So it's been a week since my last posting. This previous week was quite busy!
I smoked 4 dozen chicken quarters on my Stump's Elite 6 for a lunch at work. Our section chief purchased the meat and on Tuesday night he and I prepped all the chicken in my kitchen before I smoked it all at one time in the smoker on Wednesday morning. I underestimated the warm-up time for the Stump's but everything finished in time for me to make it to work before lunch. Everyone raved over the chicken and that always makes me feel so good.
Thursday I took Penny to the kennel where she is staying until next Monday the 27th. It's been exceptionally nice to not have to worry about her for the past few days. I know at some point I'll start missing her, but just not yet!
This brings me to the main reason for this previous week being so busy, but still exciting.
Joel graduated from Belmont University on Friday evening. The whole regular members of the family were in attendance except for my grandparents from Jackson but we took plenty of pictures and my aunt even got a nice video of him walking across the stage and accepting his diploma. YES, he did actually receive the diploma with his name and everything. Their school is one of the few that actually do this now. They mailed us ours at State! It's amazing to me how well Joel has done in college. Belmont was the perfect fit for him and the fact that he graduated with over a 3.0 GPA, and final semester GPA of 4.0, really just made us all so proud of him. Now it's on to the real-world!
A student graduating that night who was a native of Kenya gave a very inspirational speech. It was amazing to know he had come so far with his English and that Belmont helped give him a future he would not have had otherwise. Best of all he gave the glory to The Lord for all that had taken place.
Nashville has been so much fun even though it's so cold up here! -and it's not done showing me a good time either!
Saturday night Joel and I attended a Nashville Predators' hockey game and boy did we have great seats. Joel has a friend with connections and/or lots of money that gave us the seats and we enjoyed sitting so close to the glass. We'd both never been that close to the ice. I knew the game was going to be interesting when the L.A. Kings scored a goal against the home team within the first 15 seconds of the game! We were all shocked!
Today Joel and I went to the Tennessee Titan's home football game against the Texans. We had awesome seats again thanks to Rob who was so kind to let us tag along with him to the game in his season seats. As many would have guessed with the weather being so cold as it is, I DID have on lots of layers! Joel thought I was way overdressed and even talked me out of a heavier coat for my outer layer. Turns out I was perfectly comfortable in all my layers because we were in the shade on the home sideline the entire game. During the game I even held the defensive coordinator's wife's "D" poster that stands for Defense! It was lots of fun.
Tomorrow afternoon I plan to travel to Jackson, TN to visit my mother's side of the family for a few days. I will then ride with them back to Nashville on Wednesday because they are allowing me to use their extra ticket to the Garth Brooks' concert that night!!! See, the fun isn't over!
For Christmas Eve night mom, dad, Joel and I will be here in Joel's apartment before traveling to Jackson, TN to be with them for a family-wide get together for Christmas. It will be very great to be with everyone for the first time in two years for me. I wasn't able to attend last year's Christmas festivities including the Bobby Upton Poker Game but I look forward to being with everyone.
This has been an abnormal update but I just had to put in to writing what this week has meant to me and what is upcoming.
I hope everyone is able to have a safe and enjoyable Christmas week before the celebration of our Christ's birth! Truly stop to experience the wonder that is the reason for the season.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
