The tiny traveling backpack

  Since signing our rental lease here in the "Show-Me" state, Missouruh has lived up to it's nickname and shown me some great things and I have been able lure unsuspecting visitors to this fine flat land.

In April my aunt Janet boarded a plane with the tiniest backpack known to man and landed here. I had so much fun with her, that I implore her to invest in a standard size backpack so that she can stay longer next time.

We decided to load up  my gray fofo with my kids, her tiny backpack, and a GPS with the destination set as Independence Missouri. Independence is of interest to me for two reason. The first reason being my oafish obsession with  presidents and it just so happens that the 33rd haberdasher President of The United States Harry S Truman is from Independence. I will spare you the inane facts I know about him.. However my 5-year-old Levi did not fair so well as I tried to tell him everything I could when we went to the home of President Truman.

The second reason why I have an interest in Independence is  LDS church history. Church history is complicated and there is a lot to wrap your head around, I will leave it at that!

Joseph Smith dedicated a plot of land for a temple. The claims to this particular piece of land are fascinating. There are several off shoots of the LDS church surrounding the temple lot. At one such church I met a man who I believe predates even Joseph Smith's time. The man gave us an account of the events that took place there (again I believe it was a first hand account). Whenever I ask a question, the man, never moving from atop of his swivel stool would reference the answer to my question by swinging his cane over to a shelf full of booklets and point out the name on the brochure as his own name saying "That is me" each time followed by his name. He was kind enough to show us the original now encased corner stones of the temple, as well as let my children play with plastic blocks which they enjoyed, but I think they would have preferred the corner stones more.

 After leaving his church Naomi decided to take a leisurely stroll with her silky through the temple lot. I think she added a badly needed element of cuteness to the site-

Next up we traveled a few miles away to Liberty Jail where Joseph Smith and 3 others spent a few months. I was less impressed with the jail as it was an indoor replica. I will not deface this blog with pictures of it, however to prove to my kids someday that I took them there I will share this pic. 

Spending time at church sites and various other churches who use The Book of Mormon left me with a renewed desire to read it as well as The Doctrine & Covenants to continue to gain my own understanding of them.. 

After a night in Independence we were ready to pack up and head back to St Louis where Richard awaited to hear all about the odd and interesting things we encountered  

My aunt's trip took us even father into history. We crossed over the Mississippi river from St Louis into Illinois, where we visited an ancient Native American city called Cahokia Mounds Historic Site. The area was occupied in the 1200's and full of some 120 man made mounds. We  wore headsets that told us the history of the site from the research of archeologist  and historians as we looked at and climbed the various mounds.  It is believed the mounds were used as a place to build buildings for a variety of purposes to serve the population of 15.000.

Monks Mound is the largest mound north of Mexico. It is about a 100ft tall and very wide, how is that for a measurement? I ran to the top while Janet stayed behind with Naomi who wanted to collect ancient rocks.

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Can you see Janet at the bottom with her tiny backpack? Here is close up, can you see the backpack now?

 

And of course Naomi's silky had to make the trip with us.

It was an exhilarating morning of looking at preserved piles of ancient  dirt!

 We finished our day with the crowning jewel of St Louis. . ..picking Levi up from school, but before that we took a boat ride down the Mississippi river and a ride to the top of the arch.

I loved having my aunt here to go traipsing around Missouruh and Illinois with my off spring and I. Janet also provided a night of free childcare, something I welcome.

Richard and I attended his medical school prom.

                            I tried to pretend we were in high school, but as I walked into prom with my diaper bag over my shoulder , the illusion passed and I quickly was reminded of my age as I became irritated with the intoxicated people and I wished I were at home watching Dateline.

My aunt brought with her so much more than a tiny backpack. She shared stories with me about my grandparents who died when i was 5 and family genealogy, Things I want to be able to tell my kids about someday. All of us loved having her visit our cozy little rental.