Did I ever tell you about the time I was mortified as a high school freshman? I made some close friends in middle school who didn’t exactly flow into being the same great friends in high school. For whatever reason – seriously none of us remember, we. just. stopped. being. friendly… I was really needing a new start with a fresh social circle as a freshman and tried out some new activities with a positive outlook (as much as a early teen with a “no one understands what I am going through” type mindset can be positive).
I joined the debate team and hit it off with a fun, more poplar than me, red headed freshman girl. Brenda spurred my interest in digging through my mom’s trunk to pull out shirts from the 70’s to wear – now that I am thinking about it, I wonder what happened to the white shirt with colorful embroidery I found and wore so much that year.
Brenda and I became debate partners and although we never hung out outside of school (or school functions), it was a budding friendship I was grateful for after the abandonment I felt from my last crew. Our very first debate tournament was in the early fall – most likely October. The debate topic for the year foreshadowed my social services career – JUVENILE CRIME. The first tournament was in Louisburg, Kansas just 30 minute drive south of our high school. Because of the proximity to the school and the type of activity, there was no team bus and everyone drove themselves and friends (upper class men) or parents picked up (freshman).
The results of the tournament are long forgotten but I can still remember Brenda and I sitting outside after our last round waiting for our rides. I was hanging out, trying to make the impression I was cool and worthy of being associated with. We sat on a cement wall watching the cars rolling up and down the long hills leading towards the school talking about whatever freshman trying to be cool talk about. Both of us quickly spotted a minivan off in the distance rolling up and down those same hills far off. It didn’t take long to recognize the van had the back completely open. We both laughed about it joking how wild it was someone could drive all that way not realizing the back was open. Up and down another big hill, the van got closer. Sure enough the van pulled into the Louisburg High School parking lot and right up in front of the school.
I said a quick good-bye to Brenda and nearly ran to the back of the van to close it before climbing inside. My mom and sister decided to stop by the Louisburg Cider Mill and pumpkin patch before picking me up. They laughed about driving all that way without recognizing the giant window agape in the back and were grateful their pumpkins didn’t fall out. At the time, I couldn’t even think to be grateful more of my new high school classmates weren’t present to witness my horrifyingly embarrassing pick-up.
Fast forward to a little over 20 years later and I am picking up my 3rd grade daughter from elementary school – her first week of school. I am chilling in the pick-up line and pull forward to see my beautiful girl in her crisp white polo and plaid jumper spot me and immediately her sweet face started frowning. She opens up the back seat to climb in and say, “Mom, what is that sound?”
“Sorry girl, there is something dragging on the bottom of the car I need to get screwed back in.” I apologize.
“You cannot pick me up like this mom, you have to get that fixed.”
And there it was, the memory of trying to fit in hit me, I was embarrassing my girl in front of her peers. I promised her I would get my car taken car of so that she could be picked up in a neutrally blending in vehicle to minimize the social impact. 
The kids were intrigued by the kitchen set-up in the basement of the home. I quizzed them on where traditional kitchen equipment was located to help them discover how they would wash dishes, keep food cold and cook. The woman working in the kitchen was patient to show them the inside of the wood burning stove, how coffee was made, to answer their inquisitive minds and offer them cookies which were made in the kitchen. I was alarmed at the thoughtfulness of the questions the kids were asking, considering how could they see with no electricity? The hostess showed them lanterns and demonstrated how it took the place of lights.
horses were harnessed up to another stagecoach we took a ride all to ourselves. The kids bounced along looking out the windows with silent gleeful smiles until Parker interrupted with “This is the best day ever.”
times I’ve driven right by it and never paid attention. This discovery center has both indoor and outdoor adventures to explore. Inside there were classrooms (I imagine were for scout meetings, field trips and summer camps) filled with nature experimentation and live animals. On a separate wing of the building we could hear the high energy fun of a group of day campers. A gift shop and information counter are to the right at the entrance for anyone looking for information on wildlife, plants and conservation. The person at the information desk was excited to greet the kids and patiently answered their four and five year old questions, she also offered each kid an animal temporary tattoo. The building had a formal presentation area facing a wall of windows where my two adventurers found entertainment in performing dances and songs to an audience of one after our hike outdoors. The building also is an example for sustainable features like geothermal and water waste systems. 
spray and bottles of water to stay comfortable in the heat. Because of the tree coverage and small breeze the June temperature didn’t feel as bad as I dreaded. We listened to the sounds of nature, climbed on logs and held hands until their little legs were tired and then we went to explore the nature center.
sweet fruity fragrance I had engraved in my childhood memory bank from the back corner of our yard in Minnesota. It was refreshing to crouch down and search deep into the leaves to find the most perfectly ripe fruit others had passed by. I had forgotten completely about the little white flowers on the plants and the method to plucking with the stem. Like some new adventures, Parker was hesitant at first and then enthusiastically joined in the hunt. When I noticed she had a tendency to choose tiny berries which were far from ripe, as she has an undeniable preference for tiny things… I asked her to nibble on one and tell me if she would like to eat more. Her pre-prepared it tastes good mom nodding smile turned to a bitter tongue out frown and her strawberry picking greatly improved instantly.
Each night we read each other one story before bed too. She has several stories or lines out of books memorized and even mimics the inflections and character voices I use when I read to her. A lot of her reading is completely made up as she goes along incorporating characters from the story I had read or from events that happened in her day. It won’t be long before she is truly reading the words on the pages but for now she is using her imagination and her own words for storytelling.
Inspired Living KC 