Jace’s First Birthday and The Townsend Adventures

(Jace eats his first birthday cake with a family audience.)

Lisa and I have many reasons this year to celebrate meaningful events and remember our family’s blessings. For instance, Jace’s first birthday occurred on July 1, 2023. The simplest blessings sometimes possess life’s most powerful messages. My children, Annabelle and Jace, are safe and healthy with two married parents who deeply love them. Sometimes I take these luxuries for granted – safety, good health, and a fruitful marriage. Not every family happens to be so lucky.

While sitting down, Jace often sways to music with his two hands in the air, waving them like he just doesn’t care. These sways might be interpreted as his form of dancing. He especially enjoys dancing to the music of movies and cartoons, such as Frozen’s "Let It Go" or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles theme song (the latest version of the show). As such, we decorated our home for Jace’s party with Ninja Turtle adornments.

My sister, Allison, has two children, Ayden and Brogan. My father, Jim Cartee, Jr., is known as G-Daddy by Ayden and Brogan. Annabelle has since named G-Daddy, JayJay, for reasons unknown to me. The new nickname seems to have taken hold…. Annabelle and Jace say “JayJay” much more often than "G-Daddy." It is endearing when Annabelle constantly asks, "Where is JayJay? Where is CeeCee?” Annabelle has developed a strong sentiment toward my parents.       

CeeCee, JayJay, and Allison attended Jace’s party. In doing so, they traveled from Nashville to Knoxville, a decent drive of approximately three hours. During the occasion, Jace had his first taste of birthday cake. At first, Jace seemed hesitant, like, "What do I do with this food sitting in front of me?" He then wrecked the cake with his bare hands by stuffing the delicious dessert into his mouth. Jace’s reactions to sweet flavors were entertaining, to say the least! 

After scouring the birthday cake, our family shared dinner together. Then Jace opened his presents. Of course, Annabelle was extremely helpful, eating as much cake as possible and then playing with the gifts…all the things a big sister should do. Annabelle now constantly reminds us that her birthday is approaching in August. As a once-in-a-lifetime event in Jace’s journey, turning one, it was wonderful having the family together. These times together used to be more frequent. So, I cherish the few moments a year we are all together.

As I grow older, I have realized how difficult traveling becomes with two children under the age of three, especially on long road trips. We stayed close to home for a summer vacation to keep things simple. We traveled to a small mountain town named Townsend, close to Knoxville, Tennessee. Before our trip, Allison left after the party on Saturday, returning to Nashville.   

Townsend is nestled in the heart of the picturesque Great Smoky Mountains and offers visitors a unique blend of natural beauty and historical prominence. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Townsend experienced a logging business boom that fueled its economic growth. The dense forests surrounding the town provided abundant valuable timber, attracting logging companies and sawmills to the area. Townsend now serves as a unique tourist destination on the quiet side of the Smokies, away from the hustle and bustle of nearby Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.

For six days, my parents rented a cabin for our family in Townsend. I wish I had taken more pictures of this residence. The house was built by the grandfather of the man who owned it. The craftsmanship was awe-inspiring! The layout of the cabin included one bedroom downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. CeeCee and JayJay slept downstairs while Lisa, I, and the kids slept upstairs. There was a comfortable space for socialization and watching television on the main level. Another similar smaller space existed in a loft area upstairs with furniture and another television. The cabin felt homey with candescent lights and the fresh smell of mountain wood. The residence occupied property across the street from the Little River, a waterway where thousands of visitors tube every summer in Townsend. I could have stayed several more days in this beautiful home!

On our first day, with the company of my parents, Lisa and I wanted to take the kids to Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies in Gatlinburg. We also visited a local moonshine establishment called Sugarlands Moonshine Distilling Company. My parents were soon tired of the July 4^th crowds and the midday heat. So, CeeCee and JayJay left Gatlinburg a little early. At the same time, Lisa, I, and the kids enjoyed an arcade, some light shopping, and the Ole’ Smoky Candy Kitchen. This candy store existed in Gatlinburg since 1952, and this establishment has made homemade taffy since its opening. Their taffy selection consists of thirty-three flavor choices. If you ever visit Gatlinburg, you must visit the Candy Kitchen. Our first day in the mountains was definitely full of action!

