Oklahoma City Bombing

Hey, it's Bailee. :) Going to the Oklahoma City Bombing sight has most definitely been my favorite part of this vacation so far. I had never even heard of what had happened until my parents told me about it. Can you imagine? Not just a terrorist, but a terrorist from our own country putting three (only one went off) bombs in a federal building, thus killing 168 people, 19 of which were children. Families...Grandfathers, grandmothers, daughters and sons. People who loved and were loved...Gone.

There are many interesting things at the memorial sight. As I walked through the memorial garden area, I saw metal and glass chairs, each representing someone who died that day. The name of each victim was engraved on the chairs. Something I noticed was that not all the chairs were the same size. The bigger ones represented adults, and the smaller ones represented the children. The fence along the road that has gifts in memory of the ones lost is really an amazing sight. People hung all sorts of things on the fence: Shirts, flowers, poems, pictures, songs, awards, drawings, and much, much more. We hung a handkerchief on the fence and wrote "Not forgotten" on it.

After walking through the memorial garden area and looking at the stuff hung on the fence along the street, we went to the Oklahoma City Bombing Museum. In front of the museum is a wall with tiles that kids painted on with messages of hope and healing, and in front of that was a bucket of chalk and an area to write and draw on with the chalk. It's amazing all the information they have and how the museum is set up. We were in the museum for almost 3 hours reading information, looking at photos, watching videos, and talking to tour guides. My mom and I could not hold back the tears that continuously filled our eyes. It's hard to imagine the grief of the people directly affected by the explosion.

If you're ever in Oklahoma City, OK, I highly recommend stopping by the bombing sight and going to the museum. I doubt you'll be able to leave that place un-moved.

The glass and metal chairs with names engraved on them.

The tiles kids painted.Our contribution to the fence. "Not forgotten. The Van Meters, 6/30/10 Michigan City, Indiana"

One of my contributions.

Uncles,Aunts and Donuts!

At the end of day #3 we find ourselves at a hotel in Oklahoma City. We traveled only 3 hours today, but it was a full day. Mark drove us around Wichita, KS. to show us his old stomping grounds. We saw his family's house, his first apartment, his High School, as well as the building that used to house his first business. It was a wonderful trip down memory lane for him and in the end he treated all of us to a visit at his favorite donut shop; LAMAR'S! Yummy :0)







At lunch time, we met up with his Uncle Larry and Aunt Rose. Uncle Larry is a character, to say the least! A very lively old fellow. After lunch we were back on the interstate, to cross over from Kansas to Oklahoma. So far, Oklahoma looks much like Kansas; with prairies reaching for miles, and lots of cattle. You will find oil pumps in the strangest places here. Some are out among the cows, some are in town, crammed between two businesses. We will spend a few hours in Ok. City in the morning before leaving for yet another state.





Mark's first office building. Uncle Larry and Aunt Rose. Mark hasn't seen them in 25 years.

Bailee could hardly believe some of Uncle Larry's stories..LOL

Calling Out Your Name

We were coming back across Kansas in 1988 when my friend, Rich Mullins was writing this song (Calling Out Your Name). I vaguely remember him strumming it on his mandolin. I'm just reminded again how precious friendships are, how majestic God is and His marvelous creation. I also can't help but to reflect, again, on family and my growing up years~the good, the bad and the ugly.

Dear reader...enjoy the words below:

Well the moon moved past Nebraska

And spilled laughter on them cold Dakota Hills

And angels danced on Jacob's statirs

Yeah, they dance on Jacob's stairs

There is this silence in the Badlands

And over Kansas the whole universe was stilled

By the whisper of a prayer

The whisper of a prayer

And single hawk bursts into flight

And in the east the whole horizon is in flames

I feel thunder in the sky

I see the sky about to rain

And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

I can feel the earth tremble

Beneath the rumbling of the buffalo hooves

And the fury in the pheasant's wings

And there's fury in a pheasant's wings

It tells me the Lord is in His temple

And there is still a faith that can make the mountains

And a love that can make the heavens ring

And I've seen love make heaven ring

Where the sacred rivers meet

Beneath the shadow of the Keeper of the Plains (this is a statue in Wichita)

I feel thunder in the sky

I see the sky about to rain

And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

From the place where morning gathers

You can look sometimes forever 'til you see

What time may never know

What time may never know

How the Lord takes by its corners this old world

and shakes us forward and shakes us free

To run wild with the hope

To run wild with the hope

The home that this thirst will not last long

That it will soon drown in the songs not sung in vain

And I feel thunder in the sky

I see the sky about to rain

And I hear the prairies calling out Your name

Day 2... Sullivan MO. ~ Springfield MO. ~ Fort Scott KS. ~ El Dorado KS.

