Day 241: Memorial Day on the Dead End

The only thing that could be better than our new home and it's welcoming neighborhood? And award winning BBQ society 5 doors down that cooks up a Memorial Day feast for neighbors and a couple hundred of our closest friends. Pull Pork, Brisket, Ribs, Chicken, the Dead End's Award winning sauces (Gratefully Dead is my favorite), smoked corn on the cob, and more! Wow, that is neighborly.
More about the Dead End->

Day 240: Mother/Daughter Shower

It is right for me to feel this way about all of you since I have you in my heart. - Philipians 1:7

Those were the words on the napkins made for my shower this weekend. After a nice Friday of visiting and introducing my mom to my favs, she and I arrived the Saturday morning to gorgeous brunch with girls, mothers, daughters, and friends. The invitations where the prettiest I had ever seen. We were in the Young's home, where I used to meet for Bible study (a.k.a. Breakfast group) on Fridays. The home so lovely, recently rebuilt after a tragic fire last year. The whole weekend, I was so aware - how things change and how they are still constant. I really felt like Spartanburg was no longer my home. But I still loved being there. I am no longer with these folks all the time, but they still know me so well (as evident in their choices of gifts for me). Just like the Young's home was new, the girls lives in college are new, my life with Brad is a new wonderful adventure. I love, love, love what we had. But I am also so, so glad to carry these sweet friends into my life in the future.

Oh, and the menu...coffee, pink lemonade, and strawberry tea. Brekafast casserole, pastries and treats, and Mrs. Hudson's susage rolls. And, of course...the Tiller's world famous grits!

Day 239-247: It's Pre-Nuptual Time in Tennessee!

...And South Carolina.

...And some mystery location.

This week is full of a trip to South Carolina for seeing the Junior Bridesmaids, a very exciting shower Mother/Daughter Shower there, then Bridal protraits, then off on a much anticipated Mystery trip with my amazing Maid of Honor, then all topped off with a shower at Brentwood Hills, the church Brad grew up in! Whew!

One of my favorite things about this season is the chance to see and celebrate with so, so many people I love! And meet so many wonderful people from Brad's life.

Day 237: Savelli's

This is an overdue post about my new favorite Italian place, right in our new neighborhood. After closing on our house a few weeks ago, Brad and I celebrated with a wonderful meal at Savelli's on Sutherland Avenue. Great specials and classic Itialian family cooking. It is BYOB and the place was clearly packed with regulars. our waiteress had work there for 4 years. As she talked to us about the quality of the rich riccotta cheese they used, other patron stopped by to huge her and congratulate her on her college graduation.
Amazing food and wonderful people.
Savelli's

Source

Morning Quote

Whenever our right becomes the guiding factor of our lives, it dulls our spiritual insight. The greatest enemy of the life of faith in God is not sin, but good choices which are not quite good enough. - my friend's devotion she read this morning

Day 236: Kroger

Okay, so this post is not so much about the grocery store. It is about feeling at home. At home in the neighborhood where Brad and I will be living. It really starts to feel like home when you go to the grocery store and you see 1...2...wait 3 people you know! Mollie, Rebecca, Ann, and I all stopped up the aisle yesterday as we saw each other had had to say hello.
Here's to Krogering. Here's to feeling at home.

Day 234: Place settings

We just got our first piece of everyday china and our first piece of our fine china. We have selected 2 of the most traditional patterns around, but we absolutely love them! Here they are, with a pieces of our fine dining - these are some of the registry items we are most excited about, so thankful for, and blessed to receive.
We have the best friends and family ever!
Currently, they are sitting on the counter, as I think about holiday dinner with our families, super clubs on the back patio, and maybe being a breakfast group mom...someday, not any day soon, but these dishes should last a long time. We are so blessed!

Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles Pink China


French Countryside


Wedgwood Knightsbridge Crystal

Source

More info is here on our wedding website. (Yes, this is a shameless plug for you to sign our guestbook!) Click here->

Day 233: The Best of Knoxville

Drum Roll Please....
Here it is from the Metro Pulse....
The 2010 Best of Knoxville!!

Here are a few of my favorites from the list:

BEST BAND: The Dirty Guv'nahs

ST NEW RESTAURANT: Dead End BBQ

BEST LOCAL BLUES BAND: Hector Qirko Band

BEST PATIO BAR: Aubrey's

Click here for the Complete List->

Day 232: "The Marble City"

Here is what i learned today, about Knoxville and my new neighborhood (which also happens to be my old neighborhood circa the early 1980s).


The Marble City
The whole city of Knoxville was once proud to be known as the Marble City, and that phrase has re-entered currency just recently with the city's recent spiritual renaissance.

However, for almost a century, a stretch of Sutherland Avenue from Concord Street west to Bearden has been known as Marble City. The term isn't used quite as familiarly as it was 50 years ago, but the Marble City Baptist Church and Marble City United Methodist are both still there, right in the middle of that section.

