...route 66 park...

I intended to head to the Botanical Gardens to breathe in the sweet scent of the Linden trees and reverently walk through the gardens.

Also, they're having this Lego exhibition I've been wanting to check out.

But the day began dark and wet, so I scrapped that plan and considered an indoor activity. Of course, by 10am a pale, baby blue was pushing it's way through the puffy, white clouds and my legs were itching for a hike. After reading reviews of "spectacular views" I put Route 66 Park into my GPS and headed south.

After the heavy rain, the air was a thick, nearly impenetrable mass, though this is usual for St. Louis. I found the outer loop and began my hike. Butterflies were like swarms of bees on the trail. I was constantly being attacked by the delicate little creatures as I walked past. I saw at least six different cardinals, and one lone bluejay, though I suspect his family was close by.

A father and son rode past on their bikes at one point. The bikes were older, with no gear shifts, and the son, on a three-wheeler, followed after his father, and at times raced to catch up. It was a sweet sight.

Sadly, I didn't really care much for the hike. There was little to no shade along the 3.44 miles and you had to walk through the brush to see the river at all. I think I've been spoiled by Castlewood State Park. It's just so tremendously beautiful...

I did take some pictures. There certainly were some pretty bits!

One of many, many butterflies

Along the path

I had to fight my way through some brush to see this

Also had to hike through the trees to get this pic

Does this make anyone else want to spin with abandon? Just me? Okay.

As soon as I got to my car, the sky grew dark again. I'm not sure that the sun shined the rest of the day. It might not be my favorite place to hike, but nature sure did put on a pretty show for me today.

I hope I appreciated her enough...

...a tourist in my own city...

I sat in the car, trying to talk myself out of having an adventure today. The sky was opaque white with patches of stagnant smoky gray clouds hovering above. What if it turned out to be a waste of my time? Should turn right (toward the highway) or left (toward home?) In the end, I decided to risk it.

Malcolm Martin Memorial Park is situated on the east side of the Mississippi River directly across from the Arch. Mr. Martin dreamed of creating a landmark in East St. Louis that complimented the Arch. So a non-profit group raised $4mil to build the Gateway Geyser, one of the tallest fountains in the world.

Upon arriving, I paused for a moment to take it all in. A giant flag flapping lazily in the breeze. The bright green colors of the lawn standing out starkly against a dull, overcast sky. The sweet and spicy smells of spring surrounding me. It would have been a great place to have a picnic, and read a book.

Slowly climbing an overlook, I took picture after picture of the Arch grounds. This park really boasts one of the most spectacular views of the Arch in St. Louis.

I found a cake, and then sat for a while with a statue of Mr. Martin, before a woman walked up behind me seeking to take her own set of pictures. She was on a business trip from Sacramento, and she wanted to explore the city during her 48 hour stay. We chatted of sports and sights, and after a good 15 minutes, I sent her on her way to Ted Drewes, promising an out-of-this-world dessert. I hope she went.

As the clouds began to sputter, I walked down the overlook toward the Gateway Geyser. Scheduled to go off at noon, it actually took it a few minutes to really start spewing. The Geyser, on non-windy days, is said to shoot up to 630 ft in the air, matching the height of the Arch. In height, it is second only to King Fahd's fountain in Saudi Arabia, which reaches 853 ft. On the north, west, south and east of the geyser, there are four smaller fountains that represent the four rivers that converge in St. Louis and East St. Louis, the Mississippi, Meramec, Missouri and Illinois.

The Mississippi can be a gross divider. If you decide to spend some time in this park, don't be deterred by the pot-holed streets you'll have to venture down to get there. Don't turn around when you see the waist high grasses on the sides of these roads, or be distracted by the graffiti covered walls. In the end, you'll be glad you went. I'll be heading back sometime this summer, with Andy, a picnic lunch, and a book.

We all tend ignore the touristy sites in our city, but you might be missing something wonderful. I challenge you to look at your city through a tourist's eyes this summer, and discover something new about the place where you live!

...phenomenal woman...

Unplugged.

There is a beautiful calm in not being enslaved to the buzz and beep and ring of each incoming notification. But there is also much that is missed. Maya Angelou's passing was a surprise to me, and though I never knew her, I am affected by the loss.

