Our weekend travels....

Happy Monday Everyone!!

We were so blessed to be invited down to the Show Hope Banquet this weekend! Lori and I left Friday evening around 5:30 pm on the six hour drive to Franklin, TN. The Lord blessed us with safe travels, and I must say that we were pretty giggly and slap happy by the time we arrived! Since we drove down in the dark it was awesome to wake up Saturday morning and take a look around...I have no word to describe the area other than BEAUTIFUL!!

Saturday morning we spent time reading in Proverbs, praying and just enjoying fellowship time together. We made prior arrangements to meet Mary Beth around 11:45 to deliver the lamb bundles. We arrived at the Marriott Hotel there in Franklin to to meet up with her after a meeting she was attending. Everyone was so friendly!! Everyone you met had a smile on their face and a kind word coming from their lips! It was refreshing! We walked in the conference room and were like two little wall flowers... =) The meeting was over and everyone was visiting with each other, so we waited our turn and finally met Mary Beth!

We left the bundles in my vehicle so in true Baby be Blessed tradition it seems...we went out and had our parking lot exchange! This makes me smile because when we delivered the lambs for the compassion trip it was also a parking lot, out of the back of my suburban doll deal! =) I wish we would have gotten a picture that time, but I made sure we grabbed one this time! Here is Lori, Mary Beth and myself with the lamb bundles that will be heading to China...

I praise God and give Him all the glory for this opportunity! May He use these lambs mightily to show His love, compassion and truth to others!

After we made our delivery, we wanted to find The factory where the Show Hope Banquet was being held later that evening. When we arrived there was a farmers market outside...yum! Lori over heard someone say..."Man you could eat your way right through this place!" Lori and I did with some delicious double chocolate chip bread! Did I mention Yum!! We then went to take a peek inside...I was so surprised to find what was in there!!

We are walking up the side entrance looking for the Banquet Hall....

WOW...it was like a little shopping mall inside!

Here is the Antique Mall there...

Many Artists! I took this picture for my Natalie, she loves horses!

We also found some really nice people! This sweet gentleman though was trying to whisper sweet nothings into my ear...By the look of the picture it was working! =) But no worries Keith!!

Lori kept us in line! Here she is telling this gentleman that it is a sin to try to pick up married women!! =) Sorry, we were still giggly!

Lori and myself!

Oh, and Show Hope has their offices here!!

Miss Lori...

They have a second hand store! Lori found some pants that matched her shoes she wore to the Banquet! Love it!!

Here is a little shop in which you can pick out and paint your own piece of pottery and they will fire it for you! My kids would have LOVED that!!

So after running around and having fun all afternoon, we went back and got ready for the Banquet. We arrived PLENTY early, since honestly Lori and I do not know how to read a fancy invitation...seriously. But better early than late! I had a little trouble with my camera due to the lighting, but here are some photo's.

Here we are!

The tables, oh and check out the centerpieces.

Took my breath away!

We sat at table #57.

Real butterflies!

It was so beautiful!

Here is a picture of the International Children's Choir...they were so awesome! I could watch them all day!

Lori and I again...
The whole evening was wonderful! To hear them share what work God is doing through Show Hope is simply amazing! Thank you Lord!!

On a final note....we each found a little treat on our chair! What a blessing to receive Steven's new Beauty Will Rise CD!!!! Around it is tied a little butterfly seed paper which you can plant in dirt and wait for little sprouts to appear!!

But guess what?!

I'm going to give my copy away to one of you!!!
Are you excited?! I am!!
So leave your contact information under this post and on Friday, I will pick the lucky winner!!

Thank you so much for all your prayers this weekend for Show Hope and also for Baby be Blessed! Hope you enjoyed the little snidbit of our weekend travels!!

Have a wonderful and blessed week!!

Tina