2021 -- how will we remember it?  The Second Year of Covid?  While Covid has certainly changed us and our world.  For some of us, it has stolen loved ones, family vacations, weddings and funerals, and more, my prayer is that we will find a different way to remember 2021. It was a year of survival, yes, but it was also a year of growth and change.  It was a year of masks, but also a year of seeing clearly what was truly important.  I pray that you can look back at 2021 and see something positive amidst the chaos.  For me, it was a year of family and travel and making memories -- a year of finding a new normal after losing Mama in late December of 2020. Interestingly, my word for 2021 was balance.   We took some chances with our travel this year, and I know there are some of you who think us foolhardy with Covid afoot.  My daddy is 79 years old, and just experienced what was probably the biggest loss of his life.  It was an honor and a joy to be able to take him on some excursions this year.  This year really was about balance. Life is short.  I've lived much of my life in fear of what people thought, fear of failure, fear of not being "enough".  I refuse to let fear rob me of spending these amazing times with my family.  So, we did 3 big family trips this year:  to Memphis, TN and back -- an Elvis Presley/music vacay. You can read about it in great detail here: https://www.tonnyefletcher.com/snippets-bits-of-life-blog/will-the-circle-be-unbroken  In the Fall, we went to visit a farm in South Georgia for a weekend, and made some new friends and got some great ideas for some creative endeavors our family is considering.  Christmas of 2021 found us in Asheville at Biltmore Estate and The Grove Park Inn (to view the National Gingerbread House competition winners).  Three amazing trips!   They weren't perfect trips. The first trip Daddy had quite a few minor mishaps that could have been major.  The second trip got totally rained out from our original plan, but that ended up being even better in so many ways.  The Christmas trip, I got sick and felt terrible for a large part of it.  Yet and still, there are GREAT memories, and I am so thankful to have them! If we look for and honor only perfection, we'll live a sad and lonely life. 

2021 ended with me feeling pretty rough -- bronchitis and a sinus infection plagued me over the entire Christmas break.  After getting back to school, Covid hit our house -- Hubby first, then me.  It was not fun.  It's still not fun.  I'm needing another day or two to recuperate before I tackle 500 kids. :-O But, I'm fever-free, feeling more human, thinking more clearly, breathing better.  Yes, I still occasionally sound like I'm coughing up a lung, feel like a bowling ball is square in the middle of my chest, etc. but I'm improving every day.  It could have been so much worse, so I am grateful.

​I'm approaching 2022 with a growth mindset -- looking for progress, not perfection.  I understand that there will be good days and bad days.  I know that failure is part of the learning process.  I'm trying to learn not to live in fear of not being ________ enough. I'm trying to learn not to compare myself to others, but only to compare where I am today with where I was before today. I want to be the person that embraces those new mercies every day and starts fresh to see where today will take me.  I want to live each day with gusto and enthusiasm.  I want to be willing to try new things, to learn new things. 
Indeed, this is my prayer for all of us in 2022.  Whether you are my friend or my co-worker, a part of the kidlit community, or a part of my Jesus family -- my prayer is that we can all focus on a growth mindset, be willing to learn and stretch and grow, that we would face each day as a gift -- an opportunity. I know if we can do that, 2022 will be a great year -- not perfect, but still GREAT!

Illustrator friends, this one is for you!  PBJamz needs a logo/illustration.  And art is NOT one of my talents.  I'd like to share some love with the #kidlitart community.  So I'm having a CONTEST!! I have a $50 Amazon gift card coming to the winner!  You can use it to buy amazing #kidlit books, art supplies, or anything your heart desires that is on Amazon for $50 or less! :-) The deadline is January 16.  Read on for more details!

Deadline: January 16 (Sunday) by 11:59PM EST
The contest is open to any illustrator, but I'd LOVE to give the honor to an un-agented illustrator.
The image needs to be high-def, digital, and scalable. (This is where my art ignorance shows. I want to be able to use it as a logo, possibly a background for the video portion of the show, in promo materials, social media posts, etc.) jpg format
I get rights to use the image in any way needed for #PBJamz 
I will give kudos, high fives, lots of credit and shout-outs on the show, blogs, and social media :-D.
Illustrator can use image for portfolio or in any other way that is not in conflict with #PBJamz.
Logo must contain:

•  Words "PBJamz"
• An image of a PB (picture book)
• Some musical elements
• Bonus points if you integrate PBJ (peanut butter and jelly) in an appropriate, meaningful way!

