A Trojan Weekend.....(not what you think...dirty minds you!)

This past weekend, we took a break from it all and had a little day trip. Some friends of Blake's from his early Troy days were in town for a few days. I had already had a girl's night out with Nicole, but we hadn't gotten a chance to see Chas, Shelley, the kids, and Shelley's parents. (Shelley and Nicole are sisters. I knew Nicole from my Troy days and from the good ol' days in the military)

I have to admit I was bummed to miss out on sleeping in Saturday morning, but we got up early to head to Troy. Blake had promised us all Crowe's chicken for lunch, so we were eager to go! (If you ever happen through Troy, AL on US 231 you MUST stop at Crowe's and get chicken fingers, sauce and mashed potatoes.....YUMMY!)

We got down there a little early, so we grabbed the kids some breakfast, then took a driving tour of our old stomping grounds. WOW has it changed! So many memories! We drove past Blake's old apartment, our first apartment, my old dorm, the ROTC building, the gazebo where we got engaged, all the places Blake used to work, and our old church building. The church building is probably the one thing that hasn't changed. It is a tiny little phase II LDS building. If you have ever been in one, you know what I mean. We ran into an old friend in the parking lot and took a few minutes to catch up and hear how all the locals we still know are doing. That was a lot of fun. Going "home" (or back to where this all began) always triggers such strong memories, reliving it all! The excitement of living away from home for the first time, testing my wings, falling in love, and to be honest, it just gives me butterflies! Looking across the car, it reminded me how much I love that man, and why. (Yeah, it wasnt for the car, that's for sure!!!! He drove a beat up Dodge Aries K......that's umm....well.....not a muscle car :P ) We sure started from humble circumstances. He worked (and still does) so hard for everything that we have, but has found a way to thoroughly enjoy (and spread that joy) every minute of it. When we drove by the apartment he lived in when we met, I remember all the hours spent playing Jeopardy on the Sega. It was THE ONLY game I could beat him at..... The theater we went on our first outing (NOT A DATE) has been torn down, but we giggled at the fact that I was sly and failed to invite another friend along so I could be alone with him. It worked, he was hooked, and here we are almost 15 years later. Still as crazy in love as back then. Probably a little crazier then back then for SURE!

After our tour, it was finally time for our beloved CROWE's chicken. We met up with Nicole and her girls, Chas and Shelley (Lesley) and their kids, and Dick and Lonnie (their parents) to enjoy the feast that is Crowes. Ah. fried goodness in a box. I have to say, it was good, but failed to meet the expectations of my memory. Still way better than Zaxby's or Guthrie's.....for sure! Much better than the food, was reuniting with old friends! I think the last time we saw the Lesley's was when Jonathon was a year old! Time Flies! It was like no time passed at all, as the conversation settled naturally, and we learned about each others lives.....so many years and experiences later. Our kids got along well. We took them to a park, and the guys engaged in a little football. It was such a fun day, and made us realize how blessed we are to have such great friends, that no matter the time or distance we can pick right up like it was yesterday.

Time came to head home! We said our good-byes and loaded up. As we drove out of town, past all the landmarks of our past, I was very grateful for that odd little town, the peculiar little branch, and all the wonderful people that have stepped into our lives from our time there.