The Rosengarten Exchange: Knoxville BaconBratCakes II

Our next part of the journey toward Perth Australia landed us in Knoxville Tennessee. Knoxville is not only the home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers, but it is also also the home of our dear friends Garland and Tamani Pope. We came to know Garland and Tamani through their time spent worshiping in Appleton Wisconsin a few years back. Through weekly bible studies, many o’ cup of premium blended Garbucks coffee, and earth shattering rock that was sounded forth from my upstairs landing in Wrightstown Wi, our families formed a great friendship. Garland is one of the most God fearing men I know. He and Tamani have encouraged Melissa and I so much in service, faith, and obedience to God since our friendship began. We were extremely exited to spend time with them, and for our visit, Garland secured a cabin in the Smoky Mountains. This thing was beautiful! A complete 360 degrees in design, the cabin was unique in every way. It harnessed a spiral staircase that led to a landing overlooking the breadth of the cabin. Garland and I determined that this would be the best place for the ROcK to be sent forth to the rest of the cabin community that weekend. In packing for the trip, I just happened to include my guitar, amp, and microphone in the suburban. Funny how things like that make it in for the trip! Coincidentally, Garland managed to pack his quite portable electronic drum kit in his already family packed Honda Odyssey, so it was proverbially ON. The visit in Knoxville though had many highlights outside of the cranked up beats, distortion filled guitar riffs, and soul wrenching vocals (Note: Tamani and Melissa, and the girls I might add, may describe the last events as clanging cymbal and loud thumps, angry and slightly out of tune guitar noise, and mumble bumble microphone blabber).

BaconBratCakes II: The Remix commenced the first morning of the visit, which was epic to say the very least. Friday evening we were able to obtain some tickets to Cirque de Chine; a Chinese themed version of Cirque de Soul, in which graceful acrobats, contortionists, and plate spinners (that’s for you Tamani) wowed us with their world renown talents. We were all very impressed by the show, and our children performed beautifully in their performance of watching quietly as well. The girls, and their overall performance that weekend, was also a highlight to this portion of the trip. Big E, Little e, and Madilyn played extremely well over the weekend together, and Garand and Tamani’s son Isaac even got into the action at times. Times that any one of the lively and playful girls fell down the death trapped spiral staircase: zero. Times that any one of the kids had a complete meltdown: zero. In one hundred and seventy two times up and down the staircase and each night letting the girls ramble until 11pm, I am quite puzzled how either of these did not happen at least once.

Saturday we attended the blustery Orange and White game at Neyland stadium, in which our starting quarterback this year, Tyler Bray, went 5- for -30. Not encouraging to say the least. We did enjoy the visit to Neyland despite the lacking performance and cool conditions, and the girls even got to scream GO VOLS with their orange and white pom poms. Success!

We worshipped Sunday with a congregation on the outskirts of Pigeon Forge that Garland was familiar with, and it was absolutely great. The bible study that morning centered around Jesus’ words on forgiveness and repentance, and many members of that local church body had really good comments and scripture references for discussion. Our afternoon was spent eating Tex-Mex and traversing through the tight nit traffic in Sevierville from the car show that was being hosted there. That afternoon, we were able to manage a “short” walk around the cabins that ended with Little e and I winning the race up the final hill leading to our cabin. That evening was spent playing some board games and telling embarrassing stories from our upbringings in Tennessee, in which there were many. I am not sure if the quantity of stories were due to all of us growing up in Tennessee, as it was the common denominator between us, or if it were just happenstance of our unique families. Between gut wrenching family photos, unreal stocking stuffers, and first car mishaps, we had the cabin overflowing with stories and laughter. I will not submit those stories in this venue, as they must be lively animated and wavers signed to keep silence of the history being revealed. If you are interested, please let me know, and I will forward you a waiver.

Our last day was spent completing a laxidasial pack and finishing one last coffee infused jam session, in which the floorboards of the landing were shaking loose and skylight from the top of the cabin was cracked from the rock that was being brought forth. Honestly, my embellishments of the music coming from the amplifiers and drumsticks really are a shield of mediocrity that lies at the heart of our abilities. That is what I love about music though; you can be as good as your love for music. Whether its playing air guitar and singing to your dashboard, or pickin’ with buddies the three songs you know how to play, music allows you to be Eric Clapton in your own mind. If not Eric Clapton, place the name of your favorite musician here: _______________. The goodbye was bittersweet. As we have experienced along the way thus far, the visits have been extremely great, but we have to begun to seriously entertain in our minds that we will not see these faces as often any longer. This perplexing idea is comforted with the visits we are having, as well as the anticipation to be in Perth to start serving God with the brethren there. This time spent with Garland and Tamani was as good as we have ever had and especially good for the recharge of our family battery, but unfortunately our departure signals the rock will be on mute for a while. So it looks like its air guitar and singing to the dashboard for the near future.

So that’s what we are doin’! Crankin it up and singing away to the next part of the trip: Mobile, Alabama. Barbeque, Nanny and Pappy, and a much needed and anticipated visit with Melissa’s brother Brian.

BBCII: The Remix