Other pertinent details:
I'm going for a fun, joyful, colorful vibe.
​You can read more about the intention in my prior blog post "PBJamz"
The audience for this video/social media series is::

• K-5 teachers
• Elementary music teachers
• Authors/Illustrators of kidlit
• Musicians
• Parents
• K-5 students

To enter, send your good quality jpg to my email (tonnyefletcher at gmail.com) with the subject line: PBJamz logo contest NO LATER than Jan. 16 at midnight EST.  I will narrow the entries down to my favorites, and then I will post those for a vote.  The one with the highest number of votes will be the jamming' winner of this #PBJamz logo contest!!!!  And I will send the winner a $50 Amazon gift card. And I will announce the winner here on my blog on Jan 22! Let the illustrating begin NOW!!!!!  I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Some things just go together -- Lucy and Ricky, salt and pepper, macaroni and cheese, and the ubiquitous PBJ -- peanut butter and jelly. It's always been one of my favorite combos. I'm still a sucker for a delectable PBJ sandwich -- made with just the right ratio of each on soft white bread.  It takes me back to my childhood in a blink. I've always thought music and learning were 2 more things that go together like peanut butter and jelly.  When I was in the regular classroom, I used music to teach every single subject at some point.  I have 2 professional development presentations where I pair music and learning to help teachers make learning fun.  Seven years ago when I began teaching K-2 Music, I started looking out for books that incorporate music to share in the classroom.  As I've traveled this picture book journey over the past few years and learned more and more about PBs and the business, I've been overwhelmed by the connections that can be made between music, teaching and picture books.  Those thoughts led to a brainstorm which is quickly leading to . . . PBJamz!

My yearly word for 2022 is CONNECTION, and that's the purpose of this new PBJamz.   My hope is to connect teachers, readers, musicians, and authors in new ways surrounding picture books (PB) and music (Jamz).  I'll be interviewing industry professionals in those intersections where reading, writing, teaching, and music meet.  Musicians who create content relative to picture books.  PB authors who incorporate music in their books.  Teachers who integrate books and music. Performances of new kidlit music.  Kid-friendly content. Teacher tips. Read-alouds and reviews of musical picture books. Currently, I'm working with Annie Lynn on a little theme song for the show, and I have an opportunity coming for artists for a logo contest (Stay tuned -- that info should drop by next weekend!) PBJamz will share in various ways how picture books and music connect through YouTube videos, Twitter, Instagram, FB posts, and this blog. 

This show and additional content is the perfect way to bring together so many things that I love.  It's a way to give back to the writing community and the teaching community and the reading community and the children's community.   We'll start rocking it out on February 24, which is my birthday!! ​ Stay tuned, and get ready to jam with PBJamz.

Birthdays and Twitter contests both abound right now!  Happy birthday to Gennie and Amy who are having this fun writing contest!  And Happy birthday to my baby sister -- who is now 41 years old.  She is friend and sister and shopping buddy and more.  In my teenage years and into my adulthood, we always celebrated my birthday and my brother's (both in February) with a family oyster roast.  Sometimes we went out, but we usually brought a bushel home from a local seafood market and scrubbed and steamed and slurped.  Eating steamed oysters is not for the faint of heart, but they are one of my faves!  Somewhere along the way, my brother revealed that he actually was not a big fan of oysters, so our tradition ceased.  His revelation inspired this short birthday story that I'm entering into the BIRTHDAY BIRTHDAY contest in honor of Amy and Gennie.  You can find out more about it here: https://motherhoodblockparty.net/birthday-birthday-party-time/. My story, SLIPPERY BIRTHDAY WISHES is below.

“No oysters for my birthday!”
Della declared.

“They’re slippery.
Slimy.
Gross!
I want pizza for my birthday!”

“But we always have oysters!”

“Not this year. 
I want pizza -- with pineapple.”

“But Grandpa loves oysters!”

“Not Grandpa’s birthday.”

“But oysters are yummy and good for you.”

“Pizza is yummier and gooder.”

Della crossed her arms,
with her grumpiest face.

What a conundrum!

Della conjured a big tear in her eye,
with her saddest face.

Mama looked at her.

Della put her hands together and said, “PLEASE?!. . .”

So Mama brought out. . .
 Pizza!
for the birthday girl. . . 
Topped with pineapple -- 

and oysters!

