From Upstate NY to East Tennessee: The Journey Begins 2020

When we decided we may want to leave Upstate New York in search of a new adventure, it wasn’t a random choice—we didn’t just toss a dart at a map and go with it. We had a vision. We wanted a place with warmer weather, but still all four seasons. Somewhere that offered new opportunities, yet kept us close enough to NY to make it back if needed.

Leaving behind our friends and family wasn’t easy—we knew we’d miss them deeply. But we also knew we were ready for something different, something exciting.

I’ve always wanted to visit Nashville (despite the fact I can’t carry a tune to save my life!), so we figured—why not check out the area? My husband and I booked a trip and flew into Knoxville to explore. We made our way through Pigeon Forge, over into North Carolina, and eventually on to Nashville.

To be honest, our first thought was: Pigeon Forge is it. We fell in love with the beauty, and just ten minutes outside the hustle and bustle, we found a peacefulness that reminded us of home.

More on how our plans shifted soon—but for now, I wanted to share a few moments from our time in Nashville. It was a dream come true, especially getting to visit the Johnny Cash Museum—and we were lucky enough to meet Johnny’s sister, which was such a special moment!

This trip lit a fire in us. We came home energized, inspired, and excited to see what else Tennessee had in store.

(A quick note: I won’t be sharing photos of our son to protect his privacy—thank you for understanding.)