A Stroll Down Memory Lane

Thanks to the fab-four babysitters, Jon and I got to have a night away while in Missouri!  We drove down and spent the night in Columbia and got to see tons of college friends at a Christian Campus House reunion. 

 

Truth be told, I wasn't that pumped about going when I first heard about it. 

Small talk makes me nervous.  There.  I said it. 

And we had never left the boys for an out-of-town-anything before and we could imagine not being able to talk to anyone (small or otherwise) if the boys were there. 

 

But it was amazing and the boys had so much fun with grandma, grandpa, Joy, and BJ.  The reunion was the perfect sort of event, the kind where you feel completely known and loved.  I needn't have even worried about small talk.  There were so many stories to reminisce on and we got to catch up with all these friendly faces:

 

 

Jon missed the group picture (which you may have noted if you are the sleuthly-type) and was inside catching up with this guy:

Jon and Kurt!  Yay!

I should pull out our wedding album (we are dinosaurs, no digital pics, only legit prints!) and put up a picture of them in their 20's and then again a decade later.  I bet they look the same, just more tired. 

 

We had a blast at the CCH bbq, and only a few things could have made it better.

 

Thing #1.  It was five Stegners too short.

Thing #2: We would have loved to see Jud.

Thing #3.  I didn't get a picture of Stacey and Branden!  But we loved seeing you guys!!! Let your first ever vacation be to Lubbock and I promise we will make it worth your while!  We will have juice and a tour of local libraries!  :)

Thing #4.  Jon never did get to i.d. the bug that Amy saved for him. 

 

Jon and I also drove around Columbia while listening to BXR of course, which hadn't changed one bit.  Seriously, we heard Sheryl Crow three times.  It was like it was 2002 all over again.

 

We got ice cream (twice) (in one evening) (ok, just me).

 

We re-lived the magic of our first date.  Steak 'n Shake and The Big Tree, although in 2003, the order was reverse. 

 

We drove by our first house.

I by no means buy into the American gospel, that if you follow Jesus health and wealth will be soon to come.  To be sure, Jesus says when you follow him things will be hard.  He does not ever promise material riches, but rather asks you to give them up.  I did feel God's grace, however, looking at our first house and mentally comparing it with the house we just purchased.  God was gracious to us in our first tiny house, perfect for our lives at the time, and God continues to be gracious to us in our current house, perfect for our lives now. 

 

On another first-house note, Jon and I decided it's easier to be green when you are poor, biking or walking to campus everyday, rarely eating any meat, or turning on your AC.     

 

We also got to spend lots of time with these girls.  They are fun.  Way too much fun. 

 

 

We sat at the table where I ate most of my meals in the girl's house kitchen  I hear it's now the guy's house.  Weird.

Jon is sitting on the bench that smooshed June's toe, the time when a doctor told her the toenail could grow back as a talon.  This is also the space where Peter Willet would push everything to the side and teach us all to swing dance.  Dinner club was at this table, when everyone looked forward to Joe's night because he would just order us all pizza.  I was at this table when Kristen first told me about going to Papua New Guinea on a missions trip and the Holy Spirit made something in me give an excited jump.  This is the kitchen where I used up pretty much all of the lemonaide on a shelf labeled "house", meaning "this is for house events: don't use".  I took it to mean "free". 

 

I also walked upstairs to look at my old room.  The door was locked, as someone is living there for the summer, but I took a picture of the door. 

 

It's hard to tell, but there are two posters, one of Superman, and one of Hiccup and his dragon Toothless.  This made me laugh out loud.  If you know my day to day life at all, much, MUCH, time is spent discussing both of these guys. 

 

I also received the best ever text while in Columbia. 

 

 

 

A great trip to be sure!