WalMarts thus far: 2
"How Much Further?" thus far: 0

Posted: Mark

The wake up call came at 7:00 a.m., on our first day of vacation. Why does that not sound right? We had to get on the road at 8:30 so we could be in Springfield MO. by 11:00 a.m. Brekyn barely made it.

We arrived in Springfield at 10:30, so we made a quick stop at the local Wally World and got some fresh apples and oranges. Let it be known that Super 8 motel breakfast is not meant to carry you longer than 10 minutes into your day.

We met Brekyn's birth family at CiCi's Pizza. Let it be known that when the above mentioned Super 8 breakfast is no longer working for you, anything sounds good to eat! When we arrived, the tears started flowing. I thought it would be alright until "Grandpa" Doug (a big Indian man) started crying too. He made me cry! The Sanderson family is a big jolly family that is a true blessing to ours. Here are some of the pictures of the reunion:

After lunch, we jetted up to Fort Scott Kansas, a drive of about 2 1/2 hours. In Fort Scott, I met with my Aunt Ellen and cousin John, whom I haven't seen in almost 30 years. Aunt Ellen attends a baptist church in the Fort Scott area. She is a beautiful woman with a kind heart. My real dad passed away almost 8 years ago. Looking at her was like looking at my real dad again. Her eyes and nose reminded me so much of him. We met at a Mexican restaurant, of course I had to grab a Mexican sombrero:

Tonight, we lay our heads at a very nice Super 8 in El Dorado Kansas. I forgot that I love Kansas. As we drove through the rolling Flint Hills of Kansas, I couldn't help but reflect on the many years of traveling the highways of Kansas, never really appreciating the beautiful plaines of the Mid-west. I guess you have to have an appreciation for this type of lifestyle. We have spent so many years in Indiana that Kansas almost looks like foreign land to me. I love this area, I wish we could make it back here more often.

Our point of interest today is: The Worlds' Largest Rocking Chair.

Tomorrow, we will be in Wichita Kansas. I'm looking forward to seeing my Aunt Rose and Uncle Larry. I haven't seen them in probably 30 years also. And then....onward to Oklahoma and Texas!!!

Good night Day #2, you've been good to us.

One down...

The proof is in the pudding - so, there is our beginning mileage. We shall see what the ending mileage is when we arrive home.

In Jen's last post, she was both right and wrong. The storm that we drove through (a few times) was pretty hard. A few times we had to slow down on the highway so that we didn't outrun our guardian angels. However, Jen was not correct in suggesting that I was enjoying the Southern Gospel music :) Brekyn confiscated the "tune" button on the radio, from the back seat, and we ended up on a Southern Gospel station. I guess I should admit, now that I am a safe distance from my home, yes, I do like a little bit of Southern Gospel music. Not the hard stuff, but a good three/four part harmony is nice to listen to sometimes.

I bet Lisa Kay is glad to hear me say that. Although, she knows of my secret vice for a little swig of southern music. I confessed that to her a few years ago.

It is 7:00 a.m. and today is a big day for Brekyn and me. Brekyn gets to meet her beautiful birth family for the first time. We kind of thought that a few of them would come out and meet us for a sandwich. The rumor is that there will be about 15 of them. I don't mind, I can certainly understand why, I just thought it was cool that these precious folks were that willing to meet together. I should tell everyone that Brekyn's birth-mom lived with us for a few weeks prior to Brekyn's birth. Amy was about 17 then and so now she would be in her early 30's. She was part of our previous denomination and had heard that we were looking to adopt. I don't remember how we connected with each other, but we did. How could we ever be so lucky to have a birthmom find us - some 350 miles away from us. They have often said how blessed they are that we have shared with them, one of the most loving, sincere and compassionate young ladies that walks the face of the earth. I still marvel that a young lady, from Springfield MO. handed us one (of two) of the greatest joys in our lives. So, pray for our "little" Brekyn today...she'll do great.

