Getting Back

Some of you might have noticed my absence from here recently, stress from many sources just made it so hard to get on here and share.  Even though my job controls most of everyday activities it is not often a source of stress.  I love the challenges of my daily work.  However I am currently assigned to a tour for a medical equipment company and still running Reflections.  I split my days between planning my events and gathering information to keep this one rolling.  I have been flying back and forth between tours to make sure they are all staffed properly.  All of that takes a backseat to my family.  My father is still in the hospital and he is not improving.  We face a new set backs what seems like each day and I can do nothing but talk on the phone.  I know that I don’t need to be there but it drives me nuts to know that not only is my dad in so much pain but my mom is there alone most of the time.  Josh thinks that I needed to get on here and post, that this is my outlet.  So I want to start off thanking my bloggy family for being so supportive.

Josh and I spent most of June and July on the East Coast working a medical tour; well just as we were planning to come back to Detroit to get onto Reflections things changes.  We had to catch a flight to Kansas City to work on the West Coast truck for the same tour.  While that was a stress causer, starting to see the trend here, there was a perk.  We had a day to visit the World Was I Museum and Monument.  So I can’t cry too hard.

The monument itself is striking, a distinct item in the landscape.  The tower is surrounded by expansive lawns, the drive up alone is dramatic and sets the tone for a place of honor and reflection.  Kansas City claims to be the city of fountains, I am pretty sure they aren’t the only ones to claim that however they have more than a few.  We passed five on the way there and the grounds contains three, one very large and stunning one at the front doors to the new museum.  There are two smaller towers above ground that are part of the original building.   The observation tower and halls were built in 1921 but the city raised funds for the expansion opening 2006.  The original facilities are very impressive but the new museum is a touching trip into the past.  They mix artifacts, video and interactive elements to allow for a journey into history.   The museum is divided into the war up to 1913 and after 1914 (pre and post American involvement), both sections have a “study” area where you can use interactive displays to go deeper into a topic.

I had to stop and pose for a shot next to the kilt!!!  Josh still has not learned how to adjust the focus on our camera.  Guess I look better blurry.  We only had two hours to make it through but you don’t need much more than that to see everything and stop for videos.  The pre-American sections is heavy with artifacts and history, I was very impressed by how well it told the story, both sides.  The intensity builds as you turn into a theatre separating the sections featuring a piece about should we enter the war.  Peering down on the diorama, lights and sounds walk you through the pros and cons.  In the end we joined the Allies and changed American forever.  The feel of the museum changes in the post American involvement, it becomes very patriotic and about us banding together.  There is a huge sence of pride and sacrifice viewing uniforms and photos.  I have to say that this is a great way to spend an afternoon, most of us know what happened in WWI but a facility like this helps piece together timelines and history.  I would highly recommend it.

I couldn’t resist including this one, even Scotties were used to recruit!!!!

This is the view from the observation tower, pretty spectacular huh!!!!