Warm Food on a Cold Morning

Today we and some other families from church went downtown to work at HopeFaith Ministries, which offers services for the homeless in Kansas City. Volunteers purchase and cook breakfast for 300 homeless or underprivileged people. We decided it was important enough for the kids to miss a morning of school.

After a slow start (we waited in the cold along with the homeless for 45 min because no one could figure out where the key to the building was), we all packed into a tiny commercial kitchen and chaos ensued. Somehow we managed to bake 500 + canned biscuits, reconstitute and heat 20+ gallons of gravy with sausage, fry hashbrowns and open canned fruit in a place that had half a working griddle, a questionable gas oven and a six burner commercial range. Whew! I felt like we were on Dinner Impossible.

It was a great experience to talk with and serve the people. They were all appreciative and the kids filled the plates and handed it to each one who came through the line. It was certainly eye opening to be in a place so different from a nicely ordered (at least on the outside) Johnson County. I hope we can keep involved in this world as the kids grow up.

At the end, Blane whispered to me, "Mom! Can I keep the hairnet and gloves?" Ah, it's great to be six!

Home Again

We came home this morning, leaving St. Louis around 10:30 am. We had a nice drive home, a little family devo tonight, and begin the washing and preparing for next week. A lovely fall break, and we're glad to be home safe!

City Museum

Day 2 in St. Louis started delightfully lazy. We all went to bed at a decent time and "slept in" until 8:30--wow! After enjoying our complimentary hot breakfast (Z and S brought their cereal down), we set off for City Museum, which was probably the highlight of our trip.

City Museum is a funky, crazy maze of reclaimed items from the city of St. Louis. Outside, there are probably a thousand feet of wire, rebar and old steel bent into impossible tunnels, steps, slides and the like. There are two old airplanes that you can climb up to in a wire-enclosed tube. It's truly an engineering marvel. There are two gigantic ball pits as well (Seth lost his shoe for a while in one). Tunnels and walkways widen and narrow, but always stay safe (unlike, say, Bishop's Castle!) The designs are whimsical, and almost seem Dr. Seuss inspired. Needless to say, the boys (and we) had a marvelous time climbing around.

Inside, there are beautiful mosaics (also from reclaimed items, I suppose) covering the floors and the walls. Serpents, chameleons, fish...it's all there. There was a slide from the second to the first floor in case you didn't want to go down the stairs. We explored all three floors and decided to grab lunch before we attended the circus (yes, circus!) at 1 pm.

The circus is on the 3rd floor of the museum. It's actually a circus arts school for children and adults. I wasn't expecting a lot, but was delighted at the perfomance. All of the performers looked to be 20 or younger, with some looking no older than Seth and maybe even Blane! Those kids were dancing on balls, juggling, flipping everywhere, performing acrobatics and were pros at working the crowd (even the little guy was a natural showman). I was very impressed with their talent.

Afterwards, we explored the cave system on the first floor. Again, it was a boy's wonderland, with wormholes everywhere, but you were always safe. I decided to go down the 10 story slide. All I can say is...it was bumpy, and maybe my best sliding days are behind me! Very fun to have done it though.

After the caves, we traipsed through the upper level again, painting pictures in the art center and watching the boys play around with sponge building blocks in the building area. Seems like there was something new to discover around every corner! Exhausted, dirty but smiling, we piled into the car at about 3:30 to take a little rest at the hotel before dinner.

We crashed for a little bit, then made plans to swing by Union Station on our way to Pi Pizzaria, which had GF pizza. The Union Station complex is much bigger than Kansas City's, and more commercially developed, with a mall attached. We walked around the shops and Scott and the boys took a paddleboat ride on a little pond in the back of Union Station. We went into the Grand Hall and marveled at the beautiful architecture and details. We even went to the "Whispering Arch", which is an accoustical novelty--you can whisper into the wall at one end and someone can hear you (very well, I might add!) at the other end of the arch.

We finished out the day at Pi's with some really great GF pizza, which made the boys happy and crashed in the hotel, where we watched "Remember the Titans" on TV.

