Reflections on Asheville

Last weekend, Kyle and I had the great privilege of traveling to Asheville, North Carolina for a couple of nights. There, we were able to put aside reality for 48 hours and spent our time battling six inches of snow, exploring this eclectic mecca known as downtown Asheville, and reliving the enchanted history of the Biltmore estate.

First of all, the hotel was wonderful. Artsy, modern, and unique, it fit right in to the backdrop of downtown Asheville.

 Asheville was blanketed with about 6 inches of quality snow...a fitting addition to our getaway to the mountains. This beautiful scenery is only an extremely small portion of Biltmore's 265,000 acre estate.

Oh, and we ate a lot of really wonderful food, too.

When it was all said and done, we could have happily stayed in the mountains for several more days. But, as is always the case, life can't stay on hold forever, and there was a very sweet puppy anxiously awaiting our return Sunday evening. To those who have thought of visiting the Biltmore, I highly encourage it. Words cannot describe its expanse, and pictures wouldn't do it justice (which is probably for the better, because my camera battery died before we made it to the house).

And, should you find yourself in the hills of Asheville, we recommend a few tasty eats, including The Corner Kitchen, The Chocolate Fetish, and Tupelo Honey Cafe.

                                               Cheers.

Remembrances

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about my freshman year of college. To say that life was different then would be a severe understatement. Girls, remember this picture from Old Venice? I believe it was taken the night before our very first Ole Miss home game in 2007. As I look back through pictures from this epic journey through college, I am finding that there are many pieces of freshman life that I can never recover and deeply miss.

For example:

1. The Fab Four pictures


2. Suffering through rush with Emily Gasson


3. Playing intramural soccer with the greatest coach in the world


4. Creating adventures to Sardis...and starting illegal campfires on the beach


5. Sharing with others the wonders of Graceland Too


6. My very first Derby Day sunburn with Sarah and Claire


7. Seeing an old camp friend in an Ole Miss uniform


8. Leaving my heart in China with beautiful friends and a beautiful mission


8. Meeting my future husband for the very first time at Survival Weekend


Yep, there are a lot of memories that can never be recreated. But, on some level, that's the very beauty of them. The fact that they are irreplaceable guarantees that they might also become unforgetable. My life now is very beautiful and very blessed, and I wouldn't change it for the world. Nevertheless, I think it humbling and profitable to look back over the most wonderful moments in our lives. If we forget them, no matter how simple they may seem, we are doomed to forget how far we've come and from what path we have arrived at today.

So, here's to you, beautiful friends. May we never forget eachother, and may this new year bring with it precious memories, invaluable lessons, and overflowing grace.

Claire