On Tuesday, July 4, we all took the kids down by the riverside to swim. Annabelle and Jace would sit in the shallow parts, throw rocks, and enjoy the cool water. At first, both kids were intimidated by the current, but eventually, both seemed to acclimate to the river. At night, the town leadership of Townsend planned a Fourth of July fireworks event. Before the fireworks, there were food trucks and live entertainment with local bands. Annabelle and I threw a Nerf football on a nearby field. When Annabelle and I returned to our chairs, Annabelle wanted to involve CeeCee in throwing the football. Annabelle can throw pretty hard if close enough to your face. She did just that! Annabelle hit Mom in her mouth, knocking her glasses off and messing up a glamorous hairstyle fit for the occasion. I laughed vigorously for several minutes, thus frustrating Mom even more. Annabelle joined in on the laughing escapade as well.

Unfortunately, we might have been too close to the fireworks launch site. It was very loud! While Jace seemed unaffected by the noise, the fireworks scared Annabelle. She has since declared that the fireworks are over and that there will be no more fireworks this summer. The event and celebratory spectacle were phenomenal!

We visited The Dancing Bean coffee house on Wednesday and a few more local country souvenir shops. This coffee shop sits in a large log cabin, close to other shops and a winery. The interior of the Dancing Bean is quaint and homey, with a few tables and chairs. For coffee alone, this is our favorite spot in Townsend. However, if you desire both an excellent coffee and a dessert treat, we also thoroughly enjoy The Chocolate Bar.

We then ate at Townsend's newest restaurant, The Peaceful Side Social Brewery and Craft Kitchen. The eatery includes a microbrewery and a solid food selection. The beer was good, and the food was tasty. The Peaceful Side had a large patio outside and a small playground for young children with slides and a tunnel on what resembled a small hill of greenery. The area's layout was well-designed with families and outdoors enthusiasts in mind. Because Annabelle and Jace enjoyed the river so much the day before, Lisa and I took them back to the same shallow river spot as before. This time, we stayed longer than our visit before, so the kids could soak and swim leisurely. Mom and Dan decided to go home rather than take another swim in the river.

On Thursday, Mom and Dad left to go home in the morning. Lisa, I, and the kids stayed one extra day. While a little challenging with Annabelle, we decided to hike on the West Pong Trail in the Smokey Mountains National Park. The trail is wide and relatively flat with a steady incline, ideal for families with kids. We hiked approximately one and a half miles on the trail before Annabelle wanted me to carry her. We continually try to acclimate the kids to the outdoors; however, kids will be kids. They quickly grow tired and then want to be carried.   

After our three-mile hike (1.5 miles in and out), the kids took a one-hour nap in the car. The Peaceful Side restaurant has a taco bar from Thursday-Sunday during the spring and summer seasons. Lisa and I were eager to try this specific cuisine since we thoroughly enjoyed the restaurant the previous day. The food tasted like traditional Mexican street tacos with delectable spices and ingredients. We again enjoyed being with the kids outside, with the mountains surrounding us on all sides.     

On Friday morning, Lisa and I wanted to visit The Dancing Bean one more time for a last-minute coffee. Townsend has several miles of paved walkways, including alongside the Little River. We walked another three miles with the children in a stroller. Before returning home to Knoxville, we visited the Foothills Parkway, which has some of the most beautiful Wears Valley and Townsend vistas. It is a relaxed road through the mountains without much traffic, so one can pull over and soak in the scenery. It was a solid note to end the trip on! 

Because of Jace’s first birthday and our trip to Townsend, I was reminded of some valuable life lessons. For example, swimming in the river and savoring the taste of moonshine again taught me to find happiness in life's simple pleasures. Life is full of everyday moments that can bring joy if we are present and appreciative of them. This trip reminded me of the importance of living in the present, fully engaged in each moment, just as I was fully present in nature's embrace.

The memories I created with my family during this trip are precious. They reinforced the significance of nurturing and cherishing connections with loved ones, as these relationships enrich our lives.