630

Six hundred and thirty--the number of feet the pinnacle of the Arch rises from the ground. It took about 5 minutes of our family sitting in a space-aged pod to reach the top. Scott and Seth were a little nervous about the height before they got up there, but it's quite secure of course. My favorite part is that they angled and carpeted the walls up to the windows, so you can basically lean your body flat against the angle and stare out for as long as you want to--very comfortable and kid-friendly. We saw the beautiful fall colors of the trees in the city, Union Station farther up the Gateway Mall and, turning to our east, Old Man River. We saw the barges pushing their freight around, the currents of the river, and Illinois on the other side (we'd been warned not to end up in East St. Louis, of "Honkie Lips" fame).

Funny thing, we only stayed up there about 5 minutes. Once you've seen the view, you've seen it, and there isn't much else you can do up there (it's an arch, after all). So down we went in our space pod, this time with a little less trepidation, because we had done that before.

After reaching the ground, we went to the Museum of Westward Expansion. This is a beautiful museum organized in the shape of a spiral (though it was a little confusing knowing where to start. It told the story of America's growth from the viewpoint of the white men and the natives, following the route of the Corps of Discovery until they reached the Pacific as well as more general expansion westward in the years following Lewis and Clark's trip. Since I was following Seth and Blane around, I'm not sure I got the most cohesive view of the whole thing. But the artifacts and displays were beautiful, and I loved seeing the pictures of all the different camps, especially those in Idaho, of course. It made me nostalgic. I suppose it's easy to romanticize the trip now, seeing how it wasn't me struggling through the snow, eating roots and toting a papoose on my back. But it was truly THE adventure of a lifetime for Lewis, Clark, Sacajawea and the men with them.

After going out to gaze at the Mississippi for a few minutes and watching the helicopter tours take off, we started back for the hotel. We had to cross several busy streets. A couple who was ahead of us started crossing after the "walk" sign came up when a car careened through a red light, narrowly missing the woman. We were all in shock, but the lady was thankfully unharmed. It served as an opportunity to remind the boys to always look before crossing, even when you think it is safe.

Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis...

This summer included many events, one of which was not a family vacation. A few weeks ago, I mentioned to Scott that we should drive over to St. Louis on a long weekend. St. Louis was on our list of regional places to visit and is a short 4 1/2 hr drive from KC. So we made it happen this weekend.

Both Scott and I had visited St. Louis many years before, and even though I was in college at the time, my memories were pretty vague. I'd been up the Arch and to Union Station, and that was about it. But this is a perfect time in our boys' lives to go. Plus, it dovetails well with some of the other discussions we've had about Lewis and Clark and westward expansion. I feel like we've kind of had a front row seat to Lewis and Clark's journey as well as the westward settlers, having lived along the Oregon Trail in Boise, becoming familiar with the lower part of the Lewis and Clark journey here on the banks of the Missouri and washing out barf Zac's clothes in the Salmon River (okay, maybe that one doesn't really count). It's at least theoretically possible that one of the Corps of Discovery members got sick in that river.

But I digress. We packed up and headed out eastward to the Gateway to the West. The drive over there was short and uneventful. My first impression: I think KC is prettier and I don't think I'm being too biased. But the Arch makes a lovely form on the skyline...you have no doubt where you are when you enter that city.

Our hotel was the Drury Inn, right next to the Arch. We even paid a small upcharge for a room with an Arch view, and it was worth it. We dropped our bags in the room and after a little downtime, set off to see the sights in walking distance.

Our first stop was the Old Courthouse, which housed a history museum of the city of St. Louis. It was interesting in that I learned how St. Louis became such an established outpost so early in our country's history (remember, it was practically like California in relation to the 13 colonies). It was a French fur trading post in the 1700's, well rooted enough in civilization to serve as the launch for Lewis and Clark in the early 1800's. Other than some interesting artifacts and architecture, I didn't think the museum was particularly well done. Many of the things were not labeled, just quotes listed on the wall from contemporaneous sources. At any rate, we couldn't stay long because we had 2:45 tickets for the tram to the top of the Arch. We walked across to the Arch and our hearts sank when we saw the line for security...just like the airport! "Too bad it's come to this," said Scott. Sadly, this is the reality now.