​

I've never thought much about the meaning of "retreat".   Perhaps it conjures images of armies for you -- or maybe church youth retreats (which may have FELT like armies to the youth leaders).  Perhaps it inspires pictures of soaking in a bubbly tub or camping in the middle of nowhere.  The word retreat means "to withdraw, retire, or draw back, especially for shelter or seclusion" and that has never been a more apt definition than this week at the Sassy Goose retreat center at Cedar Mountain, NC.  Susan VendeWeghe and her family have created such a lovely spot for "retreating" -- whether you are retreating from work, stress, family or retreating in order to work, recover from stress, or spend time with family, you'll find The Sassy Goose the perfect respite.  This has been a beautiful week, full of new friends, new ideas, new insights, new resources, even a new recipe or two. :-). We've laughed, shared heart-wrenching stories, deep thoughts, big dreams and our passions.  We've critiqued and encouraged and motivated each other in myriad ways.

I came Wednesday night with a vague sense of who one of these ladies was from our Twitter interactions.  I'm leaving tomorrow (sadly) with 5 new friends who I know will be a constant source of knowledge, help, and encouragement moving forward.  They have opened their little critique group up to me, a stranger, so beautifully, if temporarily.  I worked as sous chef for evening meals, which gave me some one-one time with 3 of these ladies.   We've shared stories of our lives, dreams and struggles over chopping veggies, shredding cheese, and searching out a new kitchen for just the right utensils.  We've eaten well, and like any good writers' retreat, we've had wine and chocolate (and lots of healthy stuff too!)  Susan was kind enough to make a variety of muffins (all of which were amazingly delicious!), in addition to providing yogurt and fruit and granola.  Nancy and I made lasagna, salad and garlic bread Thursday night.  Kelly and I made enchilada stacks last night (and improvised some gingers'mores, which seemed to be well-received).  Tonight, Carolyn and I will warm some chili, bake some cornbread and put together a salad.  We've eaten well and been sustained for all the creative work we've done.

Each morning we've chatted over breakfast and shared resources, spurred each other on to expand our social media presence through Twitter, Instagram, and even a YouTube channel.  We've asked questions, and answered them, shared funny stories, ideas for books, marketing ideas, and so much more!  Susan, an amazing puppeteer, took us to her workshop where we got to meet members of her marionette family -- the puppets that she has designed, created and performed with. for years.  I even got to see some video footage of her performances and got to watch her light up like a Christmas tree as she shared her love of puppetry. We shared stories of our day jobs and hopes for our writing jobs.  The ladies are all as different as can be, brought together by a love of story and wanting to share that love of story with others.  Some of us are already-published or almost-published. Some of us have been at it for a while and still awaiting our "big break". Some of us are just beginning and figuring things out.  No one held back.  Everyone participated for the good of all -- whether it was unloading the dishwasher or critiquing a manuscript or sharing resources.  

I'm going home with 9 new books by Miriam Jones Bradley, author of The Double Cousins series, and other great books.  You can find more about her here: http://www.miriamjonesbradley.com You can order her books there for your children -- or one of her adult books for yourself!

Kelly Greene, aka Sunshine Story Time, is a story teller, story writer, VoiceOver artist, and so much more!  She was our techie geek for the weekend, and she was our favorite read aloud artist for our stories for critiques.  If you'd like to share some great stories with your littles, check out her YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCsH0cTmTRGFhgWtxnaQR0Jg and keep your eyes open for more great content from her!

Carolyn B. Frasier has a brand new book coming out with more to come soon.  You can stay abreast of her upcoming publication, pre-orders and more right here: https://carolynbfraiser.com

Nancy is a retired veterinarian with a passion for animals and lots of expertise and heart!  You can find out more about her projects here: ​http://www.speakingforspot.com/index.php

Susan's website is here and you can find out more about her outside of her work at The Sassy Goose. 

The Sassy Goose is sidled up in the NC mountains, and Fall held onto its color and was glorious in its display.  Thursday poured rain all day, but after that the weather has been chilly, but absolutely beautiful.  It is a gorgeous setting for a retreat, a family reunion, or any other group outing.  They have 7 lovely guest rooms in various layouts -- the lodge, the cottage, or 2 cabins.  If you'd like to get away, you should totally contact them.  The pillows are comfy, they have sweet touches of home everywhere you look, a beautiful lake, breathtaking views, great hiking, and the oversized bath sheets in the bathrooms will wrap you in fluffy comfort as you come out of the bath or shower.   There are games under a pavilion, swimming and fishing available and so much more. (although a little chilly for the swimming right now. . . .)

