Great Smoky Mountain National Park

 Didn't go there. :(

 "After changes upon changes, we are more or less the same"...30 years later. :)

 Look! A dead bug!

Family Home Evening with the Tennessee DeBrys

We left Pigeon Forge with plenty of time to spare before we were scheduled to meet our friend, Christian and his kids in Asheville for lunch.  I thought three hours was enough time to make a one-hour drive, but it wasn't.  The national park was magnificent, and there were huge swaths that we didn't even get to see.  I think you would need a few days here to see it all.  One part we missed was Cade's Cove, which has remnants of a town where people refused to move away when the government co-opted the land for the national park.  We did see miles of splendid vistas, with range after range of mountains, fading into shades of purple and blue.  It's apparent why they're called the Smoky Mountains, with the humidity making it look somewhat foggy.

Once we got through the park, we went right into the Cherokee reservation.  It about killed us not to stop at all the roadside stands, but we didn't want to keep Chris waiting, as he had driven 2 and a half hours to see us.  Once we were out of the reservation, we began to see the poverty and decay that has long plagued this part of the country.  I can see how it would be easy in such an aggressively verdant place, where you're surrounded by trees, to feel isolated, and to imagine that there is nothing important beyond the next hill.  I think you could lose perspective here, and maybe generations do.  Nevertheless, it is beautiful country.

When we arrived in Asheville, Christian and his daughter Lauren were waiting for us at a kitschy restaurant called the Mellow Mushroom.  (Jacob was at scout camp.) They had ordered us a pizza, so we were spoiled by having our food brought as soon as we arrived.  Christian is a friend of ours who Scott and I have known since 7th grade.  I was the "best man" at his wedding.  He has been a die-hard friend for over 30 years.  He is the kind of guy that would take the day off and drive 2.5 hours to meet a friend for lunch.  If you think about the past 30 years, it's easy to see why we had a lot to reminisce about as we strolled around town with all the kids.  Asheville is a large-scale hippy artist retreat.  Everywhere, there are divey little shops and restaurants.  Christian gave me a bumper sticker that said, "Asheville...where normal is weird."  Yep.  I got lots and lots of compliments on my hair color, even though it was hardly out of the ordinary in Asheville.  With dreadlocks, I would have fit in better, though.

From Asheville, it was a short, sweet drive to David and Marilyn's house in Kingsport, Tennessee.  They were all waiting for us when we arrived, all 8 kids except for Eliza, whom we spoke to on her way up the street to band practice.  They had dinner ready for us, and the kids took off right away, playing as though they were old friends, and not just cousins who see each other every couple of years.  The DeBrys have a beautiful home on a lovely street with an expansive back yard.  We love being here!  It is so good to see David and Marilyn.  As I did laundry and added pictures to my blog, we talked and had a Family Home Evening lesson.  The kids were out by 9:30.  Another successful day of Preposterous Plan 2013!