I got my pepper spray confiscated with a nice smile after about 1/2 hr of waiting in line. By then, we knew we weren't going to make the 2:45 tram. The whole place is a sunken bunker underneath the Arch and includes the Museum of Westward Expansion, a very nicely done museum organized in a spiral. More on that later. We headed to the Will Call window and got 2:55 tickets from a very unenthusiastic government worker. What we couldn't figure out was the line. There was an enormous queue that looked like a roller coaster ride line, but we all had time-sensitive tickets. We found out from the aforementioned unenthusiastic government worker that the line was just a place to wait; all we had to do is listen for our time to be called. The fact that the North Tram was down did not help with the crowds. So we waited, got called, waited some more, then finally went down the stairs to load on the tram. I remembered the tram being little, more like a pod, and my memories were correct--it was teeny. Fortunately, we all fit, and it had a little window for you to look out so you didn't go crazy from claustriphobia. (another fun fact...the trams are the original ones from the 60's. I was hoping the government did a good job maintaining it's equipment).

So we traveled up the creaky old tram line to the top. Check the next post for our visit to the sky!

Blane Harnden, Star Student

This week, Blane is the "Star Student" in his kindergarten class. He's been looking forward to this for some time. Each day he has to bring pictures of certain things: family, friends, favorite foods, activities, etc. So last night we sifted through our picture files and printed off family pictures, a total of five. Even Ellie made the cut.

I found some decorative edge craft scissors and made a fancy edge on all the pictures, then took a file folder, taped the sides together and folded the top down to make a rigid envelope for him to carry his pictures in each day. Since we just printed them on plain paper, it doesn't matter if they ever come back, but I wanted them to arrive in decent condition! I called him downstairs and showed him the finished pictures. "Mom," he exclaimed with wonder, "how did you make the scissors do that?" :)

He's already planning for the next few days. Of course, Audrey will be in his friend pictures, along with some preschool pics I have. Then, on favorite activity day, he wants to bring pictures of watching TV (we'll see about that...), cars, basketball, etc. The food labels he wanted to bring were pretty funny...Fruitable (a fruit and vegetable drink) and pancakes. "Mom, " he said, " maybe you can buy a gluten pancake mix that you and dad can eat, then we can take the box to school (to represent his pancakes)". I assured him that we can find a picture of pancakes online.

He's enjoying every day of his kindergarten year, from the caterpillars to the ABC's. It's a precious time!

Sticky Frogs and Little Boys

I know, I know...it's been way too long since I've blogged. A friend of mine who occasionally reads the blog asked me about it, so here I am. I actually enjoy this, but, well...you know how things go.

Anyway, something happened yesterday that made for a good blog post. Nothing big, but it reminded me of little boys, including the ones I grew up with.

Seth got a sticky frog in Bible class as a prize for "being a good listener and acting good". (Yeah, I know. Heh.) Anyway, it's one of those gluey, rubbery things you can throw against any smooth surface and it will stick. He showed it to me immediately when I went to get him. So we're walking down the hall (filled with people, including elderly) and all of a sudden...thwap! He flung it in between the people to the opposite wall. I told him in no uncertain terms that that would not be happening any more in church. Good boy that he was, he restrained himself until we got into the auditorium. The frog was a constant companion to my middle son during worship, who made the frog clap its little sticky hands during the songs.

The frog made it home just fine and did not make a noticable reappearance until the afternoon. I sat down on the couch and noticed a dark object stuck to the ceiling over the fireplace. Yes, it was the frog.

Scott said, "Seth was going to throw a pillow at it to get it down, but I stopped him." Good thing, as I had arranged a bunch of squashes and gourds just so on the mantel. Zoiks, what a mess that would be, especially when some would crack open if they fell. So the frog stayed up there. And it was there when I got up this morning, showing no signs of releasing.

It brings back memories, especially of half a "glue ball" that my brothers whapped against the ceiling in the mid '80's. It stayed up way too long and left a greasy stain on the ceiling as a perpetual reminder of its adhering power. And yes, the frog has left its mark. Not nearly as noticable, but it's there. Maybe I'll paint over it. Or maybe not, since I might get a smile in the future thinking about little boys and their sticky frogs.

A New "Sister"

Well, we did it. What we thought we'd never do. We researched, we read, we searched websites and talked to people. We agonized for a while, then saw a little face online and fell in love. So last Friday, we went to PetSmart and spent way more money than I ever thought would be necessary, then drove on a Sunday morning through the beginnings of an ice storm to a gas station 1 1/2 hrs east of KC on I-70 to get our new baby (paying even more money!). Yes, it's true.