Today, I pulled the poetry books off our dusty bookshelf and sat down on the patio to remember her, to honor her in the only way I knew how. I read through her thoughts, her poems, pausing over certain phrases and words. I reread many, considering what the words might have meant to her and what they now mean to me. I read my favorites aloud, some repeatedly, getting lost in the rhythms and rhymes. Many still move me.

My introduction to Maya Angelou came through her poem "Phenomenal Woman."

As an intensely insecure young woman, I found courage in this poem. Courage to embrace myself, faults and all; courage to embrace others, faults and all. I used to think that it was wrong of me to find such freedom in her words, as I had never experienced the deep pain that she endured. But, as I continued to read and reread and be moved by her poetry, I learned that her words transcended specific groups, speaking to all people in all walks of life.

While "Phenomenal Woman" and "Still I Rise" are probably her most famous poems, if you aren't familiar with her work, take a moment to pause and consider "Human Family" "Thank You, Lord" or "Ailey, Baldwin, Floyd, Killens and Mayfield."

Is there a specific Maya Angelou poem that has echoed in your own heart? Will you share it with me?

...through the storm...

Andy rubbed my shoulders yesterday and remarked, "Wow, there's no tension!" I so enjoyed the respite found in a few days with no responsibilities, and my body appreciated it. 

It didn't last long. Our return journey back into the land of the living took over 18 hours. 

First, the plane was late to arrive. Pretty standard.

Then, someone had locked themselves in the lavatory and needed to be rescued. Um, really?! No...really?!?

After that, they had to perform some "minor" maintenance. Does replacing a windshield count as "minor" maintenance?

Finally, there was the weather. Oh the weather! With little else to do, I snapped pictures. Here are just a few:

The storm seemed far away, until we saw lightning start to flash.

Our pilot pulled over and parked us on the side of the tarmac to wait out the storm.

Over an hour later, under a promising sky, we sped away.

As I took picture after picture, I was most captured by this one:

Incredible, isn't it? Perspective is everything!

When we are ravaged by life's storms, it's difficult to remember that the sun still shines on us brightly, unrelentingly. No matter the situation, it's light and warmth are not lost to us forever. Soon...

Three...

Two...

One...

...the sun will come bursting forth again.

While the r&r was much needed, the best part about these last few days was time spent with Andy. My eyes might have been dripping a bit when he drove off to work tonight.

I hope you had the most amazing week! Thank you for letting us run away together to focus on just us. There were many adventures had, but we're going to keep those to ourselves. Maybe someday we'll share them with you all.

(Airplane-ography) 

Have a wonderful Sunday! xoxo

...flying the coup...

It's time, and we're ready...

Andy and I are "getting out of Dodge" for the next few days, and we have decided to keep all the details to ourselves. Since we will have little to know access to wifi, I would not be able to update you on our adventures anyway, but I promise to have many on our mini break.

Thank you for spending your precious time reading about my little life. You encourage me in ways you will never even know!

Have a wonderful week! xoxo

I promise not to get eaten by giant turtles! I mean, I'll try not to...

...in remembrance...

My family is filled with men who have chosen to lay down their lives for their family, their friends and their fellow man. Not many died in war, but most passed on into eternity long ago. Those that remain rarely speak of their war experiences, except the good memories, like stories of their comrades.

Shamefully, I forget that they have survived such horrors.

Memorial Day is a wonderful opportunity to stop the business of life and honor, appreciate and thank those that have shown us such great love.

Today, our small municipality held a parade, a small service and an antique car show. My father-in-law is a veteran, and he loves antique cars, so we invited Andy's family to enjoy the festivities.

The memorial in our little park.

Classic cars! I'm not a car girl, but even I can appreciate these babies!

This paint job was absolutely stunning!

So pretty!

My muscle car of choice? The Mustang!

So flawless! Just impressive!

Okay, I just liked that it had a face. Cute!

Yeah, we're motorcycle people.

This poor guy had to be melting!

So these ladies were singing and dancing...

...and my in-laws decided to practice their dance moves in the street! (They take lessons.)

We didn't stay long because of the intense heat and humidity, but returned to the house and grilled our lunch and played Apples to Apples.

Ever since the service, my mind has been stuck on the sacrifice of these men and women. What can be said to these people who have given their lives so that others can live free? Is thank you enough? Is it sufficient?

"Greater love has no man than this: To lay down one's life for one's friends." Jesus

...anyone want to analyze this dream?...

