So now, let me tell you about Front Royal.

I’ve told you about Skyline Drive and how it took my breath away. I’ve told you about the quiet, winding roads, and the deer.

Well, the downtown is just as precious.

Julia and I ate dinner at The Mill and had amazing comfort food before our wander. As I walked up to our table, I took a deep breath and said a prayer of thanks for Julia. I know it’s special and I know it’s not always the case to have a daughter like her. I know what it is like to parent hard kids. So, I don’t take it for granted that she is kind and joyful and hard working.

Downtown was full of families and college students. It was quirky and beautiful.

We saw a sign for an arcade. We wandered in and there were original arcade games from my youth. I took a look around and it was filled with tweens, teens, and young couples. There was a set of well loved couches in the middle and blasting on the television was ‘Baby, Baby’ by Amy Grant. You know how I feel about Amy. My dream growing up was to be her backup singer. I haven’t given up on that. Maybe someday, down the line (yes, that’s another Amy reference) she’ll find me and I’ll sing.

Anyways, I knew that was a sign that we were in the perfect place to create memories woven between my childhood, her childhood, my college, her college, and song.

We finished out our evening at the local ice cream shop. When the owner asked what I wanted, I answered ‘I’m not sure’. Julia said, ‘a little bit of everything.’ He said, ‘Well, I don’t have ‘I’m not sure’, but I do have ‘a little bit of everything’. I burst out laughing when he really did have a bucked labeled ‘a little bit of everything’.

I hope you get to visit someday. I really think you would love it.