Knoxville had a lot of marble industry all around the county, quarries on the east and south sides and even out in Cedar Bluff, which is named for a marble quarry. South Knoxville's unique marble Candoro headquarters, host of the annual Vestal festival known as Vestival, is still well known today as a historic site. By the 1890s, the city was making much of its "Marble City" monicker, as several businesses used the name, which implied some class and authenticity, and durability. The Marble City Hat Co., the Marble City Bank, the Marble City Fire Extinguisher, the Marble City Saloon, etc., all thrived about a century or more ago. It can be puzzling to historical innocents that they were all downtown, not in the west-side neighborhood later known as Marble City.

However, at the early 20th-century height of Knoxville's marble industry, several of the big marble companies had mills and warehouses on the west side of town, convenient to the Southern and L&N freight lines, in the vicinity of Sutherland and Concord: the Empire Marble Co., Grey Eagle, and the John J. Craig Co., to mention three, plus the Appalachian Marble Co. over on Middlebrook at Third Creek.

By 1911, the area just between Mechanicsville and Bearden was listed separately in city directories as a "western suburb" called Marble City. It included a county elementary school known as Marble City School, which christened the community by that name... read more here from the Metro Pulse's Doc Knox->

Source

Day 231: Big Fatty's

Last night I finally got to try the grilled cheese I have been hearing so, so much about. Our friend Janetta introduced me to one of her favorite places in our new neighborhood. She and Paul came for the fried cornbread, Brad was all about the fried chicken and potatoes, and Patrick went for a good lookin' poo-boy.

Yum. Yum. Yum.
And s close to home

Source

Day 230: Knoxville Fellows

Develop Your Potential.
Experience Living In Community.
Explore Your Faith.
Discover Your Call.

Tonight is the graduation for the Knoxville Fellows program. Twelve gifted young men and women will celebrate will be recognized as we celebrate the work the Lord has done in their lives, spiritual journeys, and calling over the past year.

Learn more about the Knoxville Fellows->


The Knoxville Fellows is a Christ-centered leadership and internship program for recent college graduates seeking to live, work, study, pray, and serve in community. Living in community distinguishes the Knoxville Fellows from similar leadership programs. Knoxville Fellows live together in Market Square at the heart of downtown Knoxville.

We seek twelve college graduates to build life together for ten months. We will create a school for Christ that forms disciples for effective service in our community. We will read widely and argue passionately. We will explore our callings and our fears. We will learn the wounds of our city and hear from many who are healing them. We will pray for one another and for the city and expect transformation. If you believe the Spirit is calling you to become a part of a committed community in urban Knoxville, we would like to hear from you.

Source

Attention Favs: Click here in 2013->

Day 229: 2PS Chapel

This week was my first experience leading chapel for Second Pres Preschool! (I will confess I was nervous as I sat down on the floor surrounded by 3 and 4 year olds.) But, as I used my trusty high school scrap book to introduce myself, they were fun, engaged and full of ideas. We ended with a playground question (aka-a question for them to answer when they see me on the playground or after school.)

How do you see God?

As I left work that afternoon, little Miss Bailey stopped to tell me that my name was was Katie and that she had seen God give her lunch that day.
My prayer for the children of 2PS is that everyday they will see God all around them and that He will teach them.

Source: This post and playground question are brought to you by Loring, who taught me to use this question with any audience.

Diverstion: Whitney and Kent

Congratulations to Whitney and Kent!
We are so excited to celebrate my cousin, Whitney Beth's wedding this weekend! She and her college sweetheart, Kent, are both living in DC. The wedding was at their college, Mckendree, with a reception to follow across the river in St. Louis, at the Forest Park Planetarium.

Highlights included: Seeing the beautiful bride before the wedding, checking out my aunt Debbie's fabulous dress at the wedding...and the fabulous dress she changed into for the reception, and dancing with Sam to the Cupid Shuffle.

Congratulations Whitney and Kent!

Day 227: Blackbelt!

I AM THE PROUD SISTER OF A BLACK BELT!!

GO SAM!!

Day 226: Beautiful and the Back Porch

The past few weeks have been so full that I have hardly had a moment to be still. But this morning has been a huge blessing. Waiting on the cable guy at our new house and doing a little reading and journaling. I am in love with our back porch, our lush backyard, and the birds that are all about. Wow, the Lord has really brought me to a great place today and has blessed Brad and I with a wonderful house.
My prayer this morning is that I always remember that the Lord is the provider and perfecter of it all. He is the one who make life Beautiful!