Nature operates on its own terms, reminding me that there are aspects of life beyond our control. Sometimes, the best approach is to let go and trust the journey, just as I have trusted trails that led me through the wilderness while hiking.

(Jace loves playing with balloons!)

(I kept laughing at Jace shoving the cake in his mouth.)

(Annabelle loves her Aunt Allison!)

(Jace enjoys the river with JayJay’s assistance.)

(When we hike as a family, Jace rides and enjoys the scenery.)

(One of the viewpoints on the Foothills Parkway.)

(Annabelle plays nicely with her brother, Jace, in the river.)

(Annabelle smiles and snuggles with CeeCee during the 4^th of July event in Townsend.)

(Jace likes holding the markers more than actually drawing with them.)

(Jace thinks, “Is my second birthday here yet? I need more cake!”)

#JacesFirstBirthday #FamilyCelebration #PreciousMoments #Blessings #BirthdayCake #SiblingLove #FamilyTime #MountainTown #TownsendTN #GreatSmokyMountains #CabinLife #NatureBeauty #RiverSwimming #GratefulHeart #LifeLessons #Contentment #SimplePleasures #AppreciatingLife #AdventureAwaits #MakingMemories #DaddyDestinations #Daddy #Dad #Blog #Family #DaddiesAndDaughters #Destinations #Memories #Story #Narrative #Inspiration #JamesCartee

The Creation of Life versus the End of Our Journey – Miracles All Around

 (Annabelle and Jace hang out in the crib together.)

As I read previous blog entries about the births of my children, the creation of life is a beautiful memory! Many years ago, I vividly remember visiting my grandmother, who at the time suffered from cancer, coming to the end of her life journey. Put simply, I have often come to the extremes of individual life spans…the start and the end. I see the newfound energy of Baby Jace, my son, with his cuteness exposed in his plush red cheeks. Each family member cuts in line and argues over who will hold him next. This imagery of Jace is a drastic comparison to the grandmother I saw run a marathon for almost eighty-five years until diagnosed with cancer. She clearly struggled with the challenges of the illness. As I have experienced miracles in my life through my own survival, I have become a miracle by persisting to live. I choose to get up each day, and I choose to keep moving forward. If I can live daily without giving up the fight, then anyone who believes in this same positive mantra can do the same.  

If I am not feeling happy all the time, I sometimes look down on myself. This is neither healthy nor productive. In my day-to-day routine, I do not always feel like the character, Tigger, from the famous cartoon, Winnie-the-Pooh. In fact, I sometimes feel drastically different than how Tigger is portrayed in the show. Some days I am definitely not bouncing off walls with contagious enthusiasm.

Recently, I have witnessed that my lows are really not that low at all. Many exist in worse predicaments than all of us, even if we face adverse circumstances. I expect my daily moments to constantly feel like holding a newborn baby, fresh and exciting. This perpetual feeling thus becomes never-ending with good days every day. However, for most of us, that is not life or our own experienced reality. As the reader, please do not mistake the feeling of being down versus choosing your daily attitude, especially in hard times. These mentalities are distinctly different. Those who feel down may also choose the attitude they personify, positive or negative, for better or worse.

Most believers consider the birth of life to be a miracle. Much like birth, God consistently performs miracles for those who need healing from diseases and serious injuries. I believe the occurrence of a miracle transpires from a prayer request and in the confidence that God will answer that prayer request.

I recall asking for past miracles of healing that God may or may not have answered. These prayers resulted in emotional pleas of sorrow, confusion, and frustration. On the other hand, in the next moment, I experienced the miracle of birth that resulted in emotional prayers of gratefulness (a healthy baby). On one hand, the dualistic relationship serves as a spiritual high through the creation of life. On the flip side, I then experience down feelings of what eventually becomes inevitable for every human, death. The celebration of life mixes with a sad feeling to see one eventually go to a heavenly home.

As I have seen many times in my journey, life comes and goes with miracles through the in-between periods. Some miracle prayer requests are answered, while some remain unanswered.

If you experience misery and loathe each day, life may pass you by. And amidst the grief, you become discouraged as I have in my own past experiences. One might consider these feelings normal for human beings at certain times in life. In other words, we all feel these mixed emotions.