If you're a writer, and interested in retreating for writing, contact Susan for opportunities in March, April and September.  If you have a creative group that would like to retreat together, contact her as well and schedule your own time to get away and get with it!

​https://www.sassygoose.com

I highly recommend The Sassy Goose if you're seeking a retreat -- from life or for life.  Tell Susan Tonnye sent you.  It won't get you a discount, but it will give me an opportunity to pay it forward :-) and say thanks for this amazing weekend.

While the hardest part will be saying goodbye to these amazing authors and wonderful women tomorrow, I am incredibly blessed to have shared in this weekend of writing, inspiration, friendship and retreat!

KidLit is all about stories for eensie, weensie kids -- and PBs about eensie weensie stories -- and micro fiction about eensier weenier stories and Twitter contests often have the eensiest weensiest stories of all!  Such is the case with Susannah Hill's Halloweensie contest -- a Halloween story for kids 12 and under in less than 100 words!  AND it has to contain special words!  This year's words:  goodies, glow-in-the-dark,  and goosebumps!  All those g's inspired me to write an alliterative story.  I hope you enjoy my eensie weensie story and have a Happy Halloweensie!

Green and gold glimmers grow
from glow-in-the-dark gourds.
Guests with goosebumps gather --
Gaggles of giggly girls and gangly guys,
Gussied up in grisly or glittery garb.

Glamorous ghosts and garish ghouls 
glide among games,
Vying for gallons of goodies.

Then. . . 
Glimmering lights go out!!
The sudden dark hides thievery.
When the glow resumes, 
Goodies have disappeared!

“Whodunnit?” 

Gumshoes on the job!
A clue:
Grunts and groans grow, 
from Angel Gabriel and Gladys Gladiator, 
from gobbling
goodies galore!

Looking green,
grasping their bellies, 
Gabriel and Gladys go.

Later. . . 
Goodies eaten,
Games won.
Glimmers ungleam.
Gourds unlit.
Guests ungather
Until next Halloween.

​

I used to write alone. I think most of us writers start out that way.  Many writers are introverts to begin with.  The ideas are ours, and we are taught by well-meaning friends and family to guard our ideas like pirates' treasure!  We work hard at our craft and we perhaps worry that people will "steal them".  Or perhaps sometimes we don't feel our words and ideas are "worthy to share" with anyone.  We plant our Adirondack on a lonely island with a laptop and we pour out our hearts and souls on the computer (or notebook or . . .)

At some point, we join a "writers' community" -- maybe SCBWI (which I highly recommend if you're not part of that group) or we buy a writers' guide or something to try to move our writing from one level to another, and we begin hearing about critique groups and critique partners. 

So why critiques?

1.  Fresh eyes
We know what we mean to say and we think we're saying it well, but sometimes fresh eyes that don't know what we are trying to say are invaluable in helping us determine which pieces we're not communicating effectively.

2. Alternate perspective
Someone who is living a different experience than us can help us identify pieces that might be perceived negatively by someone different from us, and give us alternate ways to communicate in a non-threatening or non-offensive way.

3.  Sharing resources
Oftentimes, my CPs and CGs will notice something I'm struggling with or I'll say, "I need to learn how to do ??? better", and they'll share webinars, books, articles, etc. that they've seen that might be helpful. Or, they'll shoot a heads-up, "I signed up for this webinar.  You might like it too!"

4. Alternate wording/extra layers/fun elements
Sometimes we're so focused on getting a story written that we forget to add in those extra hooks/windows/layers -- figurative language, alliteration, onomatopoeia, refrains, etc.  Critique buddies can alert us to the potential for adding in those fun elements or extra layers to take our stories up a notch (or 5 :-)

5. Comps!
Two readers are better than one, and five are better than two. One of the big questions in my critique groups is, "What comps can you think of?" Or, just today, I saw a book highlighted on Twitter that reminded me of a manuscript written by a dear critique buddy and I sent her the link, and said, "Check this out.  It might be a good comp for _____".  There are so many great picture books out there, and no matter how vigilant you are with your reading, there's no way you can read them all.  Put your heads together to craft the best set of comps for your stories.

