Jocelyn and Mom have all posted what happened when we were in TN, but here is my version. It is really LONG!! It think it is the longest ever!! I know this is extremely long, but please take the time and read it!! I checked and it is 2582 words long!!

    First, before I get to the details I wanted to tell you that I don’t have pics to post. Our camera’s batteries were dead. But Mrs. Ig said that when she gets all the pics together from the 5 different people who took pics, she is going to send a disc with them. So I will be posting pics as soon as I have them. Below I did post who posted about the event and who has some pics.

    Thursday nite, after SMALLVILLE, we finished packing, and getting everything done. We went to bed around 3:30am. So needless to say we didn’t get to leave when we wanted. We left home around 9:30am. We didn’t get to Indy before we had to stop for a bathroom break and some snacks and drinks. Then we got back on the road we tried to drive as far as we could, but it was only a short time before the Littles needed to stop again. We didn’t get out of IN til late afternoon.

    We stopped in KY, I think, for another break. That was the last stop Mom said she was making til we got there. Once we hit KY, every 10 min. Eric and Hannah asked "are we in TN" or "are we there yet?" So we kinda banned them from talking for awhile. Our plan of keeping them awake the nite before, so they would sleep the way down there, didn’t work. The only one who was sleeping most of the time was Caleb. He actually never woke up that morning. We got him dressed and in the van and he didn’t wake up. Isaac didn’t fall asleep til we were almost to TN.

    We got to Morristown a little after 8pm. We met Coie and Ryann at a gas station, so they could take us to their house. We got there and got acquainted with everyone, then had some really good spaghetti Mrs. Ig had made. I think she said the sauce had some of her really expensive butternut squash in it. I really liked it and it was nice to have some home cooking when we got there after eating junk on the way down!!

    After we ate, Bobo and Eric unloaded the van for us. It was really nice to have them do that, so we didn’t have too. Thanks Bobo!! All of the Ig guys were helpful and considerate!! Mr. Ig was so funny and nice.

    When we finally figured out where everyone was sleeping, Coie, Ryann, Jocelyn, Rachel, Emmiko, and I played Taboo. When we realized how late it was we decided it was time to rest. So we got ready for bed and figured out when we were getting up. Coie was getting up around like 6am, so she asked if I wanted her to get me up. I said yes, but if I didn’t get up, she was supposed to get me up when she got out of the shower around 6:30am. I was still sleeping when she got out. I guess my body can’t live on 6 hours of sleep. So I dragged myself off the couch, and when I went in the kitchen, Coie was making coffee. Had a couple cups to wake me up and a really good cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese.

    While we were waiting for the curlers to warm, I put my makeup on and Coie took some of my sibs to see Belle, Golly, and Gee. By the time they came back in, the rollers were hot and I was finished.

    Then Coie took my hair and did a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L updo with it. Then she went and got herself ready while I helped get our Littles ready.

    Coie was so gorgeous!! I thought that she was the prettiest girl there. Especially when she took her hair out and it was bouncing around her face as she was dancing!!

    We left the Ig’s about 10:20am, and went and met the Black's to show them how to get to the place. It took about an hour to get to the hall.

    When we arrived a lady named Mrs. Peterson and her daughters were there setting up some really pretty decorations on the table and the Burgraff’s were there also helping. After that we kinda just waited for everyone to get there.

    When most everyone was there, we met a lot of bloggers, and had a good time of fellowship. We ate and then we had a really neat presentation from the Black’s. It was very interesting and uplifting to hear about their work in Ethiopia. After that, we played a game and then came the best part: the DANCING!!

    Before we came I had asked Coie if there would be have to be guy/girl couples or if it could be girl/girl couples. She said no, you could dance with a girl. I was really relieved and so was Jocelyn. Didn’t really care for the idea of having to dance with guys I didn’t know. So when it was time to dance and the caller said that the couples had to be guy/girl, I was a little worried. So Jocelyn, Shaiya, Rachel and I, all went and stood over by our table. We didn’t get to dance the first dances due to the fact that we weren’t asked. Those looked like fun too. I was kinda disappointed that I didn’t get to dance those.

    So by the third dance, which was the Virginia Reel, Jocelyn was asked by Timothy Estabrooks, and Shaiya had been asked and Rachel had been asked (but politely declined), so I was standing there alone. Then Mrs. Badgley went over to a group of guys and told them that where was a young lady standing over there who would like to dance and if someone asked her she would accept. So a friend of the Ig’s came over and asked me to dance. It was the Virginia Reel and it was hard to get at first.

    I didn’t dance the next one because I didn’t have a partner and wasn’t sure if I wanted to dance cause the VR was so hard. The third one Timothy asked me to, and I danced pretty much the rest.

    The dances were really nice cause they didn’t stay with one partner. I thought that was pretty cool cause then you got to meet everyone. You went around and danced with everyone, but then you ended up with you’re original partner.

    We did the Virginia Reel twice and the second time was much better I knew what I was doing and my partner wasn’t too bad either. It was more fun the second time around!!

    Some of my partners, besides Timothy, were Levi, Luke, and Paulie Suarez, Coie, and some guys I didn’t know. I think I danced the most with Levi. He was pretty good too. I was glad that I got to dance with someone I knew!!

    I have to apologize to my partners because even though it was proper etiquette I didn’t look at them very much. I was still a little shy and flushed. I hope that all my partners didn’t think me rude due to that fact.

    After we finished with the initial party, we got to dance some Scottish dances. Those were a bit easier to do.

    We got finished around like 7pm, I think. When everyone was loaded up, we went to get gas, and realized that Eric had forgotten his coat, so we had to trek back to the hall and get it.