And then, later this evening I will be meeting with an Aunt that I haven't seen in nearly 35 years. We will be driving three sets of two hour legs today. Our first drive is this morning to Springfield MO. After lunch, we will drive to Fort Scott Kansas and then after Fort Scott, we will land in Wichita Kansas tonight.

I wanted to share another picture this morning. Don't let it ever be said that I didn't take my three girls out for a candle light dinner. Cracker Barrel, the old faithful - yummy.

Well, I just woke up grumpy(Bailee)...but I think she'll be ok once she gets going.

Well, we made it as far as Sullivan, Missouri on our first day of travel. We were kind of like Storm Chasers all the way here :0) Watched lots of lightning and rain from a distance and drove through some of it from time to time. We stayed safe, Praise the Lord! I (Jen) spent much of my time holding the camera to the window...trying to anticipate when the lightning would strike so I could capture the moment.... yea, right. No such luck. Got lots of black sky shots, if you'd like to see them...LOL. Mark spent much of his travel time singing horrific southern gospel hits (ok, only one-but it was enough). The girls just watched movies....one after the other. Tomorrow morning we meet Brekyn's birth mother, siblings, aunts, grandparents, etc. Should be a great time!

3-2-1 .... Go!

Today is the day. I remember, as a kid, sitting and looking at my SWATCH, playing with the little plastic bands that wrapped around the face. Does anyone else remember those? I would sit and stare at the face of my watch, waiting for the "preacher" to get done talking. I'll be doing the same today.

Tomorrows the Day

Tomorrow morning we wake up, throw our toothbrushes into the bag, grab the sermon and head out the door. I preach two sermons Sunday mornings. I'm sure the first one will seem like normal, but the second one...Wow...can I actually feel like the "pastor" is rambling on tomorrow :) Do you think that I will actually wish that I would hurry up and get done.

I'm going to wear a Hawiian shirt and flip flops to church tomorrow. I'll be there in body, but my mind is already pretty far down the road!

We plan to be in Sullivan Missourt tomorrow night on the first leg of our twenty-four day journey.

Getting Ready for the trip

Here we are about five days before leaving on our big vacation to the Southwest states. It's hard to believe that it has been a year of planning, saving, preperation and now initiation, to make this trip happen. We are taking almost a month off from our ministry. I'm thankful for some great guys who are going to cover for me while I am gone.

Bailee and Brekyn have been working some babysitting jobs and other odd jobs to help save money for spending. I think they are getting as anxious as I am (Mark). Jen really didn't seem to get into vacation mode until after school ended for her this year. Now, she is busy getting our online banking set up, cleaning the house and getting herself ready. I can tell she is ready for vacation. Yesterday, during the bad weather, she packed her suitcase. That is a full six days prior to leaving. Yay...she's ready to go.

Our trip is going to take us to Springfield Missouri our first day. Brekyn will get to meet her extended birth family and her precious siblings, birthmother and grandparents. I think she is a little nervous, but also quite excited. After teaching this coming Sunday, we will make a straight shot (while the adrenaline is still flowing), to Sullivan Missouri and then on to Springfield, Monday morning, to meet her family.

Monday night, we will drive to Fort Scott Kansas where I will see my (Mark's) Aunt Ellen. I haven't seen her in probably 35 years, so I am looking forward to reconnecting with her. Then, on Tuesday, we will be in Wichita Kansas where I will get to show my kids where I graduated from and my adopted "home" town. In Wichita, we will get a chance to link up with my Uncle Larry and Aunt Rose, whom I haven't seen in almost 30 years. After that the pace slows down....

Check back often for updates and hopefully photos of our trip.

Our love to our family and friends. Please be in prayer for us as we travel almost 5,000 miles over the next month.