~Our Elijah has a birthday~

~We recently celebrated little Elijah's 5th birthday.  I didn't know where we were going to be on his actual birthday, so we bought a DQ ice cream cake and celebrated a tad early...with our good friends Steve and Luann Boardman, and their family.
We bought the cake on Friday, but then...the way our day went on Saturday...we ended up celebrating Elijah's birthday over Luann's yummy biscuits and gravy breakfast, and then saved his DQ ice cream cake for later! =)~

  

~Kara hung streamers for Elijah.  Elijah was HAPPY!~

~With us having our deputation service in their home on Saturday night, (a good 40 of us were there and Luann served yummy snacks afterwards), ...she and I were sort of glad that we hadn't had time to serve Elijah's birthday cake...for it made a GREAT Mother's day dessert on Sunday.
Elijah wanted a monkey on his cake, so DQ drew a monkey face.  =) ~

~On his actual birthday we were traveling from Milan, IL back to Ava, MO, for a service at Mt. Zion.
This picture is when Elijah's cousins Brittany, Darla, and Bryan called to wish him a Happy Birthday. =D~

~Since we were traveling and needed lunch anyhow, we let him choose where we should eat lunch.  Of course, he chose..... Mcdonalds. =) ~

~And we let the little kids play for a few.~

~Back in the van, he drew this truck on his new Magnadoodle he got for his birthday.~

~Then as we got closer to St. Louis, I asked Phillip if we could PLEASE stop and take our kids up into the St. Louis Arch.  I remember doing that when I was younger and wanted them to get to do it too.  Here we are walking toward the Arch.~

~Getting closer....~

~Elijah took this picture of us.~

~I thought that this pic that I took of the Arch turned out pretty neat.  =)  ~Heather~

 ~Waiting to be called down to where the elevator was.~

~Phillip with Elijah and Mary.~

~All through the line I was trying to convince myself that I COULD do this.  I well remember that my Moma could NOT get into that elevator years ago when I was a little girl due to being claustrophobic, but I figured that somehow I would be able to do it!
When we got TO the elevator...I snapped this picture of Phillip and our children before the elevator door opened for us to get inside the T.I.N.Y. elevator!!!!!
I was sort of Sad that I couldn't be in the pic, but happy to at least have a pic of the outside of the little elevator.
(Little did I know that this pic without me was how it was going to be!)~

~I had saved a story to tell my family....for when I got inside, so that it would help keep my MIND off of the TINY elevator....but when I got inside and sat down, I started becoming VERY nervous!!  
Although I TRIED not to think of it...I kept thinking of those doors SHUTTING ME INSIDE this tinsy elevator for the 4 minute ride to the top.   (Which would have felt like an ETERNITY!!)
Phillip told me to close my eyes, which I did for 2 seconds and then I opened them and DARTED out the elevator door!   
I knew there was NO WAY I could handle being TRAPPED INSIDE THERE!!
Just as I got outside, handed Phillip our camera, and told my family I was SORRY that I couldn't go with them....the door shut behind me!!
WHEW!!!  Was I ever GLAD I was on the outside.  I was SAD that I couldn't be with my family, but HAPPY not be in that SMALL space.
(My heart raced for several minutes afterwards, and I STILL feel panicky and nearly FAINTY when I think of that door almost closing me in there.) 
For those of you who have never been claustrophobic, I can't explain the feeling, but ever since I was expecting our little Mary...it has become very REAL to this Mommy! 
Phillip took this pic of our kids inside the tiny elevator!~

~Phillip took this pic....At the top of the ARCH which is...630 feet tall (It is also 630 feet wide!)
The Arch is nearly double the height of the State of Liberty and taller than Mt. Rushmore too!~

~The view of St. Louis from the Arch.~

~Elijah and Mary looking out the tiny windows up top.   
When my family came back down, they told me that they understood me being scared that it was a very SCARY ride, and that when they were on top they could feel the Arch sway with the wind!!
 (' ~')
(Meantime, I was happily shopping in the gift shops below and PRAISING THE LORD out loud, each time I thought of the fact that I did NOT get shut inside that elevator.  =) ~

~Phillip and I with our little birthday boy Elijah.  We were happy that our kids got to go up into the Arch...for it's a fun once in a life time experience!  =)

We got to the Gaylerd Miller's guest house at 10:30 that night.
We had an enjoyable day and Elijah (and the rest of us) ENJOYED his birthday! =)
We're making memories...that will last a life-time!  =)
More pics of our deputation services coming up!