Hi friends, welcome to another episode of that sounds fun and happy Veterans Day. I'm Annie F. Downs. So happy to be here with you today. The music in the background is from our good buddy Mr. Drew Holcomb. His new album is called Dragon. I hope you will grab a copy and give it a spin. It's so so good.

We wanted to be real intentional today and celebrate Veterans Day. So first of all, thank you to all of our friends who are listening, who have served in the Armed Forces, who are serving in the Armed Forces, or who family member is serving. We are so, so grateful. We know based on our stats that there are a lot of you guys listening from other countries. And that's my guess is some of you are serving our country and other countries. And I just wanted to say thank you for that. That means a lot to me.

Kristen Strong is a friend I've had for many years and she is part of a military family. Her husband served for many years as you'll hear in our conversation. And so I thought man, she is the exact right woman. I want to have on the show today. So if you are a military wife or military husband. If you are in the military yourself, we thought of you so much in this episode. If you have friends like that in your life. Would you send them this episode? Because Kristen has some real good words for people who are serving in this specific way.

And Kristen has a new book that just came out this fall called Backroads to Belonging that I think you're going to love. So here is our conversation with a good friend. Kristen Strong.

Yeah, do you hear the difference? I can pretend I'm carrying her wood. Oh, yes. That's right. Is she your favorite? I mean, I know you love Lady Annabelle, but Lady Annabelle is my favorite by far. Oh, that new music they've put out. Oh, Kristen.

I'm losing my mind. I know. I know that. What if I never get over you? Oh, listen, even one of my sons was like, Mom, that song hits a little too close.

I mean, like a five year old can be like, it's too much for me. I mean, that song is so real to me. I when it came out, I like said on InstaStory. I was like, I promise y'all I'm not even close to brokenhearted right now. And that song is messing with me. I know. I know.

I believe it does be to it. I'm not brokenhearted either, but it it's just the way they sing it. And then when they say I've heard them singing on, you know, Jimmy Fallon and went out and it's so good. Right. Where did you see them at Red Rocks? Is that what I remember? No, we saw them at Fiddler's Green.

Oh, that's right. That's right. So I love every time you see them, you're always like, look who I am. I know. And they're sweet because they go out to the poor side.

Like they don't just stay on stage. They go out into the audience. Like so it's like you feel like you're a little closer to them. Do else. Do you love and country music? We've never talked about this.

Keith Urban. Okay. I do like Carrie Underwood because she's an Oki and I'm an Oki. Oh, that's right. I like all the Oki's. I like Garth Brooks. I like Reba McIntyre. I love Reba. Oh, Reba. Yeah. Can you imagine the day when I get like Reba and Garth? Dolly is like I'm dying to have Dolly on the show.

Oh, I bet you get her at some point. You will get her. It's just a matter of time. We're just knocking on all the doors. We can knock to get Garth and Reba and Trisha.

I would love to. Oh, yes. Oh, okay. So I was at the Lizzo concert last week. Do you listen to Lizzo? I know her. I don't listen to her. Great deal. But I know her.

So I was at the Lizzo concert at the Ryman, which is hilarious. Trisha Yearwood. Front row.

Oh, absolute front row losing her mind. It was the most fun. She was singing everywhere at one point. Chris,

at your site at one point, Lizzo leans down and has everyone in the front row singing to the microphone.

And the Ryman goes nuts because we all know that's Trisha Yearwood singing into the microphone. Lizzo,

she knows she didn't play like she knew she played the okay. And so the whole crowd is just like,

what is happening right now that Lizzo is having Trisha Yearwood sing into her microphone?

Oh, my goodness. It was awesome. I can't. Oh, her daughters there too. I wonder or any of her daughters.

I guess it was because daughters. Yeah. I don't know who is with her anymore. There were women on either side of her that I did not recognize from the

Food Network show that I watch a lot. I watch. Oh, I love her too. I love her too. Yeah. My sister-in-law, her daughter played soccer. And she would see Garth and Trisha at the soccer fields.

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