Only By His Grace: Call Us Rednecks...

But we took our first official family vacation this past Sunday through Tuesday to...BRANSON. Yes, people, Branson, home of the most stage shows and cheesy things you may ever see in your life. However- it was SO FUN.

Here's the deal: We've got so much going on (to be revealed in detail at a later time) that we knew we had to get away as a family before things started being put into place. Once the ball gets rolling on these things, there will be no time for a family getaway. Plus, baby #4 comes in late October/early November, then the holidays- there will be no vacations then.

So, we left on Sunday morning to Springfield to visit with our wonderful friends, Todd and Heather and their crew. We were able to go to their church service where Todd just recently took a position as youth minister/music leader, then went out to eat and hung out at their house for the afternoon. As we pulled out of the driveway, Gary said- well, I'm refreshed, ready to go back home. That's how we usually feel after spending time with them. It's like a breathe of fresh air. God definitely uses them to encourage us.

We headed to Branson and checked out the Branson Landing, watched the fire/water show and ate dinner. Monday and Tuesday we went to Silver Dollar City. My husband, this prego, three girls, in 102 degree weather, walking the hills and pavement of SDC. Normally, I'd call this cruel. However, thanks to 1 1/2 cases of water and the sprinklers and misters the park had set up everywhere, and the best $1 I've ever spent on 2 little dorky hand held fans- it wasn't that bad. Really! I think God was being gracious. We found out when we got back that the news was there on Monday doing a little blurb on how hot it was at SDC and the numbers being down, etc. Funny. Anyway, so since it was Kids Fest, we got to cool off while seeing shows- VeggieTales (so cute!), Circus on Ice (way amazing!) and a Magic Show (baffling!). Bekah loved them all. We also road the train, which Belle was so excited about, she must've yelled "CHOO CHOO" a dozen times. We got to watch a man make a blown glass bowl, which at the end he actually dropped and Bekah was so sad; a women making pottery; and a women at Becca's house doing loom work. It was so fun. I also got to shop at the Branson Landing and at the Tanger Outlet a bit. That's always a good trip for me.

I must say, though it was short, it was a wonderful time together. We'd never gone away somewhere new by ourselves. All our "vacations" have been to visit people or combined with a business trip. It was fun to all bunk in a hotel room and be together. Nothing like family worship time all on a bed in a hotel room. I hope there will be many more times like these for our family. I remember my own family vacations with my family and all the happy memories of them. I want our kids to have the every day moments of us being together and growing together, but that being what fosters times of actually wanting to get away as a family to spend time with "just us."

Here are some pictures of the trip:

The Wallace/Hirsch crew- we can open our own daycare. :)

The water/fire show at Branson Landing- Belle kept saying "WaWa!"

One of the many cute little houses when you first enter Silver Dollar City- they really wanted to play in it!

Play "CHOO CHOO"!

Okay, so Gary thinks this picture is so wrong- can you see Bekah on the elephant? No. It looks like he's riding it all by himself, having a great 'ole time. I think it's hilarious.