Dolly Loves You.

Tennessee was nothing like I was expecting it. 

Just about everything  that happened last weekend was not like how I thought it would go. 

My second flight from Denver to Knoxville I sat in a seat next to a rugged man who was traveling with his service raccoon (His cat). 

He talked to me real close and over the corse of our three hour flight, we lifted up the arm rest so I could see his pictures better, and nuzzle right into his arm, we ended up falling asleep cuddling and as I woke up his happy face was right there as he grabbed my arm and he said “Welcome to Knoxville” is was maybe the most romantic flight of my life. 

As we got off the flight he wanted to meet my sister (Whitney was sitting at the front of the plane) we slapped a Dolly hat on him, took a picture and he was gone forever. 

This beautiful man, who smelled of alcohol and adventure. 

After that is was the little Standifird home, the happiest place on earth, where the kitchen table isn’t big enough so we sit on the floor or on Grandpa’s old couch. 

The boys are the happiest little things. 

The little squishy larva with his soft spot is as pleasant as a tulip, and Lucas with his fear of Freeways and calling his mom “Ashley” was so hilarious. 

There is a lot of love being moved around that house. 

Tyler sitting with Bekum with the fridge wide open as they taste everything in the fridge, letting all the cold air out. 

Ashley just gracefully runs the house singing Daniel the Lion songs and making everyone happy, she is completely lovely. 

Pidgen Forge is a joke of a town, JOKE!

In a mile stretch of road there was maybe 20 go cart tracks, along with mini golf, and just trashy random places.

People refer to it as a “white trash disney land” and I feel it’s more of a blown up trafalga made out of play dough, with a Las Vegas vibe. 

The Parade was silent, no candy was thrown, and it was crapy float after crapy float mixed with baton twirlers. 

The Highlight was Dolly, she sat atop a massive cake, waving and smiling, and I couldn’t help but get all choked up with excitement for Whitney. 

What a classy beautiful moment. 

DollyWood was wonderful, picture Frontier Land at Lagoon, made into an entire park with neon butterflies and scriptures written on plaques. 

It was great to be there with the cousins, brought back a ton of amazing Lagoon Memories. 

There is just moments where you stop and think “This is the country I live in??”

Such a redneck heaven, tucked away in plush green trees of the smokey mountains, there is no other place like it.