Gatlinburg has always been a special place to my family.  As a child, I remember going there many times with my family.  I can remember the time my Grandfather Mullins went with us and sitting in the backseat of the car with me as we drove into the mountains looking for bears.  I can also recall our trip to Ghost Town where my Grandfather and I had our pictures made with the dance hall girls.

Gatlinburg was also one of the places my wife and I stopped at on our honeymoon thirty-six years ago.  In the years after, I can’t recall a single year that we did not make at least one trip to the Gatlinburg area.  We loved it so much we purchased a time share at Tree Tops Resort.

Like Gatlinburg, Tree Tops became very special to us.  It was wonderful to sit in the living room in front with a nice fire in the fireplace, snacking on something and watching a movie.  All things we seldom had time for at home.  In the mornings, we enjoyed sitting on the balcony drinking a hot cup of coffee, watching and listening to the stream as it flowed by.  I cannot begin to guess how many books I have read sitting there.

As time passed, we were blessed with two beautiful daughters and we came to enjoy other parts of Tree Tops and Gatlinburg. Our girls played on the swings, climbed the walls, crossed the bridges and enjoyed everything else the children’s area had to offer.  They played in the pool, threw rocks in the stream and hiked with us up the nature trail.  The past three years have been even more special as we were able to bring our grandson to Gatlinburg and to Tree Tops.  We were blessed to watch as he played on the swings, he threw rocks in the stream and he walked up the nature trail, all the little things his mother had done.

My grandson and daughter were with us this weekend in Gatlinburg and at Tree Tops.  I thank God that they left for home Sunday.  My wife and I had intended to stay the entire week.  None of us could have guessed what Monday the 28th  of November  would bring to Gatlinburg and to Tree Tops.