6. Encouragement!!!!!
Boy, don't we need a LOT of that in this business?  It's grueling and often thankless, and full of rejection!  We need some people in our corner that will say, "You're a wonderful writer and this is a wonderful story, and you'll get it there.  Just keep going."  or maybe to say, "You're beating this story to death.  Give it a rest and come back to it later." or maybe to say, "This one's not ready, but I'll help you get it ready." or maybe to zoom in and drink a glass of wine or a cup of hot chocolate with you when you get those really heart-wrenching rejections.

7.  Shared experience!
Because this business is so challenging and so unique, it helps to have someone else experiencing it alongside you -- to have someone who understands the idiosyncrasies and the ups and downs.  Knowing you are not alone is absolutely essential to the tenacity and perseverance required to make it in this arena.

​Those are my top 7 reasons why YOU should get yourself a critique, a critique partner, or a critique group!  What reasons would you add?  Put them in the comments for the benefit of others reading!

​There are lots of opportunities to get critiques!  Read on and find out how!
​

If you're on Twitter in any of the #amwriting communities, no doubt you've heard plethoras about critiques/CPs/CGs, etc. Sometimes it's hard to get started with these in the beginning, so here are some ways to get critiques and begin the search for a critique group if you're "in the market".

1.  PBCritiquefest!  @BrianGehrlein (Twitter)  
hosts an annual critique event where you sign up via a Rafflecopter and have the opportunity to win critiques from authors/agents/other writing professionals. The link to sign up and learn more is here:     https://www.pbspotlight.com/pbcritiquefest2021?utm_campaign=21be0d2f-ecd1-4873-82ed-6e4523431b31&utm_source=so&utm_medium=mail&cid=8a472a4b-6af1-4aaa-b55a-d52064448724
The more you participate, the better your chances of winning critiques!

2.  Twitter contests!
There are almost always writing contests abounding on Twitter.  Usually the prizes are brand new picture books or book swag or critiques for manuscripts or query letters. Currently, folks are prepping for Susannah Hill's Halloweensie.  Check out the deets here: 
https://susannahill.com/?s=halloweensie+2021

3. Mindy Alyse Weiss runs a monthly critique train where you write a rough draft and get a critique from another author in the trenches.  These are great ways to meet new people and possibly find folks that resonate with you for future critiques.  The details are on her website here: 
https://mindyalyseweiss.com/pbparty-new-draft-challenge-critique-train-faq/

4. SCBWI -- If you've joined SCBWI, check out your local/regional chapter.  Oftentimes, they have critique groups listed for your area.  Or they have a person who can point you in the right direction.

5.  Reach out on Twitter or FB writing communities to find other folks who are searching for CPs or CGs and create your own group!

Good luck and many blessings as you strive to become the best author you can be!  Here's to fresh eyes, encouragement, and success!  Cheers! 

Serendipity is one of my favorite words.  It means "happy fortune", or "finding something wonderful unexpectedly" or, according to the dictionary "the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way." I love moments of serendipity.  The word has taken on new significance as our family is seeking to honor Mama's memory in a productive and meaningful way.

Mama loved a bargain.  She loved finding something unusual, really cool, or something that perfectly matched something else.  She loved the thrill of the hunt, and she loved any serendipitous find.  Before her health made it impossible, she could be found many Saturday mornings scouring the newspaper and the countryside for yard sales, garage sales, estate sales, etc.  On the odd occasion when she traveled away from home, her eagle eyes were keen to spot thrift stores or similar establishments.

Consequently, Daddy's house is full of her serendipitous finds.  Their sunroom was bursting at the beams with China, glassware, paintings, doo-dads, clocks, mugs, rugs, and anything else you can think of.  She often gifted us with her treasures, although we still keep coming upon things that strike our fancy and hauling them to our respective homes.  Mama's plan was to sell the items on Ebay for extra money, or perhaps rent a booth at a local antique mall or to sell pieces to replacements.com, etc.  Her intentions were good.  She spent lots of hours at the computer determining pattern names, values, etc.  But before she could fully realize her dream, her health was too tenuous to put in the effort.

In order to help reclaim the sunroom,, my sister, my husband and I have been boxing things and putting the boxes on shelving on their carport for "dealing with later".  We still had a ways to go, and Shane (my husband) decided maybe it was time we made her dream a reality.  So we started looking at some local antique malls with thoughts and dreams of maybe sometime soon.  

