KLOVE Fan Awards

Baby bump appearing much earlier this time around

Before I got pregnant, Tim and I booked a trip to Nashville for the KLOVE fan awards. We both listen to the radio station regularly and thought it would be a once in a lifetime opportunity to be surrounded by this inspirational music and grow in our spiritual lives. Unfortunately, once the trip rolled around I was, and still am, bogged down by some serious all day nausea. I thought about canceling the trip, knowing it would be difficult to enjoy the travel and events, but in all honesty I was in desperate need of the Godly-high I knew this weekend would provide. Before this pregnancy, I was definitely on a spiritual mountain, but feeling sick all day long and not being able to be the mom, wife, and follower of Christ I desire to be has me down in the valley. However, I know in that the valley is where most growth in Jesus tends to happen, so I'm trying to be grateful for the trial. 

I felt decent the morning of take off, but as soon as we got to the El Paso airport I got sick, and then I had to sit by a man with some serious body odor to top it off...ugh! We arrived in Nashville at 9 P.M. and headed to the Opryland Resort, which was absolutely stunning. Very Vegas-esque. After settling into our room, we decided to pretend we were young again and set out for late night appetizers =). We went to the Jack Daniel's restaurant and enjoyed some live country music, which was perfect for our first night in Nashville. 

After sleeping in until 10:30 (soooo nice), we had burgers for breakfast while looking out over the hotel river, which is composed of water from 1700 spots around America. Then, we went to Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. After the trip I needed a nap to have enough energy to get through our first KLOVE event. After dinner we attended a four hour concert, given by five different Christian bands. It was truly inspiring to hear them speak and perform, although I was trying not to yak most of the time. 

On the second day, we had breakfast in a ballroom with all of the KLOVE attendees and then went to the Cheeekwood Botanical Gardens--stunning. My favorite spot was on top of the garden's mansion. I tried to get a belly shot here, one day shy of 12 weeks. After another afternoon nap, we had dinner with the everyone from KLOVE again and then enjoyed another four hour concert. Just about every Christian artist performed, it was amazing. My favorite part about the event was that it was a songwriters spotlight so we got to hear the story behind the songs, and all the music was performed acoustically. 

On the last day we enjoyed breakfast in bed, followed by a church service at the hotel. Michael W. Smith led worship, which was pretty surreal, and then a pastor from Memphis led the service. After that I took my daily nap, and then we went into downtown Nashville to see the Country Music Hall of Fame. Tim and I both thought it was rather disappointing. Then we got ready at record speed to attend the weekend headliner event, the KLOVE Fan Awards at the Grand Ole Opry. We had great seats, right near the aisle so I could sneak out to pee, which I have to do about every hour now, and a perfect view of the stage. Luckily, I got through this event without having to vomit--a rarity throughout the weekend! 

I wish I would have felt better during our trip so I could have been more present and enjoyable, but bottom line, we got to enjoy a weekend as a couple surrounded by Christian music and believers in Christ. Maybe we can have another babymoon in a couple months when I'm hopefully much more functional!