So we just got back from a family vacation and we spent the week with Shane's life long friend and his family! Its so amazing how people are been able to maintain friendships they have had during high school and all along life's road. It is inspiring. I only know a hand full of people that have been able to really do this. Shane and Matt are one of them. They haven't lived in the same state in about.....11 years, but they have been able to stay true friends, brothers if you will. And along those 11 years away, have come children, marriage, more children, and multiple moves! Yet when they see each other, they are able to pick up right where they left off, and even get to a better place in their friendship! I have been blessed in this as well, as i have been able to gain a new friendship in Matt's wife. And now our children are becoming friends and that is just the coolest. The week went really well and was such a needed time to reconnect with friends.
We knew we were not going to be doing a ton of "tourist" things while there, our main objective was to just be with our friends and make some new memories. We did manage a few fun tourist/local culture that was specific to Louisville. Our first mission was to get to church! We love their church. Sojourn. Shane went to it a few times when it was just starting out and growing, now it is still growing and they have a beautiful cathedral and i believe 3, maybe 4 services!! And they even have started their own network of church plants, which i think is really cool. So we made it to church, yay, that is usually a huge accomplishment for us! We visited the Falls of the Ohio, where Lewis and Clark met and started their adventure. We hunted in the fossil beds and walked over the hot, 20 degrees hotter to be exact, ground trying to not fall into the puddles of stagnant water :) Ellanore was the only one that really had a mishap and tried to jump over a little puddle and she slid all down it, resulting in a completely browned, dirty backside!! The kids enjoyed climbing and searching for fossils. They even found a dead fish :/ !
We decided to splurge a little bit and we went to the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory! It was such a great idea. Our boys loved the factory and watching the bats being made! The tour guide even talked about Richmond's Flying Squirrels and it put a big smile on Owen's face!! Shane and I also loved the factory, it was great. Ellanore was feeling a bit questionable and just rested the entire time we were there. She thankfully rested and recovered from whatever it was very very quickly :) and hopefully its not passed on to any of the Warmbier children!!!
On a separate day we thought we might attempt the walking bridge that takes you to Indiana....after climbing some cool playground pyramids and playing in the spray park, we decided that just a quick trip up to the beginning of the bridge was good enough! Actually Henry didn't even walk up with us, he stayed behind with Matt and some of the kids that really didn't want to continue walking ;)
Most of our time was spent playing. Well, the children playing! 8 kids in the house at all times. One 7 year old, two 5 year old, two 3 year old, two 2 year old and one 7month old! It was really really amazing. Hardly any huge issues came up. There was one or two nights of a tough bedtimes with our kids, not theirs! But that is something we were rather anticipating. It was so wonderful to see all our children playing, creating, exploring and socializing with one another. They even got to witness their dad's recreating a fun picture from 14 years ago. They probably were questioning their seriousness at that moment, but i was so fun. And funny :) So glad i had this idea and the boys were good sports about it!
Probably the best part of the trip was just staying up late and being with Matt and Erin. We playing board games that were a blast, Erin treated us with yummy snacks, Shane decided to become a 'selfie king', we even had Arnold Schwarzenegger prank call a friend. But really we just had great conversation. Conversation reminiscing on times past. Talking about marriage, children, parenting, childhood, Jesus and God and what we desire for our lives. Again its so beautiful to see a friendship grow. Going from doing silly boy things, things that may have been so dangerous or insane that they could be regrettable, or not ;) to still being those fun boys, but now have grown and are men and are raising their own children and recognizing how they want to be different or what they have learned, and sharing that with one another. That is really a great thing and really very rare.
The Warmbier family is a great example of Jesus and how He loves us. They are living in community, being examples of God's love, raising wonderful, beautiful and fun kids, and they are a blessing. We are already planning our next adventure together and are in great anticipation. Thank you for opening up your home to us!!
We are back home now and fall is among us!! Its already so chilly in the evening and mornings. Posey is standing and getting 4 new teeth in!! 7 months old and it has been like a blink!! I am ready for great things this fall season. Keep in touch to see what adventures we find!
