"Boxing Day is traditionally the day following Christmas Day, when servants and tradesmen would receive gifts from their superiors[1] or employers, known as a "Christmas box".
Though it took place the week after Christmas, Beka got to take part in a "boxing weekend" because of her sweet sister, Roxanne!
Roxanne, or as Emery affectionately calls her, "Nini", works at an adorable bed and breakfast here in Nashville (http://butterflymeadowsinn.com)
They are on top of a beautiful hill, and the place is just STUNNING! Roxanne helps around the inn, called Butterfly meadows, cleaning and cooking.
Each year the staff gets to live like guests for the weekend, and the owners take them on fabulous outings, and wait on them as if they were truly guests.
Each staff member got to bring one guest (usually a spouse) to this wonderful get away, and Roxanne chose to take her sister, Beka!
As you can imagine Beka was more than excited to accept! A weekend away, with her sister/ best friend, and somewhere beautiful, where she does not have to clean afterwards, COUNT HER IN!
Roxanne and Beka got there on friday afternoon, and lounged in their room, over looking a fabulous sunset and view.
Then Roxanne got a massage that was sent down straight from heaven while Beka read peacefully in her room. Could this day get any better?...oh you just wait.
The owners treated the whole staff and plus ones to dinner at the chop house in Franklin TN (http://www.thechophouse.com). Beka and Roxanne ate until they could pop, and got to chat with some fabulous human beings. Beka loved seeing the world that Roxanne lived in, and Roxanne loved sharing it with her older sister.
After dinner they were both treated to a movie at the Franklin Theatre (http://www.franklintheatre.com). It is an old theatre that was brought back to life in the last new years. We watched Indiana Jones and the raiders of the lost ark. Beka had never seen ANY of these movies, so she was swept away in the drama and adventure of it all. Plus Harrison Ford is DREAMY! It was a wonderful night indeed!
Then Beka and Roxanne returned to their room in the inn, and slept, uninterrupted, for 8 hours of BLISS! They shared a bed (they had MANY a times as children), but the bed was SO BIG they did not even know they were both there! They awoke to the soft sunrise in their room, and the sweet chatter of colleges down stairs. It was heavenly.
They ate a breakfast specially prepared for them by the owners of the inn. When I say specialty, I really mean it! Beka is vegan and Roxanne cannot tolerate dairy (thanks genetics!), so the owner had some muffins and such just for them to eat. No dairy, no tummy aches. They were so thankful! Plus Butterfly Meadows has a kerig in sight no matter where you are, so Beka and Roxanne had loads of coffee to start the day. It was a happy start indeed.
Then Beka and Roxanne went to the Lotz house for a complimentary tour. There are a few houses in Franklin TN that were used as hospitals during the civil war. THIS WAS ONE OF THEM! During the five bloodyiest hours of the civil war, this house, of a modest wood worker, was used to do surgery and perform medical acts for both the union and confederate soldiers. Beka and Roxanne both got to hold a cannon ball that was from was found in the front yard of this home, and stand over the indents in the original hard wood floors from where another cannon ball crashed through the roof and dented the floor! Beka has been to one other historic home, and this was Roxanne's first. The common history nerd in them was FREAKING OUT about all the past that was being told to them in this fantastic home. To respect the history there were not many photos taken inside of the LOTZ home, but one of Roxanne's sweet co-workers got a photo of them outside the house, bursting with facts and buzzing with the sweet feeling of live history!
While they were there Beka bought a documentary about the remains of a civil war soldier found miles from where Beka and Roxanne live. Come over and watch it with them sometime.
After the mind blowing historic experience, the owners of the bed and breakfast treated everyone to a fantastic lunch at a new restaurant called Puckett's boathouse (http://puckettsboathouse.com). We ate the most fabulous seafood (try the cocoanut shrimp with the pina colada dressing...you will thank me) and the staff exchanged holiday gifts.
It was so heart warming to see all the folks that Roxanne worked with shower her with Love and appreciation, and her do the same to wonderful people. Beka got to witness the love fest with a full heart (and belly). She cares so much for her little sister, so to see her appreciated is the best thing. Also people talked to her like she was part of this lovely team! It was quite enchanting.
After lunch Beka and Roxanne came back to the Inn, and Beka had to head home. She had a long night of church planning ahead of her (they were moving locations the next day), so she had to leave the boxing weekend one night early. She was so sad to leave, but she was meeting this face soon.
Emery and Michael came to pick up Beka at the beauty that is Butterfly Meadows. Before Beka and Roxanne got there, Michael and Emery were able to explore the wonderful Inn. Emery liked the outside the best. He was exploring the grounds so hard that he fell over in excitement! He got some leaves in his hair, but overall he was fine. He was not amused.
After Beka said farewell to her new friends, she went home with her best big and little guy. Fantastic is an understated way of explaining her weekend at butterfly meadows. She met wonderful people, ate at the BEST restaurants, and went to places she has been wanting to go to for years!!! She was so thankful for a. her sister in including her in this wonderful weekend, and b. Butterfly Meadows and the kindness that was shown to her in these two short days.
Beka went into 'Boxing weekend' not even knowing what the term meant, and she has left it with a deep sense of gratitude.
To have a master serve as a servant is life changing, no matter what your career. Think about that next time you have some power, and see how it changes those who work beneath you.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful weekend with us!
Thanks
Team Oakley.
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