A Nice Little Getaway

This past weekend was the annual MUMS fall retreat to Gatlinburg, TN. MUMS is a group of women that I am a part of who are mothers - "Moms Understanding Moms". It is similar to the national program MOPS but it's not a national organization like that - it's just a group that was born and has grown out of Southland Christian Church (our old church home). When I joined before giving birth to Kennedy it was about 50 or so women strong and now it is @ 90 I think. It's AWESOME! I seriously don't think I could have gotten through my first year of parenting without it. It is community, it is support, it is LOVE in action, I just adore it. Anyhow - they plan two annual trips each year. One in the spring and one in the fall. After attending the retreat last year I was determined to go again because it was so much fun. It's just a weekend away from children and the associated responsibilities where you can fellowship, laugh, cry, have quiet time with the Lord, shop, eat without worrying about feeding anyone else and just relax! It's restorative and wonderful.

Our Cabin

 The views from our back balcony.

 I rode up with these three ladies plus a couple who aren't pictured. These three though - they are a riot and I laughed more in the car with them on the way there than I have laughed over the last couple of months combined. Seriously! I love nothing more than a good ole' belly laugh. Thanks girls! Pictured are Annie, Ada and Julie. Love you girls.

 Since Tim and I are on a pretty tight budget, I chose to do the hike rather than shop or go to the spa. I figure if I can run 3-4 times a week, I could hike. Here is the hiking group.

 We did the Rainbow Falls Trail. I survived but it was a challenge to say the least. That 2.7 miles posted on this sign is a straight up 2.7 mile climb. I was a smidge out of breath. Ha!

 The base of the trail was mostly fallen fall leaves. It was soooo pretty.

 The higher we hiked, the snowier it got. So beautiful!

 This was the first little waterfall we came to. Angie and Brittany are in my small group. Clearly I was workin' up a sweat cause I already stripped my fleece by this point.

           This is what we hiked 2.7 miles up to see - a 60 foot waterfall. It was really pretty - though you can't tell by this picture because it was POURING snow - I'm not kidding. It was like we'd entered a different universe. It was crazy. We had NO snow at our cabin yet look at all the snow in these pictures! Crazy!

 Almost the entire group made it to the top!

This was one of the views coming down the trail - gorgeous!

This is just about our entire group before we departed on Sunday. Some girls got back on the road early but this is most everyone.

I got back to the grind at home with a nice reality check - a broken water heater. I had to shower at the clinic yesterday morning before work because baby and I didn't feel like turning into a human popsicle before 8 AM. God is good though - it just so happens that my boss had an extra water heater which HE GAVE US!  We are so very thankful for his generosity as well as my step dad Jim's patience because he walked Tim through removing and installing the old and new water heaters and as of last night we were back in working order.