You are the One
Josh Ridings Band

Come and sing there’s beauty in our offering
Come receive the gift of perfect peace

Jesus You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One Who took my place that I may be set free

Come and bring your heart to lay before the King
Come believe that He is all you need

Jesus You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One Who took my place that I may be set free

The Son of God is near
Lord, meet us here

Jesus You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One The One who makes life beautiful, yeah
You are the One Who took my place that I may be set free


Source

Day 225: Rooster's

I can't believe Rooster's has not made the blog until today.
I honestly can't believe how great their pizza is.
And, I really can hardly believe that we bought a house so far away from this place.
...But we are still not far. So, I am sure we'll still be by quiet often. And I am sure Josh and Alissa will be there too.

Rooster’s Bar & Grill, located at Rocky Hill, in Knoxville, TN, is Your Fun Place! Voted number one Sports Bar in Knoxville. Come watch your favorite Sporting events on one of our forty five flat screen TVs, Check out our Internet Jukebox! We want to thank the community for making us the best place to go.

Source

Day 224: JLK Contract Signing

Tuesday night at Crescent Bend, we welcomed 80+ women into the Junior League of Knoxville. I was so excited to propose Natalie, and had a great time. I am so excited for these new provisionals! I know I sound like a Junior League commercial when I say this, but the league has been a tremendous blessing to me, personally and professionally. In both Spartanburg and Knoxville, it's been a great way to serve, learn, and connect!

JLK meetings are also the best precursor to a girls night out.

Click here and read about the nearly 90 year history of the Junior League of Knoxville->

Source

Day 223: Blackbird Coffee

Welcome to Tuesday morning and coffee at the Blackbird Coffee House, with Molly and sweet Ella. You know the Lord really has it all together when He leads me a to new job that involves meeting cool women and their sweet kids for coffee to talk about life, creative ideas, and Jesus.

The above photo is from a series at Blackbird. Check it out (source)->

Day 222: Planning for VBS

Look on the hill...it's a bird, it's a plane, no, it's Vacation Bible School! Lead by the fabulous Stacey and Molly. Coming, June 21-24 to 2nd Pres!!

SIGN UP TODAY->

Source

Day 221: Kids Praise

If you were at 2nd Pres this Sunday morning, you celebrated Mother's Day is a really special way - with a fabulous performance from our Children's Choir, Kids Praise. Seriously well directed and seriously fun to be with. My first Sunday on the job and I was in a row full of elementary friends - who were awesome!
Great job guys!

Day 220: Dependable Movers

2 and a half hours.
3 guys.
No problems.
1400 square feet...a big attic of stuff.
1 truck.
No problems.
Great move.
Welcome home.

I seriously recommend Dependable Movers.

Source

Day 218: 2nd Pres Preschool

Wednesday was a wonderful celebration and silent auction all for 2nd Pres's PreSchool. Then Thursday, I got to learn more about this mission in their board meeting. And I am looking forward to being a part of their chapel!
This passionate team has a mission, "to provide quality child-care to the community that fosters the development of the whole child to his or her full potential as a child of God."

Learn more about 2nd Pres PreSchool->


Source

Day 217: Ogle Entertainment

We are getting married in less than 70 days! July 10 will be here soon and we have so much to celebrate. Above is not a picture of our venue, please see the Women's Hall of Fame post for that. But this is a picture from our lighting designer, Ogle Entertainment. Thanks to Debbie and Samuel, our coordinator and florist respectively, they've got a fun and unique look and feel for our big day!
Check out Ogle Entertainment! Amazing! Fun! Awesome!

Photo Credit

Day 216: West View Elementary

It's Teacher Appreciation Day at West View Elementary. 2nd Pres has adopted West View, so I got to join the fabulous Brittany this morning to serve breakfast to this committed staff. This little school really is one of the happiest places in Knoxville and I look forward to lots of more opportunities to serve there!
Photo Credit

Day 214: Our New Home!

It is official! The future Fitch family has a new home. We are proud home owners in the Forest Heights neighborhood of Knoxville!

Here is a little history of the neighborhood from the Forest Heights Neighborhood Association Website

The heavily wooded, hilly neighborhood now called Forest Heights has been a stable, attractive, and desirable residential area for over seventy years. The present neighborhood is made up of four separate subdivisions - Forest Hills, Forest Heights, Highland Hills and Highland Hills Addition, bounded on the east just east of Forest Hills, to the south by Sutherland, to the west by Highland Memorial Cemetary, to the north by Interstate 40/75, and in its entirety was annexed by the City of Knoxville in 1960.

Although the earliest homes of the area are from the 1920s and 1930s, most of the building is of the post World War II period. The residents of this neighborhood were and are a diverse group of people who have found the location, the natural beauty and the friendliness of their neighbors an enticement to move here, to raise their families, and often to remain and welcome their grown children back as new homeowners in the neighborhood.

Photo Credit

Day 215: I am new at the New 2!

In a fun week of new beginnings and the Lord's leading, I have started my new job with Children and Family Ministries at our church, Second Pres. So excited to be here, to jump into my new role, talk with everyone here, and get to work with a wonderful, welcoming team! Stay tuned for more!

Photo Credit