This morning, I just realized that the holiday season is quickly approaching… and I was trying to find photos from my travels last December. I then figured out that with the craziness of 2019’s December (Omaha for Jo Brother’s concert, Nashville for my birthday, Europe for two weeks over Christmas and New Years, and then Hawaii in January for Wild & Unwritten!) I completely forgot to blog my trip to Nashville. Which was a true highlight of 2019 and a gracious gift of God. Especially now, as I look back on all that transpired in 2020.

My only other trip to Nashville was with my family, on our way back from Florida (I think!). This was at the height of my country music obsession, so legitimately my only memory of the trip was my request to see the Country Music Hall of Fame music (and my “cool” t-shirt souvenir hahaha). Planning travels as an adult proves to be much more memorable. And rewarding!!

Originally, I had trouble finding anyone willing to go with me. Granted, I purchased my concert tickets solo… and a December birthday is just not great timing as most people are already taking time off/traveling over the holidays. Two friends decided fairly last minute to travel with me, which made the trip so much more rewarding! I flew out of Des Moines, and had a direct flight to Nashville. My friend Amy met me in the airport, we grabbed lunch, and then our friend Julie picked us up (she drove!! cars are great!!). We headed to the hotel, checked in, and freshened up a bit.

We decided to start our weekend with a classic Nashville sight… Centennial Park! It was beautiful and sunny, although I can imagine it looks even better in summer/winter. ;) This is the home to the famous Nashville Parthenon, which we of course took many photos with!

For dinner, we stopped at McNamara’s Irish Pub. Over good food and drink, we played the Enneagram Game… and then drove around neighborhoods to look at Christmas lights!! Such a sweet memory.

Sunday morning we started our day at the Gaylord Resort. Apparently, anyone can park and walk in! It was refreshing to spend time alone in such a beautiful space. People watching is also a must there… carolers in period costume, kids having the time of their lives, just incredible!!

The shopping area of the Gaylord Opryland Resort reminds me of the riverwalk in San Antonio. Of course, I was there at age 8, so … foggy memories. But still, so beautiful!!

Next up: lunch across the street at the very unique Caney’s Restaurant. SO interesting: they’re well known for their selection of wild game! haha. I think we had gator bites or gator chili or something? And of course, we got the smore’s for dessert because BIRTHDAY TRIP.

After lunch we headed “in” to town to explore downtown. We walked by the Ryman to see the outside, saw honkey tonks and so many guitarists hahahaha. There’s a neat pedestrian bridge, so we took in the city skyline from there!

Aside from the concerts, the biggest draw to Nashville (for me) has long been Amelia’s Flower Truck. I’m obsessed with flowers, my name, and a cute vintage VW van/truck…. how does it get more ME!? (If they offered me a job I would 100% take it and move to Nashville or Franklin. Just saying. Internet, do your thing!!)

Concert #1 was Sunday night … at the very historic & esteemed Ryman! After hearing about this venue from all my favorite musicians for years (and on Annie’s podcast) it was surreal to enter through the doors and walk past the stained glass windows to my seat. My most listened to musical artist of the 2010-2019 decade was Andrew Peterson, so it was fitting to usher in a new year of life & a new decade with his Behold the Lamb of God tour/show. Dear reader, I don’t know you or your story, but this I can tell you of mine: God meets me in the concert halls. The lyrics, the musical talent, the spiritual joining of souls singing together…. I cry almost every show I see. And this one? I wept. Towards the end we all sang Andrew’s most well known piece together & I wish I could re-live that moment every week. I sat next to a couple who have come the majority of the past 20 years to see this show. What a legacy!

We stopped at Waffle House for 11pm waffles because we hadn’t had dinner (ooops!) and rang in my birthday!

I woke up Monday morning (my birthday!!) to postcards with sweet words from my two gal pals. They packed up and headed back home to Iowa, while I planned out my day. Without a car, I opted to walk (a lot!) and Uber some as needed.

I ended up at the Well Coffeehouse, just down the street from the Ryman. (In fact, I saw Ryman sound engineers come in for joe, I’m pretty sure!). You know those TikToks about girls going to the coffee shop with their bible and journal, hoping that a wife-seeking gent falls in love with her? That might have been me. LOL. Not really but I’m not against a music-makin’ Nashville-living guy. ;) I journaled and cried and prayed a lot to start my birthday year. Good for the soul, I tell you. Also, I listened to a lot of Sandra McCracken and Jess Ray.

I know alone time is good for me, but I really HATE traveling alone. Spending my birthday alone was not ideal, but it was worth it in the end for the answered prayers and concerts that filled my heart with joy. However, I was glad to finally arrive at the Schermerhorn for Drew & Ellie’s Christmas show! I had seen them across the balcony at Andrew’s show the night before & was so excited to see Ellie perform. Drew has come through Des Moines with the Neighbors a few times & I’d seen him then, but Ellie’s music has been a constant for my soul in every season of life since 2012 or so. To see them? On my birthday? It felt like a warm hug from God.

I showed up early and bought a light dinner of snacks from the vendor in the basement. Sitting there on my phone, I watched a couple of kids run past me with their grandpa… and realized in a heartbeat that it was the sweet older Holcomb kiddos! Dressed up, ready to watch mom & dad perform with Ellie’s parents (her dad is a well known music producer). Another kiss in that moment. A gift to my heart. Even in my aloneness, God revealed moments to “treasure up in my heart”.

world. the bliss I sat in for over an hour? unexplainable.

Ellie Holcomb is an angel on earth. Her heart is a treasure, her music balm for a broken world. The love & light she and her husband share with us? A gift that we don’t deserve. I wept tears of joy for most of this show.

And then they invited Sandra McCracken on to the stage and I wept more.
Jesus is in the little moments, you guys.

Remember how I met a sweet couple the night before, at concert #1? Well… I prayed for the same thing. I asked God to give me people next to me to connect with. #extrovert And he answered! Jess & Charlie also had seen BTLOG the night prior, we shared a love for Jess Ray & her lyrics, and they were so hospitable to me. They treated me to a drink and fries at a bar (with REALLY LOUD live music hahaha). I’m so grateful to them, and hope we can re-connect if I get to visit South Carolina someday!

With that, my birthday weekend wrapped up. I flew home under holiday decorations (peep O’Hare all pretty!) and am still dreaming about this weekend, a year later. 😍