Expectant Prayers ®

We've spent the last several days with my sister and her family... and it was a lot of fun!  The kids look bigger every time I see them and it's a reminder that kids aren't little very long!   Nephew celebrated his 16th birthday while on this trip.  Uncle Pete and I decided that every 16 year old deserved a new car, so we bought him a brand new sporty convertible... too bad it was just a "Hot Wheels"!   Uncle Pete also picked out a new key chain for him to use when he actually starts driving!  Nephew had Uncle Pete drill a hole in the car so that it could actually go ON the key chain.  Now all he needs is KEYS, but he'll get those in a few weeks.  You have to be 16 years and one month in order to get your license in the Hoosier state.

While they were here, Sharon introduced us to the sport of geocaching.  It was exciting to drive around to the spots trying to get to the exact coordinates, but it wasn't enjoyable listen to my husband complain the whole time.  By the time we left yesterday afternoon, he had been up for nearly 15 hours and was ready for some sleep... and wasn't shy about letting all of us know it!!!    He needs (and we're praying for) a day shift so he can get on the same schedule as the rest of the family!  Anyway.... that wasn't all bugging Pete. Since we're from here and he has to know where things are (because of his police work) he didn't like the GPS  at all!  He would rather drive to the spot and then use the coordinates to locate the items.   He drives everywhere the shortest distance possible and really didn't like following the GPS directions.  I don't think he'll be asking for one for Christmas!

The first cache we went to was supposed to be an easy find, we couldn't locate it at all.  It was down near a creek and there was so much trash down there (looked like a place where transients had been staying) we didn't even know where to begin searching!  The items aren't normally very big and when all you see is trash (bottles, cans, milk jugs, trash bags) it's like looking for a needle in a hay stack!  Sometimes there are clues for the geocache, but the first one didn't help AT ALL.  We found the second one near a memorial near the Chiefs/Royals Stadiums, and the third in a cave down at Cave Springs. 

If you like this sport, you'd better be sure to go prepared.  Sharon's family has labels made up so when they find the cache, they simply add their label to the list of names!  Great idea.  All you have to do then is write the date you found the cache beside the label.  She also has a bag of stuff to add to the cache if the container is large enough.  This can be a great witnessing tool if you would so desire.

If I did this sport, I would take new containers along.  We were shocked to find one listed as a "Cracker Jack" Tupperware container and it was nothing but an old aspirin bottle.  My guess... someone liked the other one and replaced it with the bottle.  DUH! If you like this game, don't ruin it for the next person.  Leave the cache in better condition than you found it.  It's really disappointing to be searching for something and then find "junk".  If you're going to all this trouble, it should be worth your while.

Second... come prepared as if you're hiking or going camping.  Put together a kit of stuff and I suggest throwing it all in a backpack.  You WILL need bug spray, a flashlight, and good shoes.  Even if the terrain is not listed as difficult, you've got to be prepared to walk and possibly get muddy shoes.    Consider where the coordinates are leading you to and think ahead about what you may need!  Sharon and I think that many of these would be much better in the fall when the foliage is pretty, the weather is cooler, and there aren't any BUGS!  She got eaten up at the first stop and me at the second, but we all put on the Deep Woods Off before we went to the cave!

Even though we only visited a few local coordinates, I enjoyed trying something new!  I think boys/men enjoy this  because the game is all about "the hunt".    There are options and choices of types of caches you want to try to find, also ones based on geographical locations.  You can also take geocoins or geobugs with you to a different destination.  I thought of it like "Flat Stanley" (if that's something you are familiar with).  They try to see how many places their coin or bug can travel.  There are coordinates you have to log in and Sharon spent a lot of time finding caches for their trip.. so this is definitely something you would enjoy if you are a "techno-person".

The vacation was also good because it gave me a break from the computer- something we can all stand to do from time to time!  But, as Sharon quickly found out... when you're gone from the computer for too long, the e-mails and work seem to pile up!  I think when she checked last she had some 85 e-mails or so to go through.  EEEKK!  I had my fair share as well just from 3 days!

One highlight of the trip is that my very talented nephew, Timmy, dubbed old family VHS clips onto DVD's for us.  I don't know how many times we sat and watched those over the past week!  Our family has never owned a video recorder (we are avid picture takers and journalists), but it was so nice to have movies of the kids when they were little and babies.  My father-in-law has always taken plenty of video of the kids, too...but we don't sit around and watch those.  We should probably put some of those on DVD, too.    They also included clips of when I was singing as a kid.  It's scary, but I don't even remember the events AT ALL!  OH, well. 

We also have 2 birthdays this week.  My little Zekie turned 5 earlier this week and Celeste turns 12 later this week!    All of our kids birthdays and our anniversary come within 7 weeks of each other.  That's 7 events in 7 weeks and a lot of parties!  With all of them piled close together, once they are finished - we have several months before Christmas.  I'm glad we planned them that way!

In other news, our family came down with the flu this week and it hasn't been fun.  Our 2 oldest boys are at camp this week, so perhaps they will avoid getting sick!  At least that's what we're praying.  Levi still had a fever yesterday, but hasn't had one today.  The little boys were the ones who were mainly effected and my niece.

We are headed off to vacation in another week, so we all hope to be well by then!  Traveling isn't fun when you don't feel well.

Well, that about wraps things up for now.    Hope you have had a good week and I'll check back with you later.  Blessings!