Days 11 & 12: Missouri

We have been in Missouri since Friday morning, since we left Kansas City (on the Kansas side) and drove across the border.  Finally it’s hot enough to say that it’s summer and we’re no longer cold.  The humidity reminds us a little of home (Congo)!

We had a few extra hours in our travel day on Friday – after a leisurely breakfast with our host family in Kansas, we decided to do something touristy in a historic part of Missouri.  Both being avid Oregon Trail fans, we knew being near Independence should be something exciting.  We found a living history museum, based in 1855, that was easy to get to and enjoyed an hour walking around and seeing the buildings.  Matthew spent quite a bit of his childhood acting as an interpreter for a living history museum in Washington, during the same period, so it was fun to experience it in a different part of the country.  Levi and Amelia really liked the animals, especially the tiny shorn lambs!

Levi liked the horse, but didn’t want to touch it…

Finally, we began the relatively quick three and a half hour drive to St. Louis.  The kids, being beyond over tired at the long week of traveling with few breaks, fell asleep quickly and STAYED asleep for the entire drive, minus the last twenty minutes!!  It was a huge blessing for our peace of mind, and their own little bodies.

We arrived at our host’s house just south of St. Louis just in time for dinner.  This family is in the process of adopting from DRC, to add to their two little girls, just about Levi and Amelia’s ages.  The kids are all getting along fabulously.  And we are having a great time, though the traveling of the week is still causing them to be overextended.

Today there was a great get together with several families all through the process of adopting from DRC and we really enjoyed talking with them – hearing their stories and their love of Congo, and sharing what our experience had been.

Despite all of the excitement, the day was hard to end because both kids are just done with being so tired.  But, they’re sleeping now…so that’s what’s important.  But, we took some videos of them doing fun things this afternoon…highly recommended for grandparents!  🙂  Amelia learns to scale a wall and Levi learns to ride a bike (with an appearance by an adorable Amelia).

Thanks to everyone who came out today!!!  And tomorrow is a busy busy day for us, again, but we’re so excited to see so many people!