Since our last blog update, Mark and I have been blessed to travel to many interesting places. We have been to Virginia, Illinois, Texas, Alabama, Kentucky, West Virginia and Maryland. Thankfully, travel has proven to be easy for me throughout my pregnancy, and being on the road provides a welcomed way to quickly pass the time. (Now that I have been home for a while, I’m starting to count the days, hours and minutes until baby Stubblefield’s estimated arrival!)
We have also been blessed to have family and friends visit our home in Franklin, Tennessee. We love having the opportunity to practice being “given to hospitality” and look forward to many years of opening up our home.
Below is a monthly summary of our travels and the guests that have graced our home since the end of December. I have included pictures from the trips/visits where we actually remembered to use our camera. Hopefully, the birth of our little boy will encourage us to be more faithful in our camera utilization!
DecemberMark and I traveled to Gatlinburg, TN, the end of December to join my family for a few days. We hiked, skied, ice skated, played pool, went to an aquarium, played a very aggressive game of hide-and-go-seek-in-the-dark, and just enjoyed visiting with family. After leaving Gatlinburg, we decided to follow the Inges back to Texas where we stayed until New Year's Day and then returned home.
Allyson and I at the aquarium… This was during the “quickly fading in my memory” pre-belly days
Walking the streets of Gatlinburg one chilly December evening
Getting ready to embark on a six-mile hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Enjoying lunch at one of our favorite Fort Worth restaurants… Uncle Julio’s. We always take advantage of the availability of good Mexican food while in Texas.
January
For Mark’s birthday, his parents came to visit us here in Franklin. We really enjoyed having them and were grateful they got to stay longer than originally anticipated. Carthage, MO (where they are live), had a horrible snow/ice storm that kept Dad and Mom Stubblefield here with us for a few extra days. We had a great time playing many hands of Hearts, eating out and fellowshipping.
About to enjoy dinner at one of Tennessee’s Mexican restaurants
February
We were blessed to have many visitors during the month of February. Nathan Bollinger and Peter Serven were our first guests. They stayed with us prior to and immediately following film shoots in Virginia and Maryland. We left the morning of the 11th for Blacksburg, VA, where Franklin Springs was interviewing Dr. James (Bud) Robertson for the upcoming Stonewall Jackson film. Dr. Robertson teaches at Virginia Tech. From Blacksburg, we headed up to Northeast, MD, to film the recently released Charlie Zahm concert DVD. The trip back was scheduled to include other stops at Virginia battlefields for the Stonewall film, but due to a sudden snow storm and wide-spread sickness among the film crew, we just headed back to Tennessee.
Two days after returning from the VA/MD road trip, Matt and Ashley Johnson from Missouri came to visit us. Matt and Ashley are due to have a baby the beginning of June, so Ashley and I had fun discussing all things pregnancy related. We enjoyed having Matt and Ashley with us and can’t wait to meet their little girl!
Me, Ashley and Matt on the square in Franklin
Soon after Matt & Ashley returned to Missouri, Nathan and Chiree Bollinger joined us from Missouri. Nathan was moving to Tennessee (in our apartment complex), since he started working full-time for Franklin Springs Family Media. While getting settled in, Nathan & Chiree stayed with us. During the same time period, Mark and Nathan traveled back to Virginia to film the footage they were not able to get during the last Virginia trip (due to snow and sickness). I was grateful to have Chiree stay with me while Mark was out of town. We look forward to her next visit to Franklin!
March
March 16, Mark and I traveled to Texas for a few days. Mark and Mr. Carpenter had some business meetings scheduled with Arnold Pent and Wade Myers in the Fort Worth area. I was able to join Mark on the trip. We stayed with my family, and it was fun listening to their exclamations about how big I was. Eleven hours in the car is not quite as easy as it used to be, but I made it and so did my swollen feet.
The ladies
Mark and Dad after eating lunch at Uncle Julios
Five days after returning from Texas, we traveled up to Peoria, IL, for a film project. The drive to Peoria (around 8 hours) felt short after our trip to Texas. We returned to Franklin on March 28 expecting to stay home until the baby made his appearance. That didn’t happen, though.
The day after we got back from Illinois, my granddad, from Point Clear, AL, passed away. The funeral was held April 2, so Mark and I planned to make another trip out of town. We left Saturday, March 31, for Daphne, AL. Mark and I stayed with my family at a lovely southern home on Mobile Bay. It was a beautiful weekend in Alabama and we enjoyed visiting with lots of extended family.
The girls favorite pastime… feeling the baby move
The house we stayed at in Daphne, Alabama… the breeze coming off of the bay into the house was wonderful!
April
April 11th and April 15th, we were again blessed to have visitors in our home. Shannon and Amber Moeller stayed with us on the way to and from a wedding in Alabama. Jessica Erber joined them on the return trip. It was great to have all three of them in our home Sunday night, and we look forward to fellowshipping more in the near future!
Shannon and Amber about to depart for Alabama
Walking the streets of Gatlinburg one chilly December evening
Getting ready to embark on a six-mile hike in the Great 
Enjoying lunch at one of our favorite 
About to enjoy dinner at one of 
Me, Ashley and Matt on the square in 
The ladies
The girls favorite pastime… feeling the baby move
The house we stayed at in Daphne, 
Shannon and Amber about to depart for Alabama
Yay! A new post!
Thanks again for your hospitality. It was great to see you both again.
Posted by
sirshannon |
April 18, 2007 9:28 PM
Yay! A new post! :)
Amy...so good to hear from you and see pics. Sounds like you both are doing well and are excited about your new arrival. Thanks for updating us.
Posted by
deb |
April 19, 2007 6:11 AM
Hi Mark and Amy,
So fun to read your post! Love the pg. pictures too...you look beautiful! Hope to see you soon--w/ baby too!
~Megan~ for the Goffs and the Millers :)
Posted by
The Goff's |
April 19, 2007 2:14 PM
Hospitality is such a wonderful gift to give to others and one I know you enjoy giving. Looking forward to my trip up there for the baby and the chance to enjoy your wonderful hospitality!
Love, Mom
Posted by
Pam Inge |
April 26, 2007 5:05 PM
Hi Stubblefields!
Dont make us wait so long for the next post! I would love to see pics of your new house, and new town....and of course lots of photos of the new arrival when he is there!!!!
Posted by
Anonymous |
May 03, 2007 2:56 AM
Wow! So nice to read an update and see some pics. Amy, you look beautiful. :)
Posted by
Ruthanne |
May 10, 2007 9:44 PM
I agree, you do look very beautiful Amy. I am looking forward to seeing pictures of the baby and updated pictures of the family. I know you are so very excited!
Much love,
Amanda Goll
Posted by
Amanda Goll |
May 20, 2007 8:28 PM