A Field Trip to London - January 24th

     What a fantastic weekend we had just had, 60 people at our house to celebrate Rebecca's 40th bday, many phone calls, cards, facebook hello's all to commemorate the big day. January had so much going on with our team retreat from the churches to the planning of and the day of the party. One of the other aspects of the celebrations was going together for a couple of days to London. This sounds like a relatively easy venture but getting to London and getting around the city takes time, effort and money. We had a fab day at the Toussad's wax museum and found our apartment in Stratford after a bit of searching. On this occasion it was decided that I would plan the next day and I had decided that the science museum would be a good idea for our day's plans. Rebecca didn't exactly jump at those suggested plans but on the flip side she did not want to sadden or frustrate me by declaring a lack of interest in that idea. How I missed the warning signs I'm not sure, it wouldn't take the most perceptive among us to ascertain her internal thoughts of ... really that's what were going to do?
     After taking the Central line through to the museum district we walked through a long pedestrian subway which led to the science museum, natural history museum and the Victoria + Albert museum. We saw signs for the V + A, it looked very interesting but plans are plans so we almost bedrudgingly carried on to the science museum. The sounds of many children greeted us from the entrance hall but after making our way to a short bathroom break we were ready to go explore. Another gaggle of children was present in the main hall, a couple more classes in the space hall and more in the next exhibit.

     Being a museum with many children is nothing new to either of us after years of being the adult in charge on school field trips. This was not a field trip, it was celebrating Rebecca's birthday but everywhere we turned were reminded of teaching and reminded that we did not have a little one to be pushing around in a buggy or answering limitless questions of why? as one walks around a science museum. The frustration, sadness and despair flowed out on the 4th floor corridor across from the elevators on a little solitary bench tucked right next to the wall, away from the masses. A few tears, hugs, silent prayers and the decision to go to the V + A instead was made, the right one for that day. The remainder of that Thursday was wonderful with honest conversation, laughs, great food and the recognition that while we were in a raw place emotionally we were not only going to be ok but that we also felt we had a plan moving forward.