Travel Stories

I was recently in Kansas City, Missouri for a work conference. I didn’t have the opportunity to get out and ‘experience’ the city unless it was in walking distance of my hotel. I was in the town during a triple whammy: freak spring snowstorm, March Madness turnover (Kansas lost) and an insanely busy conference schedule.

Here are a few highlights:

The Escalator: When I was little escalators kind of freaked me out. My fear was that if I didn’t get off in time I would be trapped and sucked down. During this trip, I was getting ready to step onto an airport escalator when I heard a loud crash. I looked up to see a suitcase come tumbling down the moving steps. Quickly following was an older woman, also tumbling down those same steps. It all happened in slow motion. She had lost her grip on the suitcase and in trying to compose herself she slipped. She tried to balance on the rail but it was moving so it provided weak support at best. She was tumbling down the moving steps and the fear on her face was evident. One mom jumped into action and ran up the stairs to catch her. My traveling companion and I ran over to the escalator and hit the panic button to stop the movement. The dad who was with the mom just sort of stood there trying to figure out what city he was in. I hope that woman is doing okay; she was embarrassed, confused, and in pain from the fall.

Diner Out: I experienced a gourmet dream come true while on this trip. I have always wanted to enjoy a meal at a restaurant that is owned/operated by a famous chef. This is a little 4-1-1 on where I had the filling pleasure to dine.

ABOUT THE RESTAURANT

Lidia and Joseph Bastianich opened Lidia's Kansas City together in a former railroad house just north of Kansas City's historic Union Station. Designed by acclaimed New York architect David Rockwell, the restaurant evokes the feel of an Italian farmhouse despite its tremendous size. Lidia's Kansas City features a daily tasting of three fresh, homemade pastas, modeled on the popular pasta service at the Bastianich family's Becco in New York. Diners can also choose entrees such as roasted veal shank featured in a rich sauce lightened with fresh orange and carrot juices; frico, an envelope of Montasio cheese with a variety of fillings; or a beautiful grilled salmon served over braised lentils with a zesty chive-mustard sauce, just to name a few.

Simple Pleasure: I noticed something about myself on this trip. I get all-out giddy when I am approaching a new city. I truly get excited to see the skyline getting closer was our car draws near. It makes me remember times when I traveled with my mom and dad. We always traveled by car. There is just something magical about the skyline and endless possibilities it might bring.

Assignment: Find the Magic!

Photo Friday

Happy Birthday Maddy

Today Madeleine JoHannah is 16th years old. For now she hates her name but I love it. I find her name as unique and beautiful as her. We tend to call her Maddy, MJ, Madds, or Madster for short. For a time we called her Chicken Little, I don’t remember why.

Maddy has always been a special child. She is determined, confident, compassionate, and assertive. These are great leadership skills for an adult; we don’t really worry about her being successful in the future. While these skills are blessings for a young woman – they are often challenging for parents of teens. Every day we are learning how to make this work better.

Maddy weighed 10.1 lbs when she was born. She was three days late (and my only child who was late) for her arrival into this world. She could form simple sentences by the time she was a year old but didn’t take her first step until she was 18 months old. She didn’t have to, as the youngest of six children she just told people what she wanted and they got it for her.

When Maddy was a toddler she was a true performer. She had loved to sing “You are my Sunshine” and she had a special dance that she would perform on command. Her favorite joke was to tell people, “I’m not your friend anymore . . .CRY”. As mean as that sounds, it was funny and true. Maddy instinctually knew that if you were not her friend, you would cry because you would be missing out some a good thing.



When Maddy was in forth grade her principal shared that whenever she and her friends would have an argument it troubled Maddy so deeply that she would call a meeting. Maddy would ask the principal to bring the girls together so they could voice their concerns and solve the true problem at hand.

In Middle School and High School, Maddy has successfully negotiated a better grade with teachers. If the grading was objective and Maddy found the teachers objectivity differing from hers – she would call a meeting so they could voice their concerns and solve the true problem at hand. You read a theme in this?


This past year, Madd’s had a tutor for Algebra. She wanted a better grade and took it upon herself to apply for a tutor. She told us that there was a brief period when the tutor was not meeting her standards and she was afraid she would need to fire him. They worked the problem out and she was successful in the class. Madd’s is probably the ONLY high school student who begs her parents to go to conferences. She is proud of the work she is doing. Good grades to not come naturally for her, she works hard for her GPA but she does it because she has a final goal in mind: college/career of her choice.

I have a zillion favorite stories about my sweet baby girl but I will only share one more. Throughout Maddy’s childhood, every night when I would come home from work, Maddy would throw open the screen door, run down the porch steps, and come running into my arms. Just thinking about her beautiful smile and pure happiness to see me brings tears of joy to my eyes. What a precious gift I have been given!


Happy Birthday Sweet Baby Girl, you are a blessing to many and a gift to this world.

Photo Friday

Photo Friday. I am starting with one of my very favorite photos ever. This was taken in 2008 at a family reunion. The kids were watching their cousin’s goof around.

Readers I think we ARE in Kansas now.

Kansas City – Kansas City here I come. I am going to a conference for the next few days. I have never been to Kansas City before – this is the KC, Missouri not the KC, Kansas. Um, why do that do that?

While I am in K.C - Andy will be in New York City as a part of the Marketing Club. He once thought Marketing was stupid - but now he knows better.

Tom and Maddy . . . .well, they will have bonding moments together.

I hope we all have fun and I am full of a new stories to share when I get back.

Spring

When I came home tonight this is what greeted me as I left my car. What a great St. Patty gift. Thanks mom nature.

Guest Writer - Memories

Maddy on a trip to a Tiger Game with other surviors.

Maddy had an assignment to write about a memory. She gave me approval to post it.

March 3, 2010


Memories

I’ve had a lot of memories, throughout my life. But my favorite memory was when I was sick with cancer. It sounds bizarre because I had cancer, but it’s always been my favorite. I loved it because my family was very close at the time. Before I got sick we weren’t all that close, my older siblings never really visited us, and we never really stayed in contact with my relatives. Then in the summer of 2004 I was diagnosed with Burkett’s Lymphoma. I was rushed to the ICU floor at DeVos Children’s Hospital on July 22, 2004.

On my journey of being sick, I was always with a family member, whether it was my dad, mom, aunt, sister, or brother. I loved that I was always with one of them, if not all of them. A specific memory that I remember and favor the most was a day that I wasn’t able to get out of the hospital. It was in august and only a month after I got diagnosed so I wasn’t it was out of the question to leave my hospital room, but there was a hospital party at the nearby park, that I wasn’t able to go to. Since I couldn’t leave and I was disappointed all my brothers and sisters, mom and dad came to my hospital room and we had a picnic of our own. We all gathered around shot some videos for memories and watched old family videos. It was great, I loved that day.

While being sick there were also times that came, where I wish they never did. Being sick came with its up and its downs. One of the downs was the day I found out the cancer had spread to my heart and lungs. The day we found out, I know something wasn’t quite right. My dad was leaving that afternoon to go back home to Andy, and there was a feeling inside me where I just didn’t want him to leave, and I hadn’t felt good all that day. Turns out I got a CAT scan, and they found a lot more cancer surrounding my heart and lungs. I was rushed to the operating room where they inserted ‘pig tails’ into my back, to drain the fluid from my lungs.

That was one memory I could live without. Cancer gave me memories that I will never forget. Although it seems like a horrible thing, in an ironic way, it was the best year of my life. I’ll forever remember the days I spent in the hospital with my family and friends surrounding me with love and prayer.