Wow, what a week we had! Last week, we had a work trip to St. Louis that also doubled as a family vacation! There was a lot of family time, a lot of good work done, and a lot of food eaten. Here's the breakdown:
Monday: Drive to STL. The drive time is roughly 7 hours between Omaha and STL. When you include a lunch stop in CoMO that turned into running around a park for a bit and 2 bathroom breaks (only one of which was planned), we ended up traveling for about 10 hours. It was rough but it was good to get into Aunt Judi's house in time for dinner. My younger sister arrived from Cali later that night.
Tuesday: The morning was spent at Grant's farm. The kids fed goats and watched an animal show. Then Aunt Judi took over so Megan and I could go to our Regional Leadership meetings. The Airbnb where some of the out of town staff was staying was absolutely gorgeous. We connected with one another and said goodbye to one of our departing staff. I may or may not have won a trivia game about college mascots...
Wednesday: My parents arrived Tuesday afternoon and my older sister and her son came in late Tuesday, so Wednesday had a packed house. It was an especially long day for Megan and me as we had meetings all day. They were good meetings though, with a lot of stuff getting done and another prayer walk on a campus near WashU.
Thursday: The first part of the day was finishing up our RLT meetings but in the afternoon we were able to meet our family at the zoo. The St. Louis Zoo is definitely a winner, and you really can't beat the price (free!). After that was a trip to get Ted Drewes frozen custard and a bbq dinner back at Aunt Judi's
Friday: Mama and Papa took our whole family on a trip down memory lane. We visited all the places my dad lived in STL, the former locations of my grandfather's restaurants, and where Mama and Papa had their first apartment. It was really fun to see everything, including where my dad went to high school. We ate well (as to be expected) and in the evening, I went with my sister, her daughter, and Papa to the Cardinals game (#GoCards).
Saturday: We had 2 WashU reunions that day. There was the chill hangout with some IV alum at Ted Drewes. Then, Megan and I went to my 15th reunion. It was so good to connect with old friends and relive some of my old college days.
Sunday: Megan and I spoke at the Vineyard church, where I went when I was in college. It was good to see a lot of old friends from my college days, as many of them still attend "The Yard." Ezra went with my brother in law, his cousin, and Papa to the Cardinals game while I took care of JoJo. Thaliea led Megan, my older sister and her daughter, Aunt Judi and one of her daughters, and my mom in a "Girls Day," which, despite what she tells you, she absolutely loved.
Monday: We went back to Omaha on Monday. We only made one stop in KC for lunch (BBQ anyone?) and were home in time for the older kids to go to swim lessons.
All in all, it was a great trip. Our RLT got a lot of work done and have a good sense of what needs to happen next in our Region. It's always good to see family and friends in St. Louis, especially since I don't get to visit as often. I also gained 8 pounds while there, so I know I ate right. =0).
Have an excellent day!
~Adam