    We got back to the Ig’s around 8:30pm. Mrs. Suarez made wonderful Mexican dinner for us. YUM!! It was really good. We got to fellowship for just a bit, and then everyone had to leave.

    We went to bed pretty early on Saturday nite, well we got in bed early, we didn’t fall asleep so soon though. Coie, Jocelyn and I talked about the dance for like an hour after Coie declared that if anyone asked her a question, she would not answer it because she was sleeping. It was nice to be able to do that, even though we were really worn out from Saturday.

    We didn’t get up very early on Sunday. That was nice. I think we got up around 9am and then Mrs. Ig had Coie run to the store for some things, and I got to go with her. We had a good time.

    I was so very happy and privileged to be a part of their home church on Sunday. It was such a wonderful time. Mr. Suarez did a wonderful job. I really liked being able to hear his "preaching". He had so many good points. I think my favorite part of the service was the music, aside from the solo Mrs. Ig

    When service was over, Paulie gave me some good info on what kind of laptop we should get. It was really nice that he knew what would be best. Luke and Jocelyn were playing chess while we were talking. She had already beaten Levi. I’m telling you she is unstoppable!!

    It was really nice to be able to talk to all the Suarez guys and Shaiya and Coie. We stood around for a couple hours just talking about everything and anything. Then we went to see the goats and stood around talking more. It was wonderful that all of us were so like-minded, well, except for the cloth diaper conversation, in what we were talking about, cause it is hard to find people like that.

    Levi tried to get me to play foosball with him as a team. But Paulie and I were talking and he ended up pretty much winning on his own against Eric. He didn’t want to play after awhile, cause I was making us lose. LOL!!

    Then around like 4pm, we were standing out there talking about the next barn dance, which I am so coming to, even if I have to walk!! When we realized what time it was, and then saw Luke carrying some of our luggage out. I was hoping we wouldn’t leave til Monday, but then Mom said we had to leave, so I was really bummed. I could have stay forever!!

    I was about ready to cry when we left, cause I didn’t want to leave. I had such an awesome time. So when we had to leave around 5:30pm, we loaded up and Coie and Paulie showed us the way out. It was sad to see them keeping going while we turned onto the highway. I hope Paulie didn’t hurt himself. He practically jumped out the window to wave bye!!

    Oh yeah, the entire time we were there, Caleb was with his new friend, Paulie, well when he was at the Ig’s and at the beginning of the ball. Paulie danced a lot at the ball, so he didn’t have Caleb then. Paulie had sort of tricked Caleb in to liking him. He gave him his cell phone and Caleb just stayed with Paulie. When we got back to Ig’s, Paulie found Caleb before we had our coats off and had him most of the nite. He had him til Caleb’s diaper leaked on him and he had to change. While he was changing and Caleb had been changed, Caleb went out to the living room and saw that Paulie wasn’t there he started crying and saying "Pau". He wanted Paulie to hold him and play with him. It was so cute. Then when they came over on Sunday, Paulie had him from the time he came in til it was time for their service. Paulie had had us do. I really liked all the songs that we sang. played with the chess pieces and they were building towers. It was precious. During service, Caleb went to Mom and fell asleep. So Paulie was free for a couple hours.

    It was really nice and wonderful to have so many "gentlemen" down there. I don’t know if I had to open a door once. Whenever I was about ready to open one, it was open and ready for me to pass. It was so sweet. And I was always being asked if I needed anything. It was so great!! I could definitely get used to having "gentlemen" around!! There are too many of those around here and if there are they are older.

    I also was happy that I was allowed to help with dishes, serving lunch, and cleaning up. Usually when you go to someone’s house they don’t let you help. It was really nice that Mrs. Ig and Mrs. Suarez had jobs for me. Thanks!!

    I liked it that Julia and Emmiko loved taking the Littles and going and playing with them. Julia just loved playing with Isaac. And Emmiko always had a Little one on her hip as well as Ryann.

    We got to meet quite a few bloggers, so that was pretty neat!! Here are some of the bloggers we got to meet besides those above mentioned: Mrs. R, SamIAm, PianoSteve, AnyaChristine, Austins. I think that is all I got to meet. I know Mom got to meet more than that; she posted everyone she got to meet. But I was to busy having so much fun dancing the day away!!

Here are some blogs that have blogged about the party:

Mrs. R (She has pics)

Timothy

Mrs. IG (She has pics)

Paulie

Jocelyn

Mom

The Austins (They have pics too)

Rachel

    Well I still cannot find the best words to describe my time in TN, but it was more than I expected. It was the best weekend of my life so far!!

    I really hope we can go to the barn dance in October. That is the next thing on my prayer list that Dad will want to go to the barn dance in Virginia!! I am thinking about whether I want to dress up or not for the barn dance. I am waiting to see what Coie is doing. If we go hopefully I will get to dance more, like EVERY dance!! Now that I danced I wish I had danced more on Saturday. I wish I had gone out and stood where it looked like I wanted to dance, but I don’t do those sort of things by myself and Jocelyn and Shaiya wouldn’t go and stand out there with me.

    I have come to the conclusion that I want to move to TN. Yes, I am now a TN lover!! One of my fav parts of being down there, was all the animals everywhere and land all over!! Oh, there was this one road sign that I wanted to take with me. It had a person on a horse. It was a horse crossing sign and I just loved it. I will have to get one of those.

    I am so grateful to the Ig’s and Suarez’s for everything!! I can’t wait to see each one of you again!!

God Bless and Keep You and Yours!! Take Care
Love
      

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