Drink Water.

Jen and I drove to Omaha this morning to do some shopping, go to our cute little second cousin's first birthday party, and attend a rally protesting the National Healthcare bill. We try to squeeze everything in one day when we "go to town".

The rally started at 12pm in downtown Omaha, and we arrived at 11 to help hand out fliers. The weather has been so great lately, and today was sunny and warm. Really warm in the sun, actually. The speakers were good if not great, and there was a large crowd. After about two hours standing in the sun, I really wanted to sit down, though. After I sat down I stared feeling really tired, and then out of breath, then sick to my stomach, then dizzy, and then I heard ringing in my ears. Jen wasn't there at the time, and I really felt like I was going to faint or(heaven forbid) throw up, so I told the poor lady next to me, a complete stranger, that I didn't feel well. I must have looked it, because she fanned me with her paper and was very gracious. I really felt terrible. A few other people noticed my state and came over to see if they could help. They decided to get the nearby policemen to help me out. There was so much security there, there must have been around twenty law enforcement officers present. They very seriously escorted me into an air conditioned building, and I brought poor Jen with me- when I tapped her on the shoulder she thought we were being arrested.

I recovered really quickly, and I'm sure the reason I felt faint was because I was dehydrated. I had forgotten my water bottle and hadn't had any breakfast. I feel foolish for the drama I caused by not taking care of myself properly. And since the policemen escorted me through the crowd, everyone saw it happen.. my pastor was there and someone went and got him to check on me, which was nice.

So hopefully I've learned my lesson, which is drink lots of water when you're in the hot sun, and now I'm going to bed, very tired and badly sunburned as well. I don't think I'll ever learn to put on sunscreen!

I Never Want to Marry a Man Named Arnold

I'm in a state of mild depression right now. My recent studies of the American Revolution have led me through David McCullough's excellent book, "1776" and David Hackett Fisher's "Paul Revere's Ride" along with other lesser known books. I'm understanding more now what a great man of character George Washington was, and how providential it was to have young leaders such as Nathaniel Greene and Henry Knox in the North, and Charles Coatesworth Pinckney and Francis Marion in the South. But what got me depressed was the last two books I've read, which were about Benedict Arnold, the brilliant and tempermental American General who in 1779 defected to the side of the British. It's pretty depressing to read about how an American hero turned into an American traitor. Whew.

I need to get my mind on other things. I started my first petticoat today, and since they're really pretty easy to make I hope to have both my plain white petticoats done within a few days.

Mission Relaxation: Vacation 2009

Last week our family took off for vacation 2009; actually part 2 of vacation 2009, since our trip to Des Moines for the Fatherhood conference qualified as the first half. Especially since we stayed in a hotel then, even paid for two rooms. Part 2 was actually another trip to Iowa, to spend five days in a one room cabin with no bathroom. Isolation and relaxation was the goal; at least it was Mom's goal, for our trip this year. I guess Iowa is a pretty good place for that. Mom grew up tent camping across the country for weeks every summer, and so she has always had a vision for summer camping trips. I have come to detest camping over the years- the crowded quarters, the leaky tents(it always rains), bending over a campfire, walking miles to the bathrooms, which are dirty. It's a love/hate relationship actually; camping is the only way we could ever afford to travel and see the historical sites, museums, and cemeteries I love to visit. But this year we didn't do any of that- we just sat at our cabin for five days. I took four books to read, one for each free day there, but I ended up getting a cold and was sick for two and therefore only got two books done. Overall, the weather was beautiful, the one room cabin survivable, you really couldn't see the cornfields from the cabin, which had a great view of the lake; and even though I still had to walk to the bathroom I did accomplish the Vacation 2009 mission: Relaxation.

The boys did get a little bored, since they don't know how to relax; they went fishing a lot and caught two teeny fish which we had to throw back. I guess we need some advice on fishing techniques.

Now that I'm back I'm hoping to finish my other colonial undergarments besides the stays: chemise and petticoats. How hard can that be, right?