Something Different

I got to work this morning so thankful that it was Friday, just wanting to envelop myself in my workload & pass the time. Before I knew it I was headed with some gals across the street to see Jennie Garth (best known as Kelly Taylor on 90210)! Not my typical Friday.

Jennie is from a small town about 40 miles from here and one of the gals from work is friends with her sister. Jennie was across the street for a ceremony with the American Heart Association, donating money in memory of her dad who passed away from heart disease. It was small and informal, but kind of cool. Not a lot of hoopla. I borrowed a camera from Kelly, (Thanks!) and got a couple decent shots. That's about enough excitement for my day.

The Expo

Last weekend was the 150th Anniversary Celebration of the Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS - where I work). In honor of this, there was a big expo ... a family friendly event. Kabe and I went with our friends Jen, Ben and Audrey.


This is Ben and Kabe checking out the bats & mammal's with Joyce.






Here is Kelly and Ron. Kelly also works for INHS for the CAPS program (bugs & stuff =). Oh yeah, Ron works on campus too, he's into farming.






Here is Audrey checking out the Emerald Ash Borer at Kelly's tent with a little help from her mom Jen.






Here's Kabe tracking Mike. Mike is also a scientist who happens to be 'Jack's Dad' (Kabe's friend from school). Mike is a bird-guy. The beads Mike is holding are magnetic, thus able to be tracked via the antennae Kabe is holding. The antenae would beep in a low tone for a far away read and louder the closer it got to the beads. Obviously, Kabe loved this.



Here are Kabe & Jack in one of the mobile units, doing an activity. There are two mobile units that are part of the outreach team. They go to schools in Illinois to teach them about bugs, insects, steams, wildlife, mammals, fish, etc. Basically everything the INHS researches.






Here's Kabe taking a look at some specimen.

These were the hugest crickets I've ever seen. Audrey loved them and just kept going back to them and staring. So cute to see this pretty little girl fascinated with something not so pretty.





One of the activities was a satellite thingy. No idea what this doo-hicky controlled or although I'm sure there is a perfectly good scientific reason for it. In fact, I'm sure some grant paid a good chunk-o-change in order to receive some good data findings. The boys however just thought it was way cool that when you move the handle on the ground it moves the big round satellite-looking thingy in the picture. VERY cool to second graders.


As we were finishing our day, we headed to the library for a scavenger hunt of sorts. Kabe is looking up 'Extinction' in the reference book...no problem.


This is the end of our day with Kabe & Ben next to a model of a giant ant. So much fun! I can't wait until the 200th anniversary!


What did you do last weekend?

Craziness!

Okay - so I've been an inactive blogger this week. Sorry! Adam's mom has been here and despite attempts, it's been crazy -- both at home and at work. We've been running around like crazy at night trying to get everything done that needs to get done with the little 'extra' time we have which cuts in to my blogging time.
Now for work...being employed by the state definitely has it's perks. I've enjoyed many of them. =) To fill you in on the not-so-fun short version of our current situation, my agency is going to be absorbed into the university at the beginning of the next fiscal year, which is a good move for us, however, our state budget is current half a million (yes, million) dollars in deficit (yes, that negative). What does this mean, you ask? Well, most likely, layoffs -- if approved by the governor, in meetings taking place this afternoon.
Now that I've told you all this, let me tell you why I told you all this. I just keep praying that God will give me peace about it. That if I'm one of the few that are to be relieved of their position, then so be it. From my view, I'm not sure how things will go on, but that's part of the peace and giving it over to God. This isn't easy for me...I'm a planner, a list-maker -- I like to be in control. But maybe that's part of this lesson too. If I'm in control....God isn't.