A Visit With Lovely Isa

I love the Michael W. Smith lyrics:

“And friends are friends forever
If the Lord’s the Lord of them…”

That thought has been wonderfully true of our dear friends Dr. J. & Lovely S!

Their friendship has been a God-given treasure ever since the Bible study years ago when I first met the fun-loving Lovely S and then later had the chance to get to know her gifted & remarkable husband Dr. J. Since Dr. J. was a Vanderbilt resident doctor at the time, it took awhile for me to find that he was not merely a pleasant figment of Lovely S.’s imagination.

When Uncle R and I first became engaged, Dr. J & Lovely S were the first to take us out for a celebration dinner and we have always treasured that happy memory. Then lovely S was one of my bridesmaids and there followed many an entertaining evening, a shared meal, and a weekend afternoon that Uncle R. & I were blessed to spend in their always interesting and ever creative company.

When they were called to move away from Nashville for Dr. J’s work, Uncle R and I greatly missed them. Over the many years that have gone by, it seems like no time has passed when we get together and start chatting again. Now Dr. J’s work has taken them to San Diego and they are even farther away from us in body, but remain ever close in our hearts.

In the last couple of years something else very precious happened in our friendship – Uncle R and I were given the (we believe) God ordained opportunity to know Dr. J. & Lovely S’s son, The Daring Json & Sweet & Also Lovely Isa. In the abundant way that the Lord gives to us, Uncle R and I have savored the times that we have had to get to know these two young people better and this week we were able to focus just on the Sweet Isa.

Sweet Isa flew into town on Monday after a visit with friends back in Birmingham and stayed with us until Wednesday afternoon – a far too short a time! We took her to some of our favorite eateries: outdoor dining at Jackson’s in Hillsboro Village on Monday night with dessert following at ChaChah’s. On Tuesday we wielded spatulas at The Pfunky Griddle for breakfast, nibbled a light lunch at Savannah Tea Company while sipping aromatic tea, sneaked in an impulse Mayo’s peach fried pie, found some tiny spot of space still left in our stomachs for a cool nibble of paletas (one of Sweet Isa's favorite Nashville treats) and somehow managed to finish off the day with the southern food at Monell’s that Sweet Isa had been missing out in “culturally-deprived” San Diego where people don’t seem to know what sweet iced tea is!

Fortunately all the eating was surrounded by a great deal of walking in and around various Nashville bookstores, the Green Hills Mall and the Apple Store and some Hillsboro Village shops.(I think that as much as Uncle R. shares our love of books – when we walked out of the mega used bookstore, McKays, he had the beaten look of a man who has walked his last book aisle for the day!)

Wednesday morning we brunched at Marche and then sadly took Lovely Isa to the airport.

Uncle R & I truly love this remarkable young woman. She is beautiful both inside and out, incredibly smart, wonderfully kind, interesting AND interested in everything and everyone around her. It warmed our hearts that she wanted to come for a visit and we fervently hope that she will use our humble little guest room as a retreat whenever it is needed. (That offer absolutely includes The Daring Json or either parent!)


We are personally going to be doing some serious praying that Lovely Isa might choose Vandy as a college choice!

Love to Pamela’s Girls!
Auntie J.