Best birthday ever

For my birthday/our anniversary celebration, Adam and I took a trip to Nashville. Why Nashville? Well, it's a cool city within reasonable driving distance (and as Adam and I learned on our ill-fated trip to Bardstown, Kentucky a couple years ago, we only "do" cities and national parks). But that's not the main reason. The main reason was this:

Andrew Peterson's annual "Behold the Lamb of God" concert at the historic Ryman Auditorium. Wow. Before the show, we got a personalized history lesson from one of the ushers about the Ryman. As you can see, it looks like an old church building...turns out, it was! Apparently, an evangelist came to Nashville in 1885 and was causing all kinds of "trouble" for the gambling industry (because so many people were being converted at his revivials!). One riverboat captain had had enough of this evangelist, so he went to the tent meeting one night, intending to confront the evangelist and run him out of town. As it turns out, this old riverboat caption was converted that night. His name was Thomas Ryman. He decided to build the evangelist a church so he wouldn't have to meet in a tent anymore. And thus began what would eventually become the Ryman Auditorium.

The other reason we went to Nashville was this:

One of my best friends from college (who happens to be married to another one of my best friends from college) drove up from Memphis for the show. It was all made especially more special because it was not only my birthday but also their anniversary. And just to make it more fun, Jaclyn and I are both pregnant and due within a week of each other! Doesn't get much better than that, huh?

A stupid picture of Jaclyn and me, trying to demonstrate the difficulty pregnant people have hugging each other

The concert was incredible (and made me want to buy the albums of each and every musician who performed). It was so awesome that I really don't have words to talk about it...except that you should buy the album and go to the concert next Christmas. Rumor has it that the tour may be coming to Louisville next year!

For other commentaries about the show, check out my friend Jac's blog and the blog of the mastermind himself.

The Ryman at Christmas (photo 'jacked from Andrew Peterson's blog)

After the concert Adam and I stayed at a fun hotel downtown and hung around Nashville the next day. The best part (besides the company) was the eating. Thanks to Blake's recommendation, we went to the Pancake Pantry...and boy, was it worth the wait!