Weird side effect:

2:25am

The lights had been out for quite some time, but I simply couldn't force myself fall asleep. My hair, still wet from my shower, was dampening my pillow and causing a consistent chill. My eyes pressed shut, I tried to imagine him here with me...

...when suddenly I found myself in a kitchen, intended to be my parents kitchen, but not my parents kitchen. We were celebrating, I'm not sure what, maybe the fact that I was home. There was lots of hugging, and extended family were present. And there were men wearing wife beaters, looking like they had just finished working on some part of the house.

One of them was an old high school crush, who reached out and pulled my mom into a big bear hug. I blushed as if I was in 11^th grade all over again and with my eyes down, pretending to be nonchalant, I prepared my arms for his hug as well, only to be pulled into the grasp of a scruffy, dirty blonde. Not that his hair was dirty blonde in color, just that he was dirty and blonde.

And in this odd dream coma, everyone was much, much taller than me.

There was an elderly aunt in the kitchen, but it was blurry, and I couldn't make out her features to know which aunt it was, so I squinted, only to find her features becoming more melty with a terrifying Voldemort look about her nose (or lack there of.) I stared only because I was so horrified I could look away. She pulled me into a hug and then held onto both my hands as I pulled away, curious for another glimpse at her face.

And this elderly, Voldemort-impersonating aunt, also a giant to my small frame, closed her eyes and tilted her head from side to side, as if praying, I thought. Until her head began to jerk from side to side violently, and I thought she was possessed, and I wondered what voice would come out of her when she finally did speak, and what the voice would say. I unsuccessfully tried to yank my hands away and move toward the dining room where everyone else was gathering for dinner, but she pulled as well, and soon we were swirling, and spinning and swelling around the kitchen and through the dining room and into a wide, open universe, with limitless stars scattered across a black sky.

I gave myself over to the sensation of flying through the air, weightless, spinning, but not to the point of dizziness, so much so that I let it continue for longer than I would have expected.

We spun around and soon we were floating in a dance hall, with an open roof, and other people floating and swirling, and there were lasers, but not the cool rhythmic kind you'd see in a club, more like, one or two, that gave a pink and green hue to the whole room.

And that part of me that was still me somewhere in the recesses of my mind, still awake, still in control, began to say, This is fun, but if this is something demon-y, I belong to Jesus.

Just FYI.

...yep, I totally said it...

And then I was driving. Apparently, I was a camera man/photographer for a local news station. I was traveling with a reporter down our small town streets. A man dressed as the local team's mascot (a chicken) was beaten and battered and bloody signifying yet another loss by his team, and he kept jumping in front of our car, feigning being run over. He was cute, so I slowed down and played along, then rolled down the window and said, So if I park the car, will you lay under it like I ran you over?

Sure, he agreed with a bigger smile than I thought possible.

I dropped off the reporter and parked the car on a side street, then ran barefoot back toward them with my camera. I could hear momentary screams escaping the building entrance where they stood, a building that seemed to be a museum or sanctuary of some sort for all sorts of exotic spiders and tarantulas. I, of course, freaked out and ran back toward my car.

Crash!

Oh shit! A man's voice rang out down the street.

I knew I should, but I just couldn't look away, mostly because I couldn't figure out what was going on, and I was so curious. There stood a giant turkey with several black squiggly, worm-like things hanging from it's mouth, and two men standing back from the scene, laughing callously, perhaps a bit fearfully. I was mesmerized by the whole thing, and kept walking closer and closer, only to realize that the crash had been a cage, which was shattered on the street and the squiggly worms were actually the legs of a tarantula. Thankfully, the turkey was winning.

It was hunting the turkey and the turkey just grabbed it! one man exclaimed.

At least there was only one, I thought to myself.

Then, a huge clump of dry dirt lunged passed the turkey and onto some grass. My eyes, wide with terror, couldn't look away as the dirt cracked apart to reveal a spider, a jumping spider, that in one bound had leapt it's way across the parking lot.

Frozen with fear, I watched in slow motion as he lowered his body toward the ground and launched himself off the pavement, his eight legs spread eagle, gliding, soaring straight for my face.

...and that's when I woke up...or, rather, that's when I ripped myself back into reality...

Shudder. I'm not sure I'll be sleeping tonight.

What was in that spray tan?!

Never again...never, ever again...