on the road again, loving our lindsey, and (finally) hugging my bestie once more.

On Saturday, Sara and I hit the road and headed to Paris, Tennessee, our sweet Lindsey’s hometown, for her Celebration of Life at the Convention Center there.

I had never been to Paris before – and the Celebration was so perfectly Lindsey.

There were pictures everywhere (she was a total picture person like me), wonderfully funny stories told (just like she wanted), grilled cheese sandwiches and Cokes served (her favorite), and Big League Chew given out.

Lindsey did not want to be buried but instead asked that her family and close friends take her on their future adventures with them. As we are both travel bugs, it will be my joy to fulfill this wish of Lindsey’s and take her with me as I am out and about so this was also her journey home with me.

As it happens, I am a total Francophile. I am learning French independently, it is my foreign language I will study for a year in school, I can’t wait to visit one day, and I collect Eiffel Towers.

I say all that because Lindsey’s hometown – Paris – has an Eiffel Tower replica. Of course.

So our first adventure together after her memorial service was a proper trip to the Eiffel Tower before we left.

I’ve decided we need a hashtag for our capers as well – #lindsandmirandasadventures

It’s the one last thing she asked for that I can do. ❤

Also, this little Mississippi State Bulldog even rocked some Tennessee orange nails for her celebration – that’s love, y’all 😉 .

(Lindsey and I have matching “Grit and Grace” rings – because that’s what we chronically ill folks run on many days. Mine now lives on the necklace of my Stewart Giving Bear for safe keeping. ❤ )

After her celebration, Sara and I also did our usual road trip stuff – the truck stop game (finding unusual and crazy souvenirs as we make stops on the road), sign watching, sight seeing. . .

We found a fabulous “exam passer” mini voodoo doll to add to our car collection at a truck stop. He will surely help with our studies 🙂 – and Linds would LOVE the truck stop game. ❤

And we discovered that Paris, Tennessee is in Henry County. Of course it is. This is The Way. ❤

The last picture of mine that Linds reacted to on Facebook was “loving” a picture of Henry in a fedora three days before she went to be with Jesus. She was a big fan of his. ❤

After we left her part of the world, we crossed the state, had a late dinner, and then found my beautiful bestie, Ginny, her wonderful husband, Daniel, and their fabulous babies, Wellington, and Dr. Watson. We rolled in super late – but we had not seen them in over a year with the pandemic so we were profoundly grateful to be all vaccinated and FINALLY able to hug them and talk and laugh and just BE together.

Oh. My. Freaking. Heart. ❤

I am so grateful.

We ended up making a super late night of it and getting home around 4 AM so my CRPS feet are in a bit of a riot mode now – and my body is having to rest for the next several days to catch up.