When you give your very best to change whatever creates this experienced misery, the miracle of God's Glory becomes magnified. If you do not give in, if you do not give up, if you do not quit, your spiritual heart knows that God has more for you. In the daily decision a person makes to get up and never give in, good things will start to come. Give God everything you got in the goals and directions that you pursue, and a favorable blessing will eventually emerge. In this pursuit, enjoy the breaks to create, celebrate, and dedicate time to those you love.

This mentality becomes vital at the beginning of one life with birth and the end of another person's life with death. Even if you do not enjoy what you do in your day-to-day routine, you will at least enjoy these precious moments with your loved ones. That may be where the real joy always lies – encountering those cherished few people you leave in the morning and those you return to in the evening. The in-between times during work hours may only serve one purpose for now - to pay the bills. Then even in a day's time, we realize that miracles come at both the beginning and the end of our days, much like the birth and death of a life.

With the experience of these beginning and end miracles, we can all become a Tigger! We can glorify God with the attitude we choose to possess by observing the good around us at the beginning and end of a hard day’s work.   

These tiny humans bring me daily joy at the beginning and end of my many hectic days. Enjoy more pictures displaying their incredible cuteness.

(Jace’s smile brightens my day.)

(When asleep, Jace is so quiet. He is not quiet most of the time while awake.)

(Annabelle rides the rhino at the Knoxville Zoo. Much like her mama, Lisa, Annabelle loves animals!)

(Annabelle was seriously tired after a half-day at the Knoxville Zoo. She clearly had a good time.)

(Jace’s feet are still so small. I try my best to cherish these moments.)

(While visiting the grandparents, G-Daddy reads Annabelle a book before bedtime.)

(Annabelle drives the firetruck at the Discovery Center Children’s Museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

(Annabelle places G-Daddy’s famed headband on Jace’s head for a photo opportunity.)

#daddydestinations #daddy #dad #blog #family #destinations #memories #story #inspiration #JamesCartee #goodness #lessons #family #blessings

The Engaged Grace of Gratitude

(Annabelle and Jace relax on the couch with full tummies and maybe full diapers.)

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.”

Psalm 95:2 (NIV)

Almost every night I enjoy my daily cuddle times with Jace (now two months old) as I watch the CBS television hit, Blue Bloods, on Paramount Plus, starring Tom Selleck as New York City’s finest Police Commissioner, Frank Reagan. Jace now smiles at Daddy with some gentle coos of “Oow’s” and “Awe’s.” Slowly, Jace falls asleep in my arms, and he just so happens to snore with a pacifier in his mouth. The pacifier acts like a musical instrument as Jace whistles a song inhaling through his mouthpiece to then let out a huge sigh through his nostrils. When I embrace Jace in my arms on the couch at this moment, I pause the greatest cop show of all time. Then I imagine the gentle feel of my son’s skin and his stellar small body protected in a moment of solitude. We sit there in stillness with expressed thanks to God for these fleeting thoughts of a young father’s real-time joys.

In the quivers of a woodwind musical symphony quartet, the sounds of a baby’s whispers settle into my own breathing patterns as my heart practices songs of gratitude. There is grace in the practiced presence of stillness that a busy society so often neglects to pay bills, thus orchestrating the false identity that more of everything brings some form of satisfaction (i.e. more money, bigger houses, luxury cars, etc.). This endless pursuit of more busyness pushes the threshold of sanity only to take away from the relationships that bring true sanctity to the meaning of fulfillment.

Children naturally bring gracious moments of gratitude into a parent’s life because these previous memories seem few and far between. I only have time to focus on my two tiny human children rather than the selfishness that pursuits of grandeur usually bring, meaning self-accolades of accomplishment to pat myself on the back. While career goals and the personal achievement of success warrant their own merits of fulfillment, these aspirations compare little to the moments previously described.

I experience gratitude by taking the time to remember the preciousness of today. I seize the moment by sensing where I am when the Spirit moves me to do so. I choose to engage in conversations with my son and daughter rather than typing one more research dialogue that incorporates a reading audience of five people.

