When we arrived Thursday morning Russ was getting ready to leave for class. He left for class and the rest of us spent the day relaxing and playing outside. Bryan got in a little nap (since he drove all but one hour of the 12 hour drive). We also took the kids to a beautiful park with a duck pond and walking trail. We grilled steaks for supper and then enjoyed a relaxing night. We hardly saw or heard from the kids the entire night. They were so excited to be together.
Friday morning we all slept in and then later took a tour of the seminary where Russ is studying. I was excited to see the seminary, but even more interested in the seminary's BOOKSTORE! I have placed many orders on-line from this bookstore, so I was excited to actually get to browse it in person:) After purchasing several books that we could not pass up, we took a tour of the seminary. Later that day we headed over to the Grand Rapids Museum. Bryan and I took Caden and Miah through a traveling exhibit called "Bodies Revealed". It is an exhibit that features real, whole and partial bodies that have been dissected to reveal the complexity of the human body. One word really sums it up: AMAZING! After going through an exhibit like this, it was made even more evident that we truly are fearfully and wonderfully made. You are not allowed to take pictures in the exhibit, so this is the one and only picture to document our visit. 
Russ and Laura brought the rest of the crew over and we toured the rest of the museum together.
Romee and Seth deep is discussion about the dinosaurs.
Waiting for the huge clock to dong!
Bryan and Amirah roaming the "Street of Old Grand Rapids"This was probably my favorite part of the museum. I love anything old, and to be transported back in time to the 1980's was so much fun for me. Laura and I decided that we wished we could have lived back then...but we would like our running water, indoor plumbing, and maybe even our dishwashers:) Okay, maybe living in 2011 isn't so bad.
The kids' favorite part was the the Zoology part of the museum. I didn't see that exhibit, because Amirah was done! She was so ready for a nap, and regardless of how cool the Zoology exhibit was, she wasn't going to be part of it:) I let her play on the steps while the kids went and checked it out.
On Saturday we took a trip to Lake Michgian. Caden thought that it would be a pity to drive all the way to Michigan and not see the lake. We had seen the lake from Navy Pier in Chicago, but had never been to a Lake Michigan beach. It is quite a sight, and I felt like I was at the ocean. What surprised me the most were all the sand dunes. I think that at least one dune was transported back to Iowa in our suburban, and Caden's ears! As you can tell by the winter coats and hats, it was far from warm. The wind off the lake was chilly, but that did not hinder any one's fun!
The boys were especially interested in the fishermen on the pier. They saw a huge walleye and several trout being reeled it.
Not just sand made it home with us. Willow found many shells that she took home to display in her room.
Amirah's first ever Easter egg hunt!
Some of the Easter eggs had words that related to the Easter story inside of them. Each child took turns reading their words and telling the rest of them the significance of that word.
Easter Sunday we went to Harvest which is an OPC church, just outside of Grand Rapids. Caleb warned me that they had beautiful music at that church, and he was right. It wasn't in the form of a praise team, a soloist, or instruments, but simply in the voices of the congregation. When we began singing the first hymn I was brought to tears. There is nothing like hearing a chorus of God's people singing in worship to Him. After church we headed back to Russ and Laura's to pack up and enjoy our last meal together.We had a wonderful trip and it went all too fast. Bryan and I came home refreshed. Not necessarily physically-how can that really be possible when you are in the presence of 10 children for 4 days- but we came home refreshed emotionally and spiritually. We call Russ and Laura "brother" and "sister", but they are so much more than that. They are our mentors. I looked up the word mentor in the dictionary and this is what I found, "a trusted friend, counselor or teacher, usually a more experienced person." That's them, in a nutshell! We trust them and know that they will give us good, wise, sound counsel. Weather we are discussing spiritual issues, parenting woes, or financial decisions, we know they are listening and we trust their advise. I know that they are not going to like that I put this in here, because that is the kind of people they are. However, when you have been blessed with a gift such as them, I believe that you should tell someone. Thanks Russ and Laura for your hospitality and the wonderful visit.
There were too many memories to include in this blog, but a couple I (nor my kids) wanted to forget, so I just made a running list. I am sure that my kids will remind me of more and I will just have to add them onto the list.
- Caden and the Gatorade bottle
- Al & Becky...it's been along time
- really hot cheesy potatoes
- Pilgrims Progress drama
- The parent only meeting...and then the celebratory hugs on the announcement of our decision.
- Nicolas "mentoring" Cade
- Being introduced to Meijer
- "Things"
- a morning run and an all too nosy neighbor
- Russ and Caden on the "trampoline"
- Somebody locking the keys in the suburban
-Willow almost getting a really close look of Lake Michigan
- Food...lots of really good food...especially the strawberry pie
1 comment:
I love that pic of your family on Lake Michigan - it doesn't look quite as "balmy" as your Atlantic Ocean shot last summer, but this one includes Amirah. :) I also love the winter coats and bare feet!
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