The End of Week One

Day 7, 8, &9

Minneapolis & St Paul
After sleeping in a little and having a cup of tea and an almond croissant, purchased the night before at a yummy French bakery, we ventured out to the famed Mall of America. Not to shop or ride roller coasters as some might, but to drink coffee and use free internet. I used this time to catch my blog up and check email. After a couple of hours we walked around a little. Then we were off to Ikea across the street. Not to shop as many would, but to have Swedish meatballs for lunch and purchase a gift card for Amy’s sister. Some of my friends may be lamenting our lack of shopping time in such a goldmine, but we had so little time, so much to see, and so little spending money, that we thought it best.

To finish our day in the Twin Cities, we went to the Walker sculpture gardens and museum for several hours and then headed for dinner. And not just any dinner, we had reservations at the Carousel restaurant, 22nd floor of the Crown Plaza, on the rotating level. Amy had a coupon. It was wonderful food, spectacular view of the city, and good friend time…and quite memorable. It may be hard to top that meal for quite sometime.


Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Saturday morning I headed out for another day on the road. I was heading south today… destination: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and my childhood friend, Sarah Lunsford Blickens. It had been ten years since I had seen her and met her husband and day old daughter. Needless to say, I was excited about the opportunity to catch up with her. I finally pulled into Cedar Rapids about 2 and met her for a late lunch. We had a little time to just chat before her oldest daughter, Sierra was dropped off. Then we went to her house to meet Kayla, her youngest daughter, and Zach the husband. It was fun to share pictures of our families and talk about what who we were as adults. I stayed for a little while, listened to two poems and a song by a little blonde cherub, and then had to leave once again. A couple of hours visit every 5 to 10 years and an email on our birthdays is an unusual way to keep up a friendship. But I am so glad that it works and we haven’t lost touch.


Kansas City
I listened to two awesome cd’s that the Blickens gave me for the next couple of hours as I headed to Kansas City and the home of my good friend Carrie Korf Luce. Carrie and I were at Sterling College together for 4 years and in Japan for 2. We have many fun memories together, to say the least. I arrived at about 10:30pm but that didn’t keep us from staying up until almost 12 talking. This morning I met Sophia, Carrie’s adorable 7 month old daughter. Jeremy had to work so Carrie, Sophia and I went to church and out to lunch. Then we sat, talked, shared photos, and reminisced for the rest of the afternoon. Jeremy, who I met for the first time last night, came home from work and we went out for Chinese food. It was a very, very good day.

Tomorrow, Wichita…