But then, Shane sent Nancy a message At Fancy Nancy's Place in Little River, SC.  It's about an hour's drive from us (but very close to the beach.).  She serendipitously had a spot opening up and put us right in.  Well, it was good and unexpected, but boy, has it been a lot of work in a short amount of time! We were really hoping to get it up and running before we start back to school (this Monday :-O) So we have spent every spare moment (and some not-so-spare), going through the sunroom and boxes, and picking up additional things at thrift stores, and planning and cleaning and laundering and prepping and. . . . so much more.  The bottom line is this:  We are operational!  Our family spent a long day together yesterday setting up the booth, pricing and inventorying.  When the shop closed at 5:00, we went out for dinner to celebrate a job well done and a new venture.  Then we went to play miniature golf.  We were tired, but happy, with lots of new memories made and the future shining before us with lots of hope and lots of old memories of Mama and her shopping excursions cheering us on!

Thus, SERENDIPITY was born this week!

The name and the tagline were brought out in living color yesterday as we set up the booth.  Shane had worked super hard to build walls to make the most of our tiny space at Nancy's.  We were starting to stock stuff in the booth. Shane was on the ladder getting ready to hang up a shelf we had picked up at Goodwill for displaying some things in the booth.  A man came by while the shelf was in Shane's hands, getting ready to go on the wall.  "Is that for sale?"  Yes "How much?" $25.00. "I'll take it. No need to hang it.  It's the perfect thing I was looking for." So, we made our first sale before we even got the booth set up!  Talk about serendipity!  The booth is set up and operational.  It is not as full as we want it, so we're heading back over tomorrow to add more fun things so more people can have serendipity stories.

We have a couple of hashtags we're using.  We love hearing people's serendipity stories, so you can share them on our FB, Twitter, or here as a comment using the hashtag #serendipitystory .  Or, you can share a photo of your #perfectthing using that hashtag as well.  It's the thing about thrifting/picking/antiquing.  Oftentimes you find the perfect thing you didn't even know you were looking for!  If you're local or vacationing anywhere near Little River, SC, do please stop in and see if your #perfectthing is waiting for you to find.  If you'd like to follow us on social media, here are the links:
https://www.facebook.com/serendipitystory15
https://twitter.com/Serendi52269821

If you have friends or family nearby, we'd love for you to share the info so they can find their #perfectthing and share their #serendipitystory.  We are booth 15 at Fancy Nancy's Place 1729 Hwy 17 in Little River, SC -- just inside the SC line.  Come shopping with any of the great vendors there!  So much fun stuff!  Come find a childhood book, a piece to replace a broken plate, saucer, cup, etc., some vintage Tupperware, antique furniture, outdoor items, knick-knacks, doo-dads, and lots more.  If booth 15 doesn't have your #perfectthing, someone else at Fancy Nancy's might!  Serendipity is waiting for you there!

Circles -- they are well-recognized and prized for their equity, unity, perfection, and completeness.  No beginning, no end. No corners, no jagged edges, no surprises.  Our recent vacation made me think about circles in some new ways.  Firstly, the vacation itself was a circle -- not the travel route -- it was more like a slingshot (East to West and back East again -- pretty much along the same latitude), but if you think of the circle and beginning and ending at the same spot -- like a circular plot of a story, that's most vacations -- you start at home, have an amazing adventure and end up back at home -- hopefully safe and sound and changed only by the broadening mind and enlarging heart that vacations often cause.  I'd love to share this circular journey with you. It started here in our hometown where our family loves Elvis Presley like he was a neighbor, friend, or more like a really close cousin. So, we set off on an Elvis vacation. 

It's a mighty long way from our hometown to Memphis, TN to visit Graceland, Elvis' mansion -- 749 miles to be exact -- a 10 and a half hour drive.  So we took a little layover on our drive -- in Dawsonville, GA (hubby's home town).  We spent two nights eating, visiting, relaxing, and hanging out in the pool after the first leg of our journey. Too much sun and a tumble out of the porch swing for my dad (78 years old! :-O) was kind of a rough start to the vacay, but we persisted.  My husband planned pretty much this entire trip, and he did such a good job! When he realized that our route from Dawsonville to Memphis could take us right through Tupelo, MS -- where Elvis was born and spent his first impressionable years through junior high -- he planned a stopover there.  We ate at Johnnie's, one of Elvis' favorite spots as a kid, eating cheeseburgers and chocolate shakes.  We visited Elvis' first family home -- a 2-room shotgun house.  It had a bedroom and a kitchen.  That was it. Vernon Presley borrowed $180 to build it and when he couldn't make his payments later, the house was repossessed. Elvis' childhood church has been moved a few blocks and restored and we enjoyed a 30-minute reproduction of a church service and my niece and nephew even played a little song on the piano in Elvis' home church.  There's a memorial chapel there, a sculpture garden, a fountain, a circular timeline surrounding the childhood home, and a museum (full of artifacts from his early years) and a gift shop.  We watched a little movie dramatizing Elvis' early years and sharing facts about the star before he was a star.  This wasn't originally a planned stop on our journey, but I was so glad Shane added this little stop off, as it really helped us see the circle of Elvis Presley's life.

