Damon's Family -- Expect The Unexpected

Trips never go as expected. Except when they do.

I'll let you decide if ours did or not as I unfold our story of travel to the reunion.

Monday morning we left Roark's house. By we I mean me Damon, Tiffany, Taylor, and Emily. Roark has made a change in his life. No more rushing around all stressed out. So he told us we'd leave sometime in the morning and not to worry about it.

True to his word we got off to a stress-free start.

After driving all day we reached Branson Missouri in the early evening. Had a nice dinner at a local BBQ. Pulled pork sandwich, yum. I'm a sucker for French Dip sandwiches so I bought one of those too. Tiffany and Emily had Caesar salads -- good choice! Taylor had a beef plate and half my French Dip.

On Tuesday we had a fun day. Rode the 'duck', an amphibious vehicle for land and water. We figured out though that it wasn't really like a duck. Sure ducks swim and walk. But they also fly. Taylor and I were disappointed it didn't fly too like a duck.

Laura, Emily, Rebecca waiting for the "Duck"

Grandpa and Grandma on the Duck with their quackers

Happy Tiffany, Cool Damon on the Duck

Sarah, Emily, and Laura on the Duck

Laura and Emily quacking away

In the afternoon we watched a big production called Noah at a Christian theater. It was quite a production, huge set, huge cast, and lots of live animals. What TIffany and I found strange was it didn't move us at all. We didn't feel inspired to anything. Maybe we're spoiled with the excellent church videos that can be inspiring. But for all the expense and professionalism of this production they somehow missed making it inspiring. They tried though. The script had lot's of 'praise the Lord' and 'believe in the Lord' but the words fell hollow. Weird.

Tiffany and Taylor on stage in theatre

Taylor during backstage tour, demo of how quick costume changes work

Damon, Grandma, and Grandpa walking into the massive theatre

Damon, Grandpa, and Grandma right before the show 'Noah' started

The evening entertainment was no more inspiring but it was very entertaining. Picture this. Hundreds of people sitting around this arena filled with dirt.

Performers are riding horses around doing fancy tricks and stunts. Competitions are going on. Pigs are racing around the arena. Little ponies dressed like race horses are running around. Kids chasing chickens to see whose chicken is faster.

Suddenly Grandpa Janis walks onto the dirt in the arena. He's got two pistols and he's slinking like a cowboy in a gun fight. In the middle of arena he's given a … toilet seat.

Now picture Grandpa Janis throwing a blue toilet seat like a horseshoe. And Grandpa Janis winning the toilet seat horseshoe throwing contest.

While all this is going on food is being shoved in front of us. Cheese rolls, soup, a whole roasted chicken. Corn on the cob, half a potato. And an apple turnover for dessert.

NO UTENSILS! Admittedly this was the ultimate man feast. Crazy abandon ripping a whole chicken apart with my bare hands and shoving big chunks of dead bird flesh into my mouth. All the while my eyes and ears feasting on the activities in the arena.

This the famous Dixie Stampede in Branson Missouri.

Earlier in the evening Laura did something I'll remember whenever I think of this trip. We had purchased popcorn and water and everyone was eating and drinking. What I really wanted though was a root beer in a cowboy boot cup. I said something about it, Laura was sitting next to me.

A few minutes later she shows up in front of me with a huge smile on her face. And a cowboy boot cup with … root beer in it! She had asked her dad for some money so she could buy it for me. Ahhh Laura, you made my day :)

Laura, Damon, Emily, and Sarah toasting. See the cowboy boot cup? Gift from Laura :) This is the Dixie Stampede pre-show.

Grandma and Grandpa -- 52nd Anniversary!

Taylor, Chad, and Tiffany ready for the entertainment and dinner to get started. Taylor has laser eyes, don't look directly into them!

Grandpa throwing a blue toilet seat horseshoe and winning the contest!

We are driving the Nauvoo today. In fact Taylor is driving, Chad is in the passenger seat. Tiffany and I are being chauferred. Frees me (Damon) up for writing this :) It's Wednesday now.

Shortly after leaving the hotel this morning Heather called. Her alarm hadn't gone off and she was rushing to the Salt Lake airport. It was questionable if she could make her flight. Daron and Heather Rose are picking her up in St Louis this afternoon. A missed flight would create a very challenging logistical problem because there are no airports near Nauvoo.

Heather got to the airport then realized in the terminal her driver license was missing. With no time to spare she ran back to her car looking for the license. Couldn't find it! Went back to security and by some miracle had her social security card and driver's license. They let her through! They let her board! She made the flight!!!

This was a miracle. Roark taught High Priests Group last Sunday -- the best presentation in High Priests group ever. He talked about tender mercies of the Lord. This was a tender mercy for Heather to make this flight.

Trips never go as expected. Except when they do.