Road Trip Day 2

Day 2- We drove south towards the Smokies. We were going to see if we could catch the Smoky Mountain Train for a ride. Alas, we got to Bryson City, just in time to wave goodbye to it as it pulled away. :( Oh well, it was a fun drive there and beautiful mountains along the way, and we had lots of laughs and fun anyway. We drove around the town of Bryson City before heading back towards Cherokee and the Smokies National Park.

Found this along the path at an overlook area in the National Park. So pretty!

Such a beautiful creek right by the road we were driving on. I could have just sat there and watched it all day it was so peaceful. Just what I needed!

Welcome to the Cherokee Indian Reservation- this has been a lifelong dream of mine to come here. I could hardly believe I was there!!!! I don't know if it could ever be done, but I would love to be able to trace my genealogy far enough back to find my ancestors here. Doubtful, but still it was so neat to see this place.

These were members of the Dear Clan dancing today for visitors.

Here is Barbara's new bear, Mr. Smokey Bear. Yeah, like she needed yet another animal to take on our little trip. :) Here he was "helping" me drive through Cherokee.

Ever heard of Sequoyah? He was a Cherokee who created the written language for his people. I've read about him a couple times, a long time ago.

Throughout Cherokee, you will find bears decorated by local Cherokee artists. This bear was designed to represent Sequoyah; it is like a famous painting of him I have seen. Kind of neat!

Another bear

Just some flowers I saw outside a market in Cherokee that I liked.

Town Hall (I think???) in Bryson City, a neat little mountain town

Beautiful views as we climbed up the backroads in the mountains outside Maggie Valley, NC

More beautiful views- this time from Great Smokies National Park- so beautiful

This afternoon we took advantage of the tax-free weekend, and we went shopping and bought some school clothes for Barbara & Matthew. We came back to the hotel with Pizza Hut (we miss that!!!) and went swimming. I think Barbara is asleep now. She has crashed with her head on my knee while I've been uploading photos. :)

Thank You God for allowing us to take this trip, and for keeping us safe as we journeyed away from home without Rob and the boys. Though I've missed them a lot, I know this was the right thing for her and I to do. I needed to see Your beauty and creation and You. I needed to spend some time away from the city. I needed to have fun with my daughter, and meet her need for "Mommy time" which she has been asking for several times over the past week or two. This was what she needed, maybe more than I realized. And as we drove around, I realized that this time next year, she could be leaving me for college, so this was time to cherish with her. Thank You God for showing me that as well. Thank You for creating such a beautiful world and all that You made, for Your amazing and awesome power that can make all that we saw today. Thank You for everything.

Good night God.

Signing off from Asheville, Cherokee, the Smoky Mountains
Rebekah & Barbara :)