WeFrom Tupelo, we headed on to Memphis, TN -- Elvis' hometown where Graceland is.

That evening, we took our entourage to Beale St. This was pretty much a bust.  We had my niece and nephew (10 and 12) with us, my dad (78YO) is a teetotaler and teetotally against alcohol period. (What were we even thinking?!?!) Well, in fairness to us, we were thinking live music! Cultural destination! Atmosphere!  Walking in Memphis and other Beale St. references that they would understand because they had walked it and been there. . . .Oh well . . . . We went into BBKing's Blues Club, paid cover charge for all of us to enjoy the live music for the night.  It was already getting late by now.  No one was rowdy or out-of-control, but most everyone was drinking, and Daddy was already uncomfortable.  Then they seated us right at the stage.  The band started soon after and the music was LOUD! We ordered food, but everyone was so uncomfortable that we asked them to give us our food to go. That took at least 3 forevers.  Daddy, my sister and the kids went outside where it wasn't AS LOUD to wait for us.  Eventually we made it back to our AirBnB for a very late supper.  As we're eating, Daddy's bar-height chair broke and dumped his 78-year-old body right into the floor (2nd fall on the trip. . . .SMH). Bless his heart!  His first vacation in 15 years, and he's had a mishap every day so far!  :-(. Thankfully Graceland the next day made up for it -- a little bit at least.

We spent an entire day at Graceland -- and could have spent longer!  So much amazing stuff to see, hear and experience! Shane (vacation planner extraordinaire) had gotten us VIP passes, so we had our own personal tour guide (Paige) to tell us all the stories, explain all the rooms, and grounds and some of the museums. She answered questions and guided us from place to place with expertise and joy.  She gave us our white gloves to even hold the precious keys to Elvis' pink Cadillac! So cool! She guided us through the property, through the cars, through the years, and through the memories. Graceland defies explanation, and needs to be experienced.  If you don't know and love Elvis, it will probably mean absolutely nothing to you, but if, like my family, he feels like part of your family, you really should go experience it for yourself.  Pictures don't do it justice. The cars were probably our favorite part of the Graceland tour, although there is so much to love and appreciate and they keep adding new attractions, new exhibits, new memorabilia.  Shane and I were there 6 years ago, and the whole place has radically changed (not Graceland itself obviously, but all the museums and how everything is arranged and what is available.) If you do go, I highly recommend the VIP pass if you can afford it.  It was well worth the added expense. The planes were another highlight -- so cool to see -- and the last thing we saw on that tour.

That night we visited The Pyramid Bass Pro Shop, hoping to ride the elevator to the top and look out over Memphis at night.  Unfortunately, bad weather was threatening, so the Lookout was closed.  Nonetheless the pyramid is a site to behold.  535,000 square feet of amazing-ness -- from the indoor created cypress swamp to all the mounted deer, elk, moose, etc. to the live animals to the feeding shows to the actual hotel and restaurant inside this facility, bowling alley, archery and shooting range and a little target game for the kids -- which we made good use of.  Everyone played except Daddy, but I took the family trophy for the night for best shot. ;-). It was fun.  We did go back and enjoy the lookout the next morning via the country's tallest free-standing elevator (300 feet, 28 stories).  That was NOT my sister's favorite part -- nor were the alligators hanging out at the bottom of the elevator. LOL. Thankfully, the elevator did its job and no one got bitten by an alligator -- not even Shanda ;-). If you're ever in Memphis, you should totally go to the Pyramid Bass Pro Shop!  Don't miss it!