In other words, I enhance my feelings of gratitude through the taste, touch, smell, and sounds experienced in the miracle of being alive and knowing I am human right now.

On another facet, if I forget the blessings before me, I make it a mental point to remember previous hardships and how God provided the grace necessary to survive those lowland adversities. By remembering the bad times, I further appreciate and embark on the good times of today.

On a final note, I try to share my gracious thoughts of gratitude with others. By speaking good into existence with familiar friends and family, positive vibes thrive into future positive feelings of remembered and celebrated goodness. That is the true nature of the fall season and the destinations we journey to with our Thanksgiving holidays. Being preemptively proactive to affirm the blessings received, I end this year and begin the new with a fresh outlook that keeps my soul youthful, fresh, and wise.

Jace and Annabelle make me a better person when their needs far outweigh my own. There is no time to complain about the small worries of my own nothingness. There is only time to celebrate the small wins of the present victories of musical snores, sleep, and slumber while Tom Selleck quotes some of my favorite inspirational words of fatherhood in the background.

Below you can witness some of my favorite memories I daily reminisce and dream on.

(Lisa and Annabelle enjoy the high and very long slides at Unity Park in Greenville, South Carolina.)

(Annabelle smiles in the marvel of the splash pad at Unity Park in Greenville, South Carolina.)

(We tried for a successful family portrait of CeeCee and G-Daddy with the four grandchildren, however, Jace snoozed the entire time.)

(Annabelle crashes with cuddles for nap time on G-Daddy.)

(Jace is such a cute baby with those precious smiles!)

(Jace is, indeed, the cutest Tennessee fan of all time!)

#daddydestinations #daddy #dad #blog #family #familylife #sons #DaddiesAndDaughters #destinations #memories #story #narrative #inspiration #JamesCartee #goodness #lifelessons #Jace #Annabelle

Creativity Expressed in Poetic Fashion - My Swan River Daisy

(At the bowling alley, Annabelle enjoys adult horseback rides on Mom's shoulders.) 

My last poetry collection, titled All His Gifts: Poems on Love, Life, and Loss, paid tribute to my wife, Lisa, in her honor. Therefore, in the same light, I also seek to create a poetry anthology that will also honor my daughter, Annabelle. As I continue to write and entertain my own muse, this poem, My Swan River Daisy, struck a chord of heartstrings for this new special collection to now come forward. Read and enjoy the love expressions for my daughter.

My Swan River Daisy

You are my swan river daisy!
For your fond smiles, I stand amazed.
Graced with your giggles and affections,
Daises sprinkled in sundials,
My love for you is crazy!

You are my swan river daisy!
The light pours in through the shaded trees.
Roots glisten in water that flows
From rain-shadowed clouds of blessings.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
Unexpected surprises teach me to flourish,
Even though my heart feels malnourished.
My mind no longer remains hushed.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
Turn towards my arms to encompass my love.
Raise those hugs surrounded by hope.
My fatherly voice will guide your way.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
I mix the soil for a simple rush of joy,
Especially with thoughts of a brotherly boy
Whose happiness will soon annoy.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
Turn towards what is good, what is calm,
What is peaceful, what is right,
Toward the valued wonders of this world.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
Choose the path of selfless yet esteemed.
Stand confident yet stellar in lights beamed.
After seconds asleep, your face shines dreamed.
 
You are my swan river daisy!
For your fond smiles, I stand amazed.
Graced with your giggles and affections,
Daises sprinkled in sundials,
My love for you is crazy!
 
5/17/22

Here are the latest photo captures of my dearest daughter and darling!

(Annabelle giggles and interacts with river otters at Grandfather Mountain State Park, although she calls them "puppies.")

(Annabelle plays peek-a-boo with Daddy's ball caps.)

(Annabelle finds a large egg during her Easter egg hunt.)

(Annabelle says, "Ooooh, I found a special egg that I really like.")

(While Mom loses at the claw game, Annabelle poses for another cute picture.)

#daddydestinations #daddy #dad #blog #family #DaddiesAndDaughters #destinations #memories #story #narrative #inspiration #poetry #poem