A week to enjoy

Matt finished his grueling finals week for the musculoskeletal block (insert loud cheers and applause!) and recently enjoyed a week off (more or less).

He had asked me to plan some fun events for his week off.  So plan I did.  With the help of giftcards and groupons, I'd say we had a successful week of entertainment with our med school budget still in tact.  Thank you, Lord!

First, we toasted the week with pumpkin spice lattes.  A big thank you to my thoughtful mother-in-law for the giftcard.  I do not hate on commercialism, ...especially in the form of delicious treats.

Here are some other fun things Matt got to experience post finals.  The zoo was offering half off admission for Clay County residents.  That's us!

There was something sweet about this elephant to me.

meerkats.  Which one do you like best?  I'm partial to the two standing up.

yikes!

It's hard to see, but this is a field of lounging kangaroos (picture taken from the path that I heeded to stay on.)

Later in the day, while we were quietly observing the bat-eared fox, we heard several magnificently loud roars coming from nearby.  My ears perked!  My eyebrows raised!  My childlike curiosity kicked in, and with mouth agape, I set aside my dignity and ran in the direction of those roars, not wanting to miss the action.  I assumed Matt was behind me, but I didn't slow my pace to check.  Bag flopping by my side.  Scarf loosening and unraveling round my neck.  I didn't care.  I wanted to see that lion.  I imagined the ravenous beast wowing onlookers during feeding time, exposed teeth ripping into the meat, majestic flowing mane!

You can imagine my disappointment when I came around the corner and saw...this.  Matt showed up shortly after I did.  There were some others that had followed the noise too, and we all just stood there, bewildered.  We figured that the roars must have been a recording that the zoo was playing over the speakers.  Tricky.

Despite the lion letdown, we liked the Kansas City Zoo very much.  It's remarkably scenic and pretty.  Sometimes I forgot I was at the zoo and felt like I was taking a walk through the countryside.  Though the air was chilly, we enjoyed strolling around, breathing in the beauty of Fall.

Another great feature about this zoo is the African Sky Safari. 

 

lifting off

 

 

white capped and gray coated lovebirds

Later in the week, we made our way to the National WWI Museum (thank you groupon!)

There is much I do not understand about this war, it being so complex.  Still, I enjoyed gathering at least a little more knowledge about it.

WWI surgical tools

Outside of the museum, visitors are allowed up to the top of the 217 ft. Memorial Tower which overlooks the city.  I was so excited about it all day.  However, when we went to take our ride to the top, we found that it had, moments before, closed for the day while we were tootling around reading every descriptive caption in the museum.  Bummer.  First the lions, now the tower.  Oh well.  Here's the outside anyway. :)

Our disappointment was assuaged at the Blue Nile Ethiopian cafe (thanks again groupon!)

Matt had not yet met my church gospel community group.  I almost made a t-shirt that says, "My husband does exist", but now I don't have to.  The community group came over for dinner and some good old fashion board games one night.  We mingled, we laughed, we ate.  It was a good time.  And they got to see this mysterious husband of mine that I have been speaking of.  He's real.

We discovered that Catch Phrase is way more fun if each player has to say their clue with an accent.  We had several accents represented, including English, Indian, pirate, and Gollum from Lord of the Rings.

Towards the end of the week, we drove north to the historic town of Weston, MO.  It is quaint and charming, surrounded by rolling pastures.

We stopped by this cute little winery,

Matt embraced his sophisticated, pipe-smoking side with some fellow med students,

and we popped into the local Irish pub where this gentlemen was playing a mean bagpipe.  While I unabashedly do not care for beer and am only an occasional (sweet) wine sipper, I rather enjoyed myself at the Irish pub and found myself wanting to practice my Irish accent for a future game of Catch Phrase.

We topped off the week with some fireplace s'mores.  And called it good.

I am grateful that the Lord created both work and rest.  and fun!  He has proven faithful with great, big matters of my heart AND with little, seemingly insignificant details, like my husband re-energizing and enjoying a week off from studying.  I have been considering again this week Psalm 37:23 - "The Lord directs the steps of the godly.  He delights in every detail of their lives." 

I just love how intimately He is acquainted with us, caring about the details.  Thank You, Jesus, for a week to enjoy.