We got a dog.

Her name is Ellie and she is a Morkie (Maltese + Yorkshire Terrier). For the longest time, I couldn't imagine taking care of one more living thing beyond the three little ones I had. And now my little ones are not so little anymore, but happy elementary aged kids, ones who could really use the lessons learned when caring for a pet. And a Morkie, with that sweet little Ewok face, is much more interactive than Mr. Crabs, whom I came to resent because he was surly and pinchy. So we took the plunge.

She's been great so far. She slept all night and didn't even cry until 6:15 this morning. She still hasn't quite figured out what "Do your business!" means when I take her to the papers. But she'll get there. One day in, she's starting to feel like part of the family. And the kids are besotted. Blane loves to stay by her crate and pet her, which she loves.

I'm sure we'll have our share of chewed socks, accidents and other mishaps. But for now, I'm excited to have a new little girl in our house!

Love in the Time of Preschool

Blane is very popular with the ladies. Long time readers of my blog (I know there are SO many!) know that "Laurenmasters" was once the queen of Blane's heart. She has since been deposed by a petite blonde firecracker named Audrey.

Audrey is the third daughter of some good friends of ours, Steve and Michelle. She's feisty and fearless, which serves her well. When Michelle was pregnant with Audrey, she found through testing that Audrey had Turner's syndrome, a chromosomal disorder similar in nature to the way Down's syndrome comes about. It does not result in retardation, but causes growth issues and other problems. Doctors told Michelle to abort Audrey, but she refused. Steve and Michelle never regretted their decision. God must have known Audrey needed to be tough to face her difficulties, and so far, she's a beautiful testament to life lived with gusto.

And Blane loves her. The two are inseparable in class and at Life Group. Blane will do whatever she wants him to just to play with her. In fact, Michelle told me that last August, when shopping for Blane's birthday present, Audrey wanted to buy him a baby doll. Michelle steered her towards the cars, but Audrey was puzzled, because that was the ONLY thing she ever played with him. Must be true love if he'll give up cars for a girl.

Anyway, Blane wanted to get her a Valentine today. We were at Walmart and Blane ran over to the Valentine aisle and found a little heart box of chocolate for Audrey. It was a buck, so I thought, "Why not?" Five years old, and he's already buying presents for girls.

What really cracked me up was that later, he found a pack of heart stickers. "Mom," he said with all seriousness, "Can I buy this for my other girlfriend, Lauren Masters?"

Oh boy...

Prayer Vigil

Tonight we took the boys up to church as OP was hosting a 36 hour prayer vigil. They had set up praying stations around the auditorium with different subjects or focal points. One station was dedicated to praying for Haiti. They had a slideshow going of images from the earthquake disaster (some of the bodies as well). Our children were moved at the sights. Poor little Seth said he felt like crying. When we went to the Gratitude station, Blane wrote, "Hade" and drew a heart around it (I correct the spelling afterwards lest anyone get the wrong impression. He wasn't happy about that). Zac spent time on his knees praying and Seth and Blane said they both felt sad about the people hurting in Haiti. Fortunately, I got them to bed and they seem to be resting well.

It's hard to know how to explain things like this--I can't comprehend it at 38, so how can I make sense of it to a 10, 8 and 5 year old? I pretty much told them so on the way home after we dropped Scott off at the gym. But I told them that no matter what, God holds on to them, even in the worst of conditions. It's all I know to say. It's surely all that matters in the end, even if it doesn't feel like it now.

Questions I have no answer for

"Mom, is God fatter than a driveway?"

Quote, quote

The other night in the car, Seth was chatting with Zac about a situation at school:

"Zac, there's a new boy at school. I told Mackayla that she better not fall in love with him."

Me: "Do you like Mackayla?"

Seth: "Mom, I'm talking to Zac!"

Me: "Well, you can tell me too. Do you like Mackayla?"

Seth: "No. She was is love with me for a long time but then she 'quote, quote' broke up with me and now we're just friends."

Me: "Did she ask you to be her boyfriend?"

Seth: "No, she didn't."

Me: "So she just decided this on her own."

Seth: "Yes."

That was an easy breakup!