Reflections on Summer Vacation '08

The Brooks family had a wonderful time on vacation. It was great to unwind from what has been a very hectic transitional time of moving into a new work environment and all that entails. As great as it was to steal away and just focus on my family, it was also exciting for me to make it from the coast, through the piedmont and catch that first glimpse of Saluda Mountain, the first major mountain coming up I-26. It was nice to get back into the mountains of East Tennessee tonight and back to the life to which God has led me. If you did not know this, allow me let you in on something--- I have a great life! I praise my Lord everyday for a wonderful family, great friends, great coworkers, a great church family and all the unbelievable opportunities God has given me.

But I digress.

No need to rehash my vacation since the details are here for you. What I will do is hit the highlights of the trip for me in no particular order:

• My New Garmin 360 GPS- I saved some nickels, did a little research, and purchased my Garmin (we call her Marjorie) off of eBay a few weeks back. It worked like a charm. It really helped on all the excursions to parts unknown. If you travel and you can find a good deal on one, go ahead and bite the bullet. It's worth every penny.
• Downtown Greenville, SC- A great surprise. Falls Park is spectacular. We will go back there when we visit James The Intern and Kami @ the University of North Greenville.
• The Sea Shack- By Hilton Head Island standards, it is a hole-in-the-wall restaurant. Just my kind of place. Best value on the island. Unbelievable food at half the price of the muckety-muck places on the island. If you are at HHI, GO!
• Fannie's On The Beach- Despite the fact that we shared the night with "Heather and her Two Mommies," it really was a great setting and really good food. The experience led to a renewed appreciation for God's plan for the family and will, no doubt, lead to some near future blog fodder.
  
• Kenny B's- A close second to the Shack for me simply because when in HHI, seafood is king. However, if you like Cajun food too, which I do, you cannot pass up Kenny B's. It is also a nondescript, strip mall restaurant with a ton of character and great food. They have all of the Cajun musts: crawfish, jambalaya, etouffee, po' boys-- even boudin sausage and fried beignets. Every bit of it is really good.
• Parris Island- "Marine Corps. Hooah!" Enough said.
• Ellie- As I said, this was in no particular order. Next week my little girl starts kindergarten and life kicks into 5th gear. Before long, she will be coming through my youth group and then off to college. This was the last preschool vacation. Seeing her splash around in the surf and in the pool, sleeping in the backseat, and listening to her sing to the top of her lungs while wearing headphones, oblivious to how loud she was singing--- these are things that render everything else on this list irrelevant.

Sunday starts early this week and it is time to hit the hay. It is nice to be home. Wow. I am getting old.