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Saturday, June 18, 2011

The Windy City

Since Erin is in 8th grade, the tradition at her school is that the 8th grade class take a class trip.  All three girls went to Chicago for it's sights, sounds, and education.  So this time I was picked to be a chaperone.  What a great time we had.  We started off at 5:30 a.m. (yikes) and met at school.  During the school year, there were a lot of opportunities for fund raising, which we did a lot of.  There were train shows, soup suppers, trivia night, etc.  We earned enough money to pay for the entire trip plus a chartered bus.

We started our trip off by packing 18 sleepy kids and adults on this bus, only to be lectured by the driver about not destroying "his" bus.  Really?  He obviously didn't know he was driving the best bunch of kids you could ever meet.  They all behaved really great, and never did any of us have to discipline them. 

After riding/sleeping/talking/listening to music/watching movies etc. for 6 long hours, we arrived at our first destination -- Wrigley Field.  Since all of us were Cardinal fans, we couldn't help but "rub it in" when the opportunity presented itself.  The tour of Wrigley was really interesting and we learned alot about it's origin, owners, players, etc.  Here are some pictures of what we saw:
In front of "our" bus at Wrigley
Picture of the field
Erin in front of the sign



Erin, her classmates and chaperone posing on a really cold day

Erin -- You can see the score board that is kept by men.  No electronic scorekeeping
After we left Wrigley, we visited Navy Pier and went on a speed boat ride/tour on Lake Michigan.  It was so cold and windy, (they don't call it the Windy City for nothing), but we had a great time.  We also got a chance to look at the shops and Erin bought Cody a camo bear from Build A Bear.  It was a lot of fun.  Just take a look:



The Navy Pier Entrance



Our Speed boat.  The tour guide was really a lot of fun.  He had fun picking on us


The "gang" with the skyline in back. We also met a really nice dog


Mr. M and the kids


Chicago Skyline
Then we finally left and headed back to dinner at Genos'.  Usually I don't care for this pizza, but since no one had eaten anything since early in the morning, and we had been running all day, I think we all could have eaten anything that was put in front of us.  I have never experienced a bunch of kids eat so much food so fast in a long time.  This may just rival our family the time we went to Disney and ate at Perkins, but that is another story.  At Geno's you get to write on anything that you can.  Everyone had fun doing this and leaving their memory:   
Erin leaving her legacy at Geno's



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We then travelled to Oak Park Illinois and stayed at Concordia University.  We stayed in the dorm call Martha/Mary.  May of the kids thought is was fun, but we had to share a bathroom, and actually it gave them a little dose of college life.  I have no pictures of the campus, because I was too tired to take them.  We had about an hour of rest and then off to the Blue Man Group show.  It was really really good, and would warrant a trip to Chicago just to see them.  Here is the only picture we were allowed to take:  




 After this we went back to the University and off to bed.  It was a very long and exciting day, but stay tuned for day 2...

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Erin's Confirmation

Erin before the service
Today is Erin's confirmation.  This day has been a long time in the making.  Erin spent three years preparing for this day.  Sermon reports, class study, Camp Trinity, small and large group activities.  It all culminates today.  (Actually I am writing this several weeks later, but still).  Anyway, she was so excited.  This is a special day for her. 

Confirmation day is special for all of us.  It is the day we are given a special Bible verse to carry us through life.  I often wonder how mine was picked for me, but I have gone to is a few times.  It is Hold fast to what you have that no one takes your crown.  Nope I'm not going to let anyone take that from me.  It's mine.  Erins' verse fit her perfectly.  She likes to sing and her verse was Psalm 28:7

Anyway, Erin looked beautiful.  Last Friday night she had to read an essay she wrote on "Confession".  She did a really good job and made a lot of good points.

Today, she will get to take communion for the first time.  I know it makes her nervous, since she is the type of person that needs to know how everything is going to work before she tries something.  I know she will do fine. 
After the service, we went home and shared the day with cousins, grandparents, sisters, and everyone who loves her.  My mom even came, and she never thought she would live long enough to see this.  I only wish my dad could have been there.  He was in my thoughts all day.  I really miss him.  Because of him I got to church every Sunday, and he was the one that taught me how important it is to make the time to worship the one and only Person who loves me more than anyone.  I find that incredible.

Anyway.  Congratulations Erin.  Always remain God's child!!!
Posing with the banner she made of her special verse

Erin and her sisters
With her Godmothers
With the cousins and Nana