE LOVE IN DADDY'S HANDS DADDY'S HANDS WERE SOFT AND KIND WHEN I WAS CRYING DADDY'S HANDS WERE HARD AS STEEL WHEN I'D DONE WRONG DADDY'S HANDS WEREN'T ALWAYS GENTLE BUT I'VE COME TO UNDERSTAND THERE WAS ALWAYS LOVE IN DADDY'S HANDS