Goin to Concordia, Missouri, Concordia Here I Come...

Sometimes fate steps in and circumstances just work out really well!! As was the case when my BFF Anna and I discovered we would be in Kansas City at the same time. Anna grew up in the small town of Concordia, Missouri, about 1 hour 15 minutes east of K.C.. Anna and I have been best friends for about 10 years now, we met through our PEO chapter after I moved to Denver. Anna's been in Denver probably close to 35 years(maybe more?), but still considers Concordia "home"-almost all of her family still lives there. Anna earned her Master's in nursing this past spring from Regis University(Congratulations!), and was going to Kansas City to take a class at UMKC(my alma mater). She was recently hired by Front Range College to teach nursing-Congratulations again!! Anna would to stay with her family and commute back and forth for her class.

Anyway, since we were going to be in K.C. at the same time, Anna and her family invited us to come to Concordia and visit their family farm. YEA!! It would be so exciting to take Katelyn to a real working farm. I also wanted her to meet Anna's family, the lovliest people on God's green earth I'm certain. And while I'm on the subject of lovely people, let me tell you about my friend Anna. She has the purest heart of anyone I know. She doesn't have a cruel bone in her entire body. She doesn't have any hidden agendas~"what you see, is what you get". Anna personifies unconditional love in her every action. She loves Katelyn like she were her own child. Anna is a true soldier for the Lord and doesn't just "talk the talk, but walks the walk!" Here are just 2 examples of how she's done the Lord's true work: she has gone to Ethiopia on a nursing mission to educate and heal the sick and dying there, including educating women and children about AIDS. AND she ministers at a women's prison here in Denver at least twice a month. Why do I consider those acts of "true" work for the Lord? Because she embraces the people that others have forgotten or written off. I believe that is what the Lord expects from all of us. HE expects us to love ALL of HIS people unconditionally. Anna gets that, and I'm blessed enough to learn by her example. Anna is funny, tough, honest, fiercely loyal, courageous, and not afraid to drop the f-bomb if it's called for(you know I dig that about you!). Best of all, Anna calls me her best friend too; and I'm truly humbled and certain that I don't deserve it. I love you, Anna.

So on Saturday, the 6th of June, Mike, Katelyn and I set out for Concordia, MO. Anna met us at the Hardees in Concordia, hopped in our car, and guided us on a quicky tour of her town. What a sweet town, just like I picture small town America. Then we headed for Anna's parent's farm. Amazing! I love the country! It's so quiet and peaceful. Anna's parents and brother, Rick, & his girlfriend, Sandy, were there to greet us. Later her sister, Mina, and niece, Carista & her 5-month old baby Maddie joined us for a wonderful lunch that Anna's mother prepared-YUM! Anna's parents, Nadine & Armin, are 85 and 87 and still going strong! To me, they represent what America is all about: honest, loyal, hard-working, GOD-loving people.

Katelyn loved being outside on the farm. She was able to pick peas from the garden and eat 'em right then. She got to pet the horses and look for fish swimming in the pond. Next we headed to Mina's place, Anna's sister. Mina and Anna should have been twins. Not only do they look alike, but they have the same personalities-Mina has a huge heart and the best smile!! Anyway, Katelyn had been asking all day to see farm dogs(of course, right!), and Mina & her husband, Don, didn't disappoint. They have 2 German Shephards and Katelyn was in love at first sight! They also have an amazing pond out back stocked with some of the biggest fish I've ever seen, and Katelyn got to feed them!!

After an hour or so at Mina & Don's it was time to head for the road. We still had to drive to Hays where we planned to spend the night. Thank you, Anna, and your family, for a wonderful afternoon!!

We made it to Hays, KS by 10 pm and were asleep the second our heads hit the pillows!! The next day, Sunday June 7th, we got up, ate breakfast at Country Kitchen, and headed for home. It was a pretty uneventful drive until we made it to Limon, CO and my cell phone rang with a call from the city to let us know our town was under a tornado warning. Great! We hoped we had a home to go home to! All was fine, and it was truly great to be home!!

~The End~

PS. SO ironic that the fountain pictured above at Anna's family farm is the same fountain we have in our front yard!! What a small world!!

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Home for a week now, it's been a very busy week! The weather has been crazy~ thunderstorms every day and a few more tornado warnings. Katelyn started swim lessons and was supposed to start T-Ball, but it was canceled due to the weather. I've been busy trying to get caught up on my housework, laundry, cooking, bill-paying, and grocery shopping. And of course there's flowers to plant too!(Guess my Fairy Godmother was on vacation too! HA!)