After Memphis, we headed for Nashville, via Chester Co, TN.  This was the purely selfish part of the trip for us -- and a full-circle moment for sure.  Shane and I met at Freed-Hardeman University and had called Henderson, TN home for several years.  We met here, fell in love here, and I graduated from college here.  We attended church here and had friends and many adventures here.  So, we picnicked at Chickasaw State park, did a driving tour of FHU, drove by where our house stood (which has since been torn down), we drove by White Ave. Church of Christ and Jacks Creek Church of Christ and in the process walked down a plethora of memory lanes!  It was sweet to be able to introduce our family to the hill where we used to stretch out our blanket and study, the lake where we used to walk, and the Commons where we had weekend devotionals.  None of them had ever seen that part of our world that was such a huge part of our world.  Without it, we wouldn't have met. Visiting 32 years and 1 day after our marriage began was such a gift.  Who knew, when we met at Bader Gym as part of the same Interface Group that our lives would have merged and melded and still be going strong 33 years later. Full Circle. . . 

After the stopover in Henderson, TN, we made our way to Nashville.  We had a cute Tudor-style house that my niece declared a "gnome house".  It was well-equipped with Alexa (who was tired and waving goodbye enthusiastically after 2 days of questions from a very inquisitive 10-yr-old, and a very inquisitive 78-yr-old who is determined to have his very own Alexa LOL).  We went to the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday -- it was a whirlwind tour -- we spent 2 hours, but easily could have stayed longer.  So many amazing performers memorialized in those walls, including Alan Jackson, who was my mama's personal favorite.  As he sang Where Were You When the World Stopped Turning, tears flowed freely as I missed her so much in that moment.  She wasn't a traveler and probably never would have gone, but how I would have LOVED to share that moment with her.  

I especially enjoyed seeing the videos of old country and song lyrics originally scribbled on napkins and notebook paper that became the songs of a nation. When we stood in the rotunda at the end, it was beautiful and I teared up (not for the first time that day . . .or the last) Hearing Dolly Parton's voice and seeing all the amazing people who had been honored in that room and all the symbolism and significance of every single piece of the planning was awe-inspiring.  The inscription in the rotunda "Will the circle be unbroken" The rotunda is, as its name suggests -- round -- no beginning, no end, no corners, no edges, everyone equal and equally honored. Another nod to the circle on this vacation.

  

After those two tours, Daddy and I had an appointment.  For his Father's Day gift, we booked an AirBnB experience with a Nashville songwriter, Brett Taylor.  He's toured the country with some amazing artists, written songs that are recorded by Nashville greats, and he hosts songwriting experiences where he shares his process and helps you record a demo of your song.  I went along mostly to document Daddy's experience, although I learned a lot and really enjoyed connecting with Brett.  He invited us into his studio, shared a bit about who he is, what he's done and why he's doing these experiences.  He also gave us a little run-down of how songwriting in Nashville works and a bit about his process and how he goes from idea to full-fledged song.  Then he asked Daddy some questions and Daddy bravely sang one of his original songs that he's been working on -- one that he wanted Brett to help him work on.  The rest of the time together was spent working on this jointly-written song. While I am used to critique and rewrites and revision in my aspiring author/prepublished author role, it was a new experience for Daddy.   Brett took Daddy's partial song, and the story that Daddy shared and wove them into a really powerful song called "Whiskey Ain't No Friend". We are still working out the details and getting vocals back to Brett, but once we get it all put together, I'll share it here or let you know where you can go to listen.  Daddy had to stretch and grow once again, but at 78, he's still learning and growing and willing to try new things.  It was cool watching him. work through this experience, and I was so proud of him for the bravery of sharing his heart -- a topic that is very difficult and heart-breaking for him.  My prayer is that we can find a way to get his song out into the world to change someone's life or to help someone else who's in our shoes not feel so alone.  Stay tuned!

All in all, it was a great vacation.  It was a lot of travel and a lot of new for my dad, who doesn't travel and doesn't experience too much new.  I am thankful he is willing to have some adventures with us, and so thankful he didn't get hurt in his tumbles on the trip.  Shane jokes that we're going to nickname him "Tigger" since he bounces when he falls.  But hopefully, we won't be experiencing that any more. . . (my fingers are crossed AND my prayers are said -- to that end!)

We ended the week back at Shane's mom's.  We ate Mexican together and played a game of Rummikub, enjoying one more evening of hospitality with Sheryl, Kelli, and her children.  Then the last leg of travel back to home, sweet, home!  Vacations are wonderful, but there's a special satisfaction when the circle is complete, the car is in the drive and you are sleeping in your own bed once again.   Until next time, here's to full circle moments, the circle